You Can Control Mold

Inside your home you can control mold growth by:

• Keeping humidity levels between 40% and 60%;

• Promptly fixing leaky roofs, windows, and pipes;

• Thoroughly cleaning and drying after flooding;

• Ventilating shower, laundry, and cooking areas.

If mold is growing in your home, you must promptly clean up the mold and fix the moisture problem. Mold growth can be removed from hard surfaces with commercial products, soap and water, or a bleach solution of no more than 1 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water.

Mold growth, which often looks like spots, can be many different colors, and can smell musty. If you can see or smell mold, a health risk may be present. You do not need to know the type of mold growing in your home, and CDC does not recommend or perform routine sampling for molds. No matter what type of mold is present, you should remove it. Since the effect of mold on people can vary greatly, either because of the amount or type of mold, you can not rely on sampling and culturing to know your health risk. Also, good sampling for mold can be expensive, and standards for judging what is and what is not an acceptable quantity of mold have not been set. The best practice is to remove the mold and work to prevent future growth.

If you choose to use bleach to clean up mold:

• Never mix bleach with ammonia or other household cleaners. Mixing bleach with ammonia or other cleaning products will produce dangerous, toxic fumes.

• Open windows and doors to provide fresh air.

• Wear non-porous gloves and protective eye wear.

• If the area to be cleaned is more than 10 square feet, consult the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guide titled Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings. Although focused on schools and commercial buildings, this document also applies to other building types. You can get it free by calling the EPA Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse at (800) 438-4318, or by going to the EPA web site at http://www.epa.gov/mold/mold_remediation.html.

• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using bleach or any other cleaning product.

BATHROOM TIP: Places that are often or always damp can be hard to maintain completely free of mold.  If there's some mold in the shower or elsewhere in the bathroom that seems to reappear, increasing ventilation (running a fan or opening a window) and cleaning more frequently will usually prevent mold from recurring, or at least keep the mold to a minimum.

These tips will help you clean up your mold problem. 

• Fix plumbing leaks and other water problems as soon as possible. Dry all items completely.

• Scrub mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, and dry completely.

• Absorbent or porous materials, such as ceiling tiles and carpet, may have to be thrown away if they become moldy. Mold can grow on or fill in the empty spaces and crevices of porous materials, so the mold may be difficult or impossible to remove completely.

• Avoid exposing yourself or others to mold (see discussions: What to Wear When Cleaning Moldy Areas and Hidden Mold).

• Do not paint or caulk moldy surfaces. Clean up the mold and dry the surfaces before painting. Paint applied over moldy surfaces is likely to peel.

• If you are unsure about how to clean an item, or if the item is expensive or of sentimental value, you may wish to consult a specialist. Specialists in furniture repair, restoration, painting, art restoration and conservation, carpet and rug cleaning, water damage, and fire or water restoration are commonly listed in phone books. Be sure to ask for and check references. Look for specialists who are affiliated with professional organizations.

Moisture and Mold Prevention and Control Tips

• When water leaks or spills occur indoors - ACT QUICKLY. If wet or damp materials or areas are dried 24-48 hours after a leak or spill happens, in most cases mold will not grow.

• Clean and repair roof gutters regularly.

• Make sure the ground slopes away from the building foundation, so that water does not enter or collect around the foundation.

• Keep air conditioning drip pans clean and the drain lines unobstructed and flowing properly.

• Keep indoor humidity low. If possible, keep indoor humidity below 60 percent (ideally between 30 and 50 percent) relative humidity. Relative humidity can be measured with a moisture or humidity meter, a small, inexpensive ($10-$50) instrument available at many hardware stores.

• If you see condensation or moisture collecting on windows, walls or pipes ACT QUICKLY to dry the wet surface and reduce the moisture/water source. Condensation can be a sign of high humidity. 

Actions that will help to reduce humidity

• Vent appliances that produce moisture, such as clothes dryers, stoves, and kerosene heaters to the outside where possible. (Combustion appliances such as stoves and kerosene heaters produce water vapor and will increase the humidity unless vented to the outside.)

• Use air conditioners and/or de-humidifiers when needed.

• Run the bathroom fan or open the window when showering. Use exhaust fans or open windows whenever cooking, running the dishwasher or dishwashing, etc.

Actions that will help prevent condensation

• Reduce the humidity.

• Increase ventilation or air movement by opening doors and/or windows, when practical. Use fans as needed.

• Cover cold surfaces, such as cold water pipes, with insulation.

• Increase air temperature

We hope these tips have been helpful.  Please see our other pages on this site for more information, or call us.