If you find mold in your house, there is only one thing to do: clean it up. You have fundamentally two choices on how you do that. You can either clean up the moldy patches yourself or hire a professional. If you are unaware, there are services that specialize in mold cleaning, such as PuroClean who offer mold removal in New Jersey, for example.
This is a serious health hazard and should never be ignored. It won’t go away on its own and will only get worse.
Know Your Mold
Unfortunately, it can be very difficult for the average person to identify any particular batch of mold. Unlike insect pests, knowing one kind from another can take an expert eye. So to play it safe, you should take precautions when cleaning up any mold problems. Treat all mold as hazardous. Wear a mask, rubber gloves, and dispose of any moldy materials immediately no matter what kind of mold you think you might have.
Depends on the Surface
One of the big questions about trying to clean mold is what are you cleaning the mold from? Though the mold itself is a concern, you need to think about the surfaces before trying to clean it. Smooth hard areas like tile, metal or stone are the most reasonable areas that you can successfully clean on your own.
Things with fiber or pores, like carpeting, drywall, fabrics or even wood will be a lot tougher. In these cases, you’re best to try and remove the material entirely and replace it. If that’s not possible, a good cleaning (see next section) may be enough if you allow the solution to soak in deeply.
A Thorough Cleaning
You’ve assessed the situation and decided that you want to give it a try yourself to get it clean. Don’t just wipe the area down with a paper towel and call it a day. You’ll need a good scrub brush and bleach. Mix up a batch of bleach solution, with roughly 1 cup of bleach to a gallon of water and scrub the area thoroughly. You can dry things off when you’re done so that bleach isn’t dripping everywhere, but you don’t need to rinse. A little bleach residue is actually a good thing as it will continue to sterilize the surface over time to prevent any remaining mold spores from getting a foothold.
If you have considered all of the options and decided that it’s just not a job for your DIY skills, or you have tried to clean it and can’t get it done, don’t hesitate to call the professionals.
A little mold prevention for the future might help so this doesn’t happen again. Take a look at the area that was moldy and see if there is any source of moisture or dampness. Mold won’t grow in dry conditions. Fix any leaks, and possibly add a dehumidifier to damp rooms. Shifting furniture around to allow for better air flow behind things can also help.
