Jump straight to: How to remove mold in your house?
Welcome to our series of articles on mold! Click the links below to jump straight to:
Here is what we cover fully in this article:
- Understand the Red Flags of Mold Problems
- The Easiest Way To Clean Up Mold
- Equipment Required For Mold Cleaning
- The D.I.Y. Options To Remove Mold
How to get rid of stubborn green stuff in your kitchen or toilet? Want to prevent mold from growing or spreading more? Before further ado, let MEIDE.SG teach you methods to clean, deal with, and prevent mold in your house. There are numerous methods and ways to kill mold. The ultimate objective is to eliminate mould odour, restore the aesthetic appearances, and completely kill the mold and mildew living in your house.
A Few Important Questions, First
However, before diving into all these anti-mold solutions, ask yourself a few questions to determine which is the most appropriate method for you and your family:
- How long has the mold been there?
- How bad is the damage caused by the mold?
- What is the surface area being affected?
- What materials are being affected by mold?
- Do you have a desired budget and timeline or deadline?
Red Flags of a Mold Problem at Home – When To Seek Help
In any case where the problem of mold and mildew is long-standing or chronic, or has caused extensive damage to the appliances, walls, ceilings or fittings, it would be best to engage professional mold removal services. Or, if the surface area affected is huge (eg. more than one square metre), again, hire someone with the right equipment and training to do it. Do not endanger the health of yourself and your family. Lastly, if you are unsure of what material is being affected, it would be ideal to seek cleaning expert advice and help before proceeding to do it yourself. This is because without proper knowledge and preparation, attempting D.I.Y mold removal methods yourself may instead make matters worse!
Do not belittle the destructive effects of mold on your house. Even a small spot of mold and grow sideways and deep into porous materials (read: walls and ceilings) to cause irreparable damage. Furthermore, the use of inappropriate mold-busting sprays and liquids may cause permanent damage to your furnishings. This may end up with you having to pay even more for renovations and replacing the entire hardware. In summary, the process of removing mold in your house can be complex. If this is your first time encountering a problem with mold, do not worry because professional help is always available in Singapore!
More than just providing you with a comprehensive guide to remove mold from your beloved abode, MEIDE.SG can give you personalised and free expert consultation for your mold removal needs. Do not hesitate to contact us right away.
The Easy Way To Remove Mold In Your House
Just in case you feel that your mold problem is small and you are confident of managing it yourself, we have what you need right here. This D.I.Y method can save you money and time as it involves only three simple steps: spray/apply, leave it on for the specified duration, and then wipe or wash it away! MEIDE.SG recommends this home remedy to treat mold problems that are minor. This means that the mold has only been there for a rather short period of time, affects a small surface area, has not caused any damage to the material/surface, and is on a surface and at a location that you (as a homeowner) is confident of cleaning.
If you feel that your mold problem fits all these criteria, try out an anti-mold spray or cleansing liquid. This can be bought easily from a hardware store or supermarket. Moreover, there are plenty of brands and types to choose from. It is good to note that different brands and type may have different usage and instructions. Always read the instructions on how to use it safely before attempting and mold removal. As a rule of thumb, always wear protective clothing, goggles, gloves and masks. This is because most of these chemicals contain toxic ingredients such as peroxide. Also, before you head down to your local grocery store, check out a good list of summarised mold treatment tools (sprays, gels and pens) here:
https://thesmartlocal.com/read/mould-remover-singapore/
The use of these sprays, gels or pens to remove mold is simple and cost effective. However, do remember that these are home remedies suitable only for uncomplicated mold problems. They would also not prevent mold from recurring. To understand more on mold prevention and to learn about deep mold cleaning, read on.
How To Remove Mold with Home Remedies and Deep Cleaning
In addition to the convenient tools abovementioned, there are two commonly known household remedies to remove mold. The two remedies are either bleach or vinegar. In the event both are not suitable, MEIDE recommends the use of alcohol too. In the subsequent sections, we elaborate on their usages, preparation, advantages and disadvantages.
Regardless whichever chemical, make sure to use protective equipment. We cannot re-emphasise this strongly enough. This is because both the cleansing solutions, as well as the mold and its spores, can cause deleterious effects on health. It may enter your body or your family members’ physical being through the eyes, nose, mouth or even by contaminated body parts or clothings. Take extraordinary care especially with young children, elderly, immunocompromised persons, or pregnant ladies in the vicinity. It would be best to relocate them temporary before, during and immediately after the cleaning process. Only after several hours upon completion of the whole mold treatment process would it be safe for them to re-enter the house.
Materials and Equipment In The Preparation for Mold Removal Process
Please prepare these in advance to avoid hiccups in your process of mold treatment:
- It is best to conduct all steps and cleaning in a well ventilated area
- Protective Gown, Rubber Gloves, Safety Goggles and N95 Masks (some people suggest using a cloth or scarf to cover your orifices, but we advise against this as it does not provide adequate heath protection)
- Ladder, safe climbing stools, and other safety equipment to reach the location to be wiped
- Alcohol, Bleach or White Distilled Vinegar (read on below to learn more)
- Pouring cup to contain the bleach or vinegar
- Water to dilute the bleach
- 1 Bucket or Container to contain the mixture (you may also choose to use a spray nozzle if appropriate)
- Rags, Cloths, Soft bristle sponges and scrubs
- Hard bristle scrubs (optional) – this can be used for stubborn mold patches and stains, but bear in mind that this may cause damage to the surface and disperse mold spores if not handled correctly
- Old toothbrushes (optional) – for corners that are affected by mold, but are hard to reach
- Trash bin or bag with plastic lining to fully seal and dispose of soiled rags, cloths, sponges or scrubs. Do NOT reuse these rags, cloths, sponges or scrubs, as these would likely be contaminated with mold and mildew. Reusing them may cause mold to regrow, or worse, spread to other areas and pose risks to your family’s well being!
Do you find the whole process of mold removal complicated and difficult? Let us at MEIDE.SG handle it for you. Get rid of the green stuff in your kitchen and toilet today!
Option 1 : Using Bleach To Kill Mold
Steps to Using Bleach To Kill Mold
To prepare this cleansing formula, mix 1 part of bleach with 4 to 10 parts of water. The more concentrated this bleach formula is, the stronger the sanitising effect. However, the more concentrated the bleach liquid, the higher the chance of damage to the materials or surfaces that you are cleaning too. In that sense, bleach can be a double edged sword.
Next, use your rag, cloth, sponge or brush to apply this solution, and wipe the affected surfaces. Then, leave the cleansing liquid there for a duration substantial enough. Thereafter, use a clean dry rag or cloth to wipe away and residue or fluids. Repeat the process as necessary. After all the mold and mildew is cleared up, wipe again with a clean and dry rag or cloth to maintain the dryness of the area as much as possible. Do not worry about residual bleach left on the surface as it can serve as a preventive measure against future growth of mold. Nonetheless, if you are worried, you may wipe thoroughly to remove all bleach residue. Avoid using damp/wet cloths as moisture attracts further growth of mold and mildew.
Pros and Cons of Using Bleach
Bleach works very effectively in killing mold. It can restore surfaces and walls to an original, if not almost original state. Moreover, it is relatively cheap and easy to obtain. An added advantage of bleach is that it sanitises and kill germs and many other bacteria too. Do also note that bleach is effective for mold and mildew on only non-porous surfaces. For instance, it would effectively remove mold on glazed tiles, PVC (eg. most shower curtains), and glass.
Very importantly, do check to ensure your tiles are non-porous (eg. porcelain or ceramic). In today’s modern apartments, many floorings involve multiple materials. Common materials such as wood, concrete, onyx, marble and granite are incompatible and unsuitable to be cleaned with bleach. Even though some of these materials may be sealed or glazed over, their protective layer may have worn out and subject the underneath material to stains and damage by bleach. If moldy but porous materials are attacked by bleach, it may reduce mold temporary on the surface. However, the mold deep within the porous surface would continue to grow and multiply even faster. This would exacerbate your mold issues. Another point to note: it is not advisable to clean metal surfaces with bleach. For our recommended brand and detailed instructions, do check out Clorox bleach details here!
In addition, as a caution, do not mix bleach or diluted bleach with other cleaning chemicals. Bleach contains sodium hypochlorite, which is an active ingredient and reacts readily to ammonia and other substances. Mixing chemicals may induce toxic fumes detrimental to health.
Option 2: Using Vinegar to Kill Mold
Steps to Using Vinegar To Kill Mold
To prepare this cleansing formula, ensure you have a good (preferably fresh) bottle of white distilled vinegar. Do note that there are many different types of vinegar! Do not be confused in the supermarket. If you are keen to learn about them to be educated and differentiate them, check out this website.
There is no need to dilute or mix vinegar. Simply use a rag, cloth, scrub or sponge to apply and wipe the affected surface with vinegar. Then, leave the cleansing liquid there for a duration substantial enough. One tip is to leave it at least one hour. This is because of the milder acid in vinegar, as compared to bleach. Thereafter, use a clean dry rag or cloth to wipe away and residue or fluids. Repeat the process as necessary. After all the mold and mildew is cleared up, wipe again with a clean and dry rag or cloth to maintain the dryness of the area as much as possible.
Do not worry about residual vinegar left on the surface as it can serve as a preventive measure against future growth of mold. Nonetheless, if you are worried, you may wipe thoroughly to remove all vinegar residue. Avoid using damp/wet cloths as moisture attracts further growth of mold and mildew.
Pros and Cons of Using Vinegar
The benefits of vinegar are great. It is natural and less harmful than bleach. It kills other germs and bacteria such as E.Coli and Listeria too. Furthermore, it is very reasonably priced and easy to find. It also contains a milder acid than bleach, and readily removes odours, mold and mildew. Some guides even recommend adding citrus peels (from oranges) to a container of vinegar to use as a house spray. This can be used to aid mold removal and prevention around the house too! In contrast to bleach, vinegar is suitable for cleansing porous materials. This includes wood, concrete, drywall and unsealed tile.
Nonetheless, the ingredients and mild acid in vinegar can pose issues too. It can cause discolourations, stains and eat away at the surface of fragile materials. It is thus not suitable to use vinegar on many vulnerable floorings. This includes onyx, marble and granite. To avoid damage to these materials, a last resort would be to use alcohol or vodka to rub it. Otherwise, the entire material would need to be replaced.
More Options On How To Remove Mold
Treating Mold Problems with Alcohol, Lemon, and Specialized Sprays
Beyond the two popular options for mold removal, alcohol can be used too. Alcohol is less wet and dries up fast. During the drying process, it denatures bacteria and removes mold. However, it is important to note that alcohol does not completely kill mold and its spores. This is because alcohol is not acidic like vinegar or bleach. However, alcohol is easy to obtain and serves as a quick solution for materials unsuitable for bleach or vinegar. From alcohol wipes to sprays, or simply using vodka, all these may be used to sanitise and clean away dirty mouldy areas.
Finally, there are other non-conventional methods to remove mold. This includes using lemon, or a combination of chemicals that are largely acidic, and specialized sprays. Click here to find out about one specialized mold removal spray that MEIDE endorses!
If you have made it this far, we are confident of your conviction to remove mold from your house. Should you ever require any further assistance, do not hesitate to contact us at MEIDE.SG!
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