No matter where you live you have probably experienced mold or mildew in your house at one time or another. Even if you are “Mrs. Clean,” it can sneak up on you with no warning. The most common places for mold and mildew are in the bathroom, kitchen, laundry areas and basements. If you have flooding in your house and do not properly clean the wet areas you can expect mold fungus to grow rapidly. What causes mold and mildew and how can you get rid of it and prevent it from resurfacing?
What causes mold and mildew?
The most common cause of mold and mildew is moisture or humidity. If you have a humid area in your house it will likely be the area you have the most problems with; especially when it comes to mold. Mildew on the other hand can be caused by hard water or mineral deposits.
What can you do to prevent mold and mildew?
There are products on the market that help to prevent mold in your home like dehumidifier, air filters, air purifiers, vacuum cleaners with a HEPA filter, vapor steam cleaners and mold resistant bedding.
Dehumidifiers will assist in drying out the moisture and humidity in the air. They can be useful in basements and areas of the house that may have previously flooded or areas that are prone to moisture.
Air filters and purifiers help to clean the spores out of the air thus preventing mold from growing. When your vacuum cleaner has a HEPA filter it sucks in the spores and impurities in the air, this makes the air cleaner for you to breathe.
Vapor steam cleaners clean, disinfect, deodorize and kill dust mites and mold. A vapor steam cleaner is great for allergy sufferers.
Mold resistant bedding is commonly made of wool and latex which are natural mold resisters. Using mold resistant bedding will help to insure a clean bed to sleep in and help keep mold out of the bedroom area. All of the mold prevention items above can be helpful to use in your home when it comes to fighting mold problems on a daily basis.
How do you get rid of mold and mildew?
There are many cleaning products on the market today that claim they kill mold and mildew, but some of the claims are false. Bleach for instance is a common cleaner used to get rid of mold, but most of the time it just cover it up and then you get it coming back. Some other products that claim to help with the mold and mildew problem are Lime Away, Tilex, and Lysol cleaners.
The liquid cleaners on the market today may offer a temporary fix but most of the time the mold and mildew reappears. There is a natural substance that can be used to kill mold and mildew. Most people are not aware of an alternative mold killer called tea tree oil which has natural properties that kill mold and mildew instantly and prevent them to reoccurring. You can get tea tree oil from health food stores and other places that sell natural products. In order to get the best results, you need to make sure you get a concentrated form and a high strength of the tea tree oil. Using the natural alternative has many benefits it not only works well and kills the germs it is safer to use and it will not harm you or your family.
Mold and mildew can cause real problems in your home if it gets out of control. They can cause odor and can be detrimental to your health. If you follow the suggestions above and try some of the products mentioned you will be well on your way to mold and mildew prevention. And the best part of all your family and your home will be healthier in the process.
