How to get rid of mold at home

Mold and other types of fungus. Why is mold dangerous and what types of mold are harmful? Causes of occurrence and methods of combating mold fungi. Find out how to remove fungus from walls using effective folk and industrial anti-mold remedies.

Mold can appear in any home and become the causative agent of various diseases and allergies. Let's figure out what mold is. Causes of common types of fungi. Is it possible to get rid of mold on wood, in the basement, in the bathroom on your own? Causes of appearance and methods of control. How to effectively remove mold.

What is mold?

Mold is a rather noticeable coating formed by mold fungi. They are literally ubiquitous, growing on almost all materials and in all climates. Fungus appears not only on the surface of objects or walls, but also penetrates into surfaces with microscopic threads, so it is not always easy to remove mold.

Most often, mold in the house can be divided into several types:

Green. Often it affects food products, spreading and contaminating food.
White. You can find it in flower pots, on wooden furniture, and in bread.

Sineva. Affects window frames, doors, parquet floors or furniture.
Black. The most dangerous type of fungus that appears everywhere: tiles in the bathroom, wallpaper in the room, walls, ceiling.

Causes of mold on the walls of the house and its elimination

Mold spores are constantly in the air. They can wait a long time for the emergence of a favorable environment and a suitable surface for settling and beginning to reproduce. Wet wood is the best conditions for the development of fungus. It takes root at lightning speed on the surface, sprouting with the thinnest threads and forming whole foci of brown-black color. If measures are not immediately taken to remove them, mold will soon cover all wooden surfaces in the house, making it uninhabitable.

From the above it follows that the main cause of mold is high humidity. As for the ambient temperature, many types of this “disease” of the wood surface can exist and develop at 0 degrees and sub-zero temperatures. This is why we can often see basement walls covered with black stains and emitting a stench even in the winter season.

Another reason contributing to the appearance of fungus is improperly organized insulation and ventilation of rooms, as a result of which condensation accumulates on the walls. You can notice this quickly - by fogged windows, where the accumulation of steam is better visible.

Normal humidity is 70-80 percent. If this indicator is higher, due to excessively darkened rooms, an abundance of plants, frequent washing or other reasons, the liquid concentrates in certain places and leads to the formation of fungus.

Causes of mold

Mold in the home begins to actively multiply and grow only when it gets into a suitable environment.

The ideal humidity level is 60-80%. This level can be in a bathroom or shower stall.
Plaque survives both very high temperatures and extremely low temperatures. The most optimal range is from 4 to 20 °C.
Difficulties in air circulation: piled up furniture, heaps of mismatched things, closed windows - the air is increasingly contaminated with spores, and it becomes much easier for the fungus to multiply.

Why is black mold dangerous in the house?

So, when the walls, floor, and ceiling are affected by black mold, unpleasant dark spots appear in the corners of the room, which gradually take over more and more territories. If measures are not taken to remove it in a timely manner, the wallpaper begins to peel off, the wooden parts of the interior rot, the paint falls off in whole pieces, even concrete floors can crumble and become unusable.

Aspergillus nigra spores (black mold fungus) are one of the possible causes of the development or exacerbation of diseases such as:

myocarditis;
rhinitis (allergic);
meningitis;
asthma;
pneumonia.

When contaminated air is inhaled, the fungus enters the respiratory system and enters the bloodstream through the lungs. The blood vessels carry the spores throughout the body. A weakened immune system reacts to mold with symptoms of severe intoxication.

What you need to prepare for a successful fight

Before starting an unequal battle with the ubiquitous fungus, arm yourself with the following means:

For your protection: gloves, glasses, respirator.
For mechanical removal: sponge, brush, rag, scraper, sandpaper, water container, detergent or cleaner, garbage bag.
For final treatment: wood varnish, spore killer.
Before you begin processing, put on goggles, gloves, a respirator, and a special suit will not be superfluous.

Important! Remember that inhaling spores is very harmful to health. The respiratory organs and skin take the brunt. After the procedure, wash your hands and body. At the first feeling of discomfort, consult a doctor.

Security measures

Before you begin cleaning, it is wise to ensure the safety of all family members:

It is better to evict children and animals from the apartment for a short time so that they are not attacked by large amounts of aggressive chemicals and mold particles that will certainly get into the air;
for those who will destroy the fungus, it is worth preparing rubber gloves, goggles, a respirator and a protective suit that covers the body as much as possible;
You need to open the window and provide sufficient fresh air. At the same time, do without a draft so that spores do not spread throughout the home along with air masses.

Most chemicals are harmful to humans. Therefore, avoid contact of products with skin and mucous membranes, and do not inhale toxic fumes. If particles of the substance do get into your eyes or nose, you should rinse them thoroughly.

How to get rid of mold

Mold in an apartment is destroyed using the following simple algorithm:

Mechanical cleaning of the affected area from plaque that has appeared.
Treatment against mold with a special agent over the entire surface, including nearby meters.
Drying the surface and ventilating the room.
Prevent plaque re-formation by controlling humidity and air circulation.

Useful tips for mechanical cleaning

The most important thing is to thoroughly remove visible plaque. If the layer is fresh and has appeared recently, then you can eliminate mold from the walls with a sponge or brush using a regular soap solution.
It seems possible to remove mold from wallpaper only at first. If the layer has become ingrained, then it must be removed by cleaning it down to the plaster.

Important! You can’t hesitate, because household mold can penetrate through the plaster to concrete and brick in just a year.

During the removal process, wet the wall, this will prevent spores from spreading through the air.
You can remove fungus on a wall whitewashed with lime using a scraper or sandpaper. Don't forget to wet the ceiling or wall before starting.
Mold in the bathroom prefers to settle in the seams between tiles or in joints near plumbing fixtures. Use a scraper to clean the affected area and go over the seams with sandpaper. Dry, apply disinfectant, and reseal the areas between tiles and joints with sealant and grout.

Important! Immediately place all dirty residues in a sealed bag rather than scattering them on the floor. This will prevent the fungus in the bathtub from spreading further.

Procedure

The first thing to do is remove all the trim from the walls. First of all, the wallpaper is removed, then the extent of the damage is assessed. Usually in such places the plaster becomes soft and loose. It needs to be cleaned off with a spatula all the way down to the base of the wall. As soon as the material is removed from the walls, it must be immediately removed from the room, otherwise mold spores will spread throughout the house.

Next, the walls are well sanded to remove any remaining material.

Only after these preparations can antiseptic treatment be carried out. You need to cover not only the affected surface with the solution, but also the area around it.

Repeated treatment is allowed only after 6 hours.

After drying, prime the walls with special compounds.

Only after complete drying can you begin finishing the wall: plastering, puttying, stripping and wallpapering. But in order to prevent mold from reappearing, you need to periodically ventilate and dry the room, and adjust the air conditioning.

Which fungal remedy should I choose?

Let's move on to the main question: what is the best remedy for mold on the walls to prevent it from appearing again over time? Here is a list of the most effective drugs, each of them copes well with all types of fungus. Your task is to choose exactly the product that is right for you.

Bleach. Will help clean mold from tiles or glass, but is not suitable for all porous materials. It is toxic, so it must be used with extreme caution. You need to dilute the bleach with water in a ratio of 1/10. It is better to apply with a wide brush or spray.
Vinegar. Helps fight against mold on all surfaces and materials. It has a pungent odor and can damage furniture or wallpaper, affecting the color. Spray vinegar or apply it to the surface with a rag. After a week, repeat the procedure for prevention.

Lemon juice or citric acid. It has the same properties as vinegar, but besides that, it smells nice. Any materials can be processed, and tiles are washed most efficiently. For a glass of water, use 1 tablespoon of juice or acid. After this, the surfaces are completely processed.

Hydrogen peroxide. The optimal remedy, since removing mold using this method is convenient and safe. Peroxide is applied to any surfaces except actively painted ones (the color may fade). Use a rag or spray. After a week, repeat the procedure again.
Baking soda. Removing mold with baking soda is effective and safe. Dissolve a tablespoon of baking soda in a glass of water. Spray or rub over the infected area. After an hour, wipe the wall with water again to avoid streaks.

Prepare an interesting and very effective solution. Take 100 ml of water, 50 ml of vinegar, 50 ml of hydrogen peroxide, 25 ml of boric acid. Combine these components in a container and heat over a fire to 50-70 degrees. Spray or rub this product over the infected area. Repeat the manipulation once every couple of days for the purpose of prevention. This method is the most effective for cleaning tile joints.

Folk remedies for mold control

If store branded antiseptics are unaffordable or there is nowhere to buy them, all that remains is to fight the mold yourself, using time-tested means.

Boric acid is also effective against fungal deposits. In a 10-liter bucket of water, dilute 400 grams of acid with a kilogram of borax and one and a half liters of vinegar. The main condition due to which a good result is achieved is preheating the mixture to 70 degrees and then spraying it on the walls.

You can also apply a protective layer of oil or resin - they prevent spores from penetrating deep into the wood.

Boric acid can also be used in combination with salt in the proportion per 100 grams of solution - 2 kg of certified salt.

In addition, various chemicals are used as antifungal agents:

Treat the walls with hydrogen peroxide and wipe with a damp cloth after 10-15 minutes. Sometimes it is mixed with vinegar to enhance the effect;
a mixture of laundry soap and urine;
a solution of water and office glue;
ammonia;
coating the surface with drying oil.

How to get rid of mold smell

If you have successfully dealt with the fungus, but you can still smell the mold, use:

Baking soda. Sprinkle a thin layer of powder over the area where the fungus grew. Leave for 3-4 hours, then sweep or vacuum up.
Charcoal. Place several containers with coal around the perimeter of the room. After a couple of days, the unpleasant smell will disappear.
Improved ventilation, home fragrances, aerosols and other incense. These products will finally improve the air in the apartment.

How does humidity affect biological contaminants?

The second problem that appears due to increased humidity is the increased growth of microorganisms - that is, mold, bacteria, viruses, mites. If the relative humidity exceeds 60%, these are already favorable conditions for their reproduction. And all microorganisms have an extremely negative effect on our health.

Impact of humidity levels on indoor air quality

Take, for example, mold fungi, which are found in the air in the form of spores. Metabolic products and fragments of dead mold cells cause serious health problems. Including mycotoxicosis, sensitive pneumonia, allergies.

Mold also produces gases as it metabolizes. They contain volatile organic components with a characteristic odor. Fungal spores also contain toxins, which often cause breathing problems. And much more serious than allergies. Due to their very small size, mold spores can easily enter a building through any opening. And on surfaces with an optimal level of moisture, entire colonies multiply.

Mold fungus feeds on substances that are dissolved in water. Therefore, damp walls are his home. It reproduces in moisture levels between 11% and 92%, but the surface must be damp or moist. Therefore, special attention is always paid to corners and other places where water accumulates and stagnates. After all, it is precisely this that promotes the proliferation of microorganisms that prefer a damp surface.

As for temperature, mold grows in the range from 0° to +40°. When the level is below zero, it does not die, but growth stops. But at temperatures above +40°, mold does not live long.

Conditions for mold growth

Thus, in order to prevent the proliferation of mold fungi, two points must be taken into account. The first is to control air humidity. The second is to eliminate the possibility of water vapor condensation inside and outside the walls of the house. These two issues can be resolved in different ways, which we will discuss below.

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What should I do to prevent fungus from appearing?

If you have already gotten even with all traces of the raid, then the next step is to prevent it from appearing again. To do this, you should study these tips:

Buy a specialized product. Apply an antimicrobial spray to areas where there was fungus on the wall in the bathroom or any other room. This will prevent the re-population of bacteria and spores. Hardware stores sell anti-mildew paint.
If the room is humid, making it most vulnerable to spores, then take care of purchasing an electric air dehumidifier. This option is ideal for long-term removal of black plaque.
Update the insulation system in your home. Often it is poor thermal insulation that becomes the root of the problem. If your walls and floors are susceptible to condensation, then the problem is a violation of heat exchange.

How to “cut off the oxygen” to mold

The right solution to the problem is to get rid of moisture, which fungi love:

Straighten shower curtains properly and hang towels to dry.
Keep the bathroom, kitchen and other wet rooms clean and dry. Ventilate the premises.
If the riser or drain is covered with “mushrooms,” it means there is a pipe leaking somewhere. Leaking communications need to be dealt with immediately.

Mold is dangerous only when the situation is advanced and the path to combat is long and difficult. Armed with our tips, you will deal with the fungus in no time.

Recommendations for treating surfaces affected by fungus

When using store-bought and homemade antiseptics, use personal protective equipment and take care of your eyes and respiratory organs. At the time of treatment, it is better for the residents to leave the premises altogether.

Mold most often eats deep into the wood and sometimes there is nothing left but to cut down and remove the affected area; there are also cases when the house can no longer be restored. It is better, when a problem is discovered, to entrust its solution to professionals who will not only select the optimal remedy, but also guarantee the quality of the measures taken and the result.

The appearance of mold is a signal that certain processes in the house are not going as they should and mistakes were made somewhere during construction. It is not recommended to ignore a problem that significantly affects wall surfaces and human health. The sooner you find an effective remedy, the larger the area of the wooden house you will be able to save. It is better not to wait for fungus to appear - regularly treat the surface with preventative agents, cover it with protective substances, and then your wooden house will not be subject to fungal plaque.