I live in the south and sometimes we get a lot of rain. Most houses here have basements and sometimes they will hold moisture. That can mean black mold. It can be pervasive and keep coming back if you don’t know how to get rid of it. Here is the best way to remove mold from your home and keep it from coming back.
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What things can cause mold inside homes?
- Humidity
- Leaky Pipes
- Condensation
- Poor Ventilation
- Flooding
Most people quickly grab the bottle of Clorox to clean up mold, thinking it will kill everything but it doesn’t. Mold will actually feed on the Clorox. It will return over and over again and can be a vicious cycle. Using Clorox will also harm your paint especially if you are trying to get it off of sheetrock.
Above is an example of some mold that was growing on our paneling after a water leak. This had been there for over a month when we found it. because there were some things propped against the wall. I wanted to make sure we didn’t take the paint off when we cleaned it and here is how we did it safely.
There are 2 products you will need to get, we found them at our local Home Depot:
They are safe and won’t harm your skin. First, spray on the Concrobium Mold Control, let it sit for a few seconds and then scrub with a damp cloth. You may have to use a little elbow grease or a second spray for set in mold, but most if it will wipe right off. Once it is dry, just spray on the Zep Clear Shell and let it dry.
It’s that easy and all the mold is gone leaving your paint job intact. The best part is the mold will not come back.
If you liked this household cleaning tip you might want to try these as well:
30+ Uses for WD40 in Your Home
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Dora says
Clorox automatic bowl cleaner tablets were advised to use in toilet bowl for mold and you say not to use bleach. Is there a difference in the two? I thought Mold is Mold and could be treated and killed the same anywhere it shows up.
Jennifer Kimmel says
Hey Dora! I think the toilet bowl cleaners work because you are constantly changing the water (flushing) so the mold doesn’t have time to grow back.
Howtoclean says
If the surface does get soiled or dirty, try using an upholstery cleaner. Since they are made for surfaces that touch your skin (e.g. your couch), then, unless you are extremely sensitive to cleaners in general, it should work. It also has the advantage of removing dust mites[1] and their refuse.
Steve Settles says
Mold is a common problem, I’m just trying to keep the house as moisture free as possible to reduce mold growth. Thanks for sharing this valuable information with us. The tips you mentioned here are really amazing.
getcleaningdone says
I have virtually eliminated mold and mildew growth in my windowless, very small bathroom by turning off the hot water after a shower and using the hand-held shower hose to cool down all bathtub, shower curtain and tile surfaces with cold water. I pull the shower curtain to the center from both sides to allow air flow and leave the exhaust fan on for about 30 minutes.
Aubrey Cota says
Interesting, thank you for the tips!
Mold Across America says
Yes humidity is a huge contributor to the growth of mold. Never use bleach is right!