Getting Rid Of Mold Is Not Always Easy
Getting rid of mold that is present in a household can in some instances be a difficult task. Since mold is a living fungus, killing it would seem to be a relatively simple task. It is, but the problem is really one of search and destroy. To kill mold, one has to find it, and once you've killed and removed it, steps need to be taken to keep it from simply coming right back.
One way to get rid of something is to eliminate those things it needs for its survival. In the case of mold, it's warmth and humidity. Take away either, especially moisture, and mold cannot survive. Take away warmth, the mold may still survive but will not thrive. Moisture then is really the key element, especially if you like it warm inside your home.
It's important to recognize mold's need for warmth and moisture, since not only can you take steps to prevent mold from occurring, but you also know where to look, as not all the mold that may be in your house will necessarily be in plain sight. Mold can be underneath a sink or clothes washer, two rooms where moisture, and often heat, are typically present. Mold can be present in the crack between a wall and baseboard, or in a cabinet under the kitchen sink. It can be anywhere in your house where there is a warm, moist place for it to make its home.
Getting rid of mold can involve calling in a professional, which you may need to do if your home has suffered water damage, or it may simply involve spraying a chemical on the tiles in the shower or bathroom floor. Usually if only a small area is affected, getting rid of mold is fairly straightforward, as long as you can get at it. Mold growing on ceramic tile, a metal surface or on paint can usually be taken care of with a solution of bleach. This may not be a good approach however it the mild is growing on an organic material such as bare wood, or leather. If mold is growing on an absorbent material, it can sometimes be a real problem and what it's growing on may have to be discarded.
The most popular way of getting rid of mold, aside from something you may purchase in a spray can, is a solution of chlorine bleach in water, at a strength of one part bleach to 4 parts water. Putting thus solution on the mold and letting it sit for an hour or so will kill the mold. It still will be necessary to scrub the dead mold away, both for the sake of appearance and due to the fact that dead mold can be an allergen, affecting some people who have allergies or may suffer asthmatic reactions.
Don't make the mistake of painting over mold in an attempt to rid yourself of it. The pain will adhere to the mold, the mold will die, and the pain will then peel. It's much better to get rid of the mold, then paint.
If you're uncomfortable about using bleach, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar also will work. The two are not mixed together but applied separately, using spray bottles, spraying vinegar on the mold first, then the peroxide. After a few minutes scrub the area with soap and water, then dry things off.
Drying a cleaned up area off is vitally important or the mold will simply return if things remain damp. Mold spores are in the air all around us, but do little harm and cannot survive unless they find a moist surface. Once you've gotten rid of mold to your satisfaction, its time to give some thought as to how you're going to keep mold-prone areas in your house dry. If that can be accomplished, getting rid of mold will probably no longer be a priority.