Does your home need mold treatment?

Mold in simplistic term is a threat to your happy household. Scientifically, it is a fungus growing in multicellular filaments known as hyphae. And what’s wrong with that? Why should you be afraid? Well, mold is hazardous to your health and at its most destructive form has the power to bring down a building, your home. Therefore, mold treatment is something every home needs, requires.

That small dark patch of mold at a damp corner in your home could give your children chronic lung diseases upon constant long-term exposure. As a result of mold exposure, your pets can fall sick, elderly people severely sill and cause severe allergies to all. Having mold in your home is therefore certainly not an option! However, mold spores are present everywhere, in the outdoors and indoors, and it is not scientifically possible to eradicate every last spore. But the amount indoor mold spores can be brought down to a level that is not harmful in any way. And that basically is what mold treatment is all about.

If you have damp humid corners at your home, or it is that time of the year when heavy rain and humid weather hits your town, your home is more likely to be susceptible to molds. When discovering mold, many people try to scrape it off by themselves that is dangerous to your health and your home. The right thing to do is always to call a professional for mold treatment.

What to do when you find mold in your home

  1. Try to locate all mold patches: If you see one mold patch then there’s a chance there are more. If it’s a rather small one and just a single mold patch, you can clean it with soap or authorized material and take precautions to not cause more mold outbursts. However, in case then you have several patches or a big patch of mold, stay away and call mold inspection professionals. A good way to locate mold is to look for water leakage source.
  2. Get ready for a thorough mold inspection: you could have been living with hidden mold since a long time. So, if you have finally spotted some it is time to run a professional mold inspection and find all the sources and hidden molds. Prolonged exposure to mold can be almost close to fatal. Also, professional mold inspectors will come up with a scientific and effective way to treat mold in your household.
  3. Try to control the moisture source: As long as there’s water and humidity, chances of more mold formation will be there. So, locating a water leakages or moisture source should be your primary concern. If you can’t manage to fully control the moisture source, then at least try close all water supply till professionals can do it for you. Also, remember to stay out of mold infected area and keep your family members away as well. Severe allergies to many other hazardous effects will appear upon constant exposure to mold.If you think you have a mold problem, please call Five Boro Mold Specialist for more information on our NYC mold inspection services.schedule-NYC-mold-Inspection

DIY Mold Removal: Natural Mold Killers

How to Remove Mold With Natural Mold Killers

natural mold killers

The existence of mold inside a house can be easily recognized because of the smell that mold produces. When there is an earthy and musty scent, if there are visible cotton-like substances on walls around damp places, then mold has already found its way into your home and it is surely starting to thrive into a full blown mold infestation . Normally, mold can be easily distinguished by the naked eye, but there are times that these tiny organisms could not be seen – the awful smell on the other hand is something that could help you distinguish that the formation of mold already took place and it is in fact lurking in your home.

Although not all molds are harmful, the majority of these organisms that came from specific classes of fungus may cause different harmful effects to one’s health. That is why it is especially important to immediately get rid of these organisms as soon as possible . But, most importantly, it is important that people know how to prevent mold from ever occurring or from coming back.

Prevention is better than trying to eliminate mold. Once we learn to understand the simple ways on how to get rid of mold, people would be able to comprehend that mold can be easily removed at home with proper management. Some of the best ways to prevent mold from growing in your home is to simply reduce the amount of moisture and humidity in and around your home. Poor ventilation in bathrooms, kitchens, crawlspaces, basements, and attics are all prime places where mold will grow. Ventilation fans and dehumidifiers are great ways to prevent and  reduce your chances of mold growing in these places.

List of Natural Mold Killers:

How to remove mold with vinegar- Vinegar is the other natural product that can kill up to 82% of mold. Vinegar should not be diluted with water. It works only when used directly from the bottle. Once vinegar is poured on the infested area leave it for few hours and then scrub the mold with brush. And then clean the area again with cloth and vinegar. This will remove the musty smell and the stains of the mold.

How to remove mold with Tea Tree Oil-Tea tree oil is an essential oil that can be found in all major stores. Though it is expensive, this oil works great with killing the mold. Mix one a spoon of tea tree oil with one cup of water and put it in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on the infested area. And let it sit overnight to work. The mold gets killed by the next day. Clean the area with vinegar and cloth. Scrub the area to remove all the stains. Tea tree oil has a very strong smell. The smell will fade from your house in couple of days. Any leftover solution can be stored for any other use because tea tree oil does not lose its potency so easily. Store the tea tree oil away from the children and pets as its smell can be very strong for them to bear

How to remove mold with citric acid-If you do not like strong fragrances, use grapefruit seed extract to kill the mold. It is odor free and kills mold as effectively. Mix 20 drops in 2 cups of water and spray on the mold. Clean after few hours to have the mold removed completely.

How to remove mold with Baking Soda- Baking soda can be used with water or vinegar to kill the mold. A 50/50 ratio of baking soda to water or vinegar should be used to make initial scrubbing paste. A lighter solution should be made to use with a spray bottle; a couple of teaspoons should suffice for a quart of water or vinegar. Use the solution on the mold infested area and scrub it with brush to remove the mold. Once done, clean the area with water or vinegar. Re-apply baking soda solution to area, wipe off, HEPA vac any loose contaminated debris, Leave baking soda and/or vinegar solution lightly sprayed on the area to dry to stop any further growth of mold.

How to remove mold with Distilled Ethanol– Cheap bottom shelf alcohol such as vodka can be used to naturally remove mold. Cheap spirits typically mean that the liquor is less processed, which makes the spirits/liquor much more effective in killing mold. If you can bear the smell, spraying distilled ethanol directly on the mold affected areas is the best way to of using this method as alcohol and water to not mix well. You may rinse off the distilled ethanol after scrubbing and cleaning up of the moldy area and materials. You should although leave a light coat sprayed on to prevent future mold growth.

How to remove mold with Borax / Vinegar and Borax-You can also remove mold by using a strong mix of borax and water. Usually a half of cup of borax to one quart of water should do the trick. You may also try mixing borax, vinegar, and water for stubborn mold infested areas. The ratio for this is typically a half cup of vinegar, one quarter cup borax, mixed with 1 quart of water. Simply apply to the affected area, scrub with a throw away brush, use a HEPA filter vacuum to suck up any loose mold or moldy material, leave the natural mold killer to dry on it’s own(Meaning, DO NOT RINSE or WASH OFF!).

How to remove mold with Hydrogen Peroxide- You may also use hydrogen peroxide as a natural mold removal solution. The ratio for this natural mold killer is 1 part hydrogen peroxide(3+%) to 2 parts clean water. All you need to do is spray the mold cleaner onto the affected areas, let it sit for 10-15 minutes and wipe away any loose mold or moldy material, and let the area air dry the affected area.

How to remove mold with Bleach-  Bleach does not kill mold at the root but it can help with cleaning and disinfecting areas where mold is growing. Remember, mold produces toxins that become airborne with the spores that the mold uses to “reproduce”. The ratio for using bleach to clean and inhibit mold growth is 1 cup of bleach to one gallon of water. Simply spray on the solution, wait about 10-15 minutes, scrub any stubborn areas, wipe up or HEPA vac up any loose moldy materials, and let the area that you just cleaned to air dry.

How to remove mold with Ammonia- Using ammonia to kill mold at it’s source is another myth, similar to using bleach to kill mold. Yes, you can use a mixture of ammonia and water to clean up mold, but it will most definitely come back very soon as with simply using a bleach solution to kill mold.
The ratio if you would like to try using ammonia as a mold cleaner, simply mix 1 cup of ammonia to 1 gallon of water, spray on the mold affected area, let it sit for 1-15 minutes, scrub any problematic areas, wipe or HEPA vac up the loose mold contaminated materials, and let the area air dry.

Be advised, large areas ranging anywhere from 3-10 sq ft would need to be handled by professionals.

WARNING!!! Do not mix any cleaning chemicals together, especially ammonia and bleach!!!

DIY Mold Removal- Safety

NYC mold inspection contractors

Homeowners should know that that safety while cleaning should always come first. However, people are not aware of the fact that these solutions may contain different substances and chemicals that have toxins along with some molds being toxic themselves. These substances could also be dangerous to children, to pets, and even to all the members inside the building. So after using these products it is advisable that homeowners keep the areas out of reach first up until it dries up and the mold is completely removed. We have to make sure of this to prevent toxins in reaching others. Another thing to remember is that when you start cleaning mold, you must have a respirator, gloves, and the appropriate safety equipment so that you do not inhale any toxic fumes or potential toxic by-products from cleaning the mold itself.

It is still recommended to use EPA certified mold and mildew removal products if your budget permits.

Home owners should be able to understand that it is not a difficult task cleaning up small areas of mold. You will want to find out what caused the mold to grow in the first place, and then begin the sealing off of rooms to prevent spores traveling while you conduct your mold removal processes.Be advised, please make sure that you keep your family safe from possible harmful toxins and chemicals while cleaning the mold.

NYC Mold Inspection and Mold Removal Services by Five Boro Mold Specialist

New York City’s oldest and most established  mold removal company, specializing in high tech mold inspection, mold testing, and mold removal services.

five boro mold specialist

About 5 Boro Mold Specialist-

Helping New Yorker’s Breathe A Little Easier Since 1989
Five Boro Mold Specialist Inc., a New York City mold inspection, mold testing, and mold removal company in NYC, has been serving the NYC metropolitan area for roughly 25 years. Specializing in non invasive high tech mold inspections, “conflict free” mold testing, and rapid mold removal services.

If you are currently in need of NYC mold removal services, please contact us immediately for more information.

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