Mould and mildew are quite a common occurrence in the home. Nobody likes the sight of that dark and nasty colour on the wall, carpet, tiles or even the odour. One bad feature of mould is that when the start growing they can be quite difficult to totally eliminate. They grow on walls, in between tiles, around your bath and even in your laundry area.

Mildews are actually a type of mould that are black and are found in the sites mentioned above. This fungi are considered harmless but removing them totally will certainly make your home look more pleasant.

WHY DO MOULDS AND MILDEW GROW INDOORS?

This is one question that we may have asked ourselves. It is interesting to know that moulds thrive well in moist and warm environment. This areas perfectly fits the description of your bathroom and laundry rooms and that is why they majorly are found there. This is due to the fact that steam from the shower or bath cools and condenses on the walls providing the desired moisture and warmth for the organism to thrive. However, they could also grow on carpets, upholstery and other suitable grounds. Basically, wherever they are found there is always moisture and a reasonable degree of warmth and they will continue to spread if not arrested in time.

HOW TO REMOVE MOULDS AND MILDEWS

Removing moulds are quite easy but before you do that it is important to be sure that you are not allergic to the fungi and also that your immunity is not compromised. Moulds have the capacity to cause some allergic reaction to some or even serious health issues on those with compromised immunity. If you fall into this category of people then, it will be wise you seek the services of an expert especially when the degree of infestation is high. However, if the area is small it is advisable to wear protective outfits like hand gloves, face masks and protective eye wear before you remove them.

Having noted that, it have been proven that bleach and other agents like Borax, Vinegar and ammonia could be used to remove and eliminate moulds. Application of bleach on the affected wall is helpful but, before you apply bleach or any agent on your beautiful surfaces it will be a wise to confirm that the agent will not cause irreversible damage to these surfaces.

Below are steps to follow in the elimination of moulds using bleach:

– Prepare a solution of bleach. The solution should be made of 3 parts of water to 1 part of Chlorine bleach. This concentration have been proven to be effective.

– Scrub the wall hardly with medium bristled brush and rinsing afterwards.

– For hard to reach area, you could put the solution in a spray and apply by spraying. After then then scrub the area with the brush.

– In some cases removal may be only temporal with this concentration of bleach. Therefore, other stronger agents could be used afterwards.

Another useful agent is vinegar. This is surprising to many but it works. Pour undiluted vinegar into a spray bottle and spray the affected surface. After a perfect spray use the middle bristled brush to wash thoroughly and allow the area to dry.

 Borax solution can be used to eliminate moulds. Prepare a solution of borax by mixing a cup of borax to a gallon of warm water. Dip brush into solution and scrub affected areas vigorously to remove the moulds.

You can use Ammonia to remove moulds. However you need to be cautious in using Ammonia. Some precautions are; Use product that states “clear ammonia” and never mix ammonia with bleach. This can create chlorine gas and it is quite toxic. Mix one part of water to one part of ammonia. Pour in a spray bottle and spray the affected area. After that scrub and clean.

Many times you will notice that the mould returns back after several days of treatment. This can be really annoying. It suggests that extra measures need to be taken to prevent or eliminate the mould totally.

PREVENT MOULDS AND MILDEW FROM RETURNING BACK

Removing the infestation on the wall does not mean that they cannot return back. Some other measure need to be taken to prevent this from happening.

Good ventilation can drastically reduce that chance of the mould returning back. Always ensure that your bathroom, laundry room or other places are well ventilated. Leave bathroom window open when showering or taking your bath and even afterwards. This gives the steam room to escape while you take your shower.

Using bathroom fan is another important preventive measure because it dries your bathroom and preventing the growth of mould. This may be ideal during winter when it may be too cold to leave windows opened.

In severe cases when the moulds keep returning back you may consider a long term preventive measure such as installing an electric de-humidifier. The device collects moisture from the air and then leaves the air dry and unfavourable for the growth of mould. For effective action the dehumidifier needs to be emptied always perhaps once a day to ensure optimal activity.

Investigate the affected part of your home for leaks. Leakages could be the reason for the persistence moisture. If there is no moisture there will certainly be no growth. After identifying the leak ensure that you get a professional plumber to fix it. This have been found to be effective in laundries and bathrooms that are always moist because of the presence of one or two leaks from the pipes or supplies.

The use of mildew paint have also been found to be very effective. This paint prevents the moulds from growing on the areas that they are applied. This is something that you can do by yourself. The paints are available at most Do it yourself shops.

Finally, moulds and mildew don’t have to be a problem any longer. With the few tips above I am quite sure that you will be saying bye to moulds and mildews.

If you can’t cope with mold we can help you. Call us on 0208.1067444 we are based in South Wimbledon and cover most of SW London areas.