How to Stop House Mold in an Old House
The best defense against stopping the growth of mold in an old house or a new one is prevention. When mold is present in your home it is best to deal with it as soon as possible. Mold left untreated can spread and deteriorate items over time. Mold thrives in damp, humid and dark areas. If mold is all ready growing in your home, with the proper safety gear and a few simple household items you can remove it. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Bleach
- Mild dish washing liquid
- Water
- 5 gallon bucket
- Spray bottles
- Cloths
- Stiff brush
- Fans
- Dehumidifier
- N-95 respirator
- Safety goggles without vent holes
- Rubber gloves
- Long sleeve shirt
- Pants
Instructions
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1
Ventilate the house. Open doors and windows during the mold removal process to help air out the house.
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2
Create a solution of 2 cups of bleach, 1/2 cup of a mild dish washing liquid and 2 gallon of warm water. Pour some of the solution into a clean spray bottle.
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3
Spray hard surfaces---such as plastic, tile, metal and countertops---with the solution. Allow the solution to sit on the surface for 5 to 10 minutes.
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4
Wipe the surfaces down with a damp cloth to remove the mold and solution residue.
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5
Submerge a mop into the solution. Wash vinyl flooring in a back and forth motion with the saturated mop. Allow the floor to air dry.
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6
Mix together 1 ½ cups of bleach with 1 gallon of warm water. Add the mixture into a clean spray bottle.
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Spray wood areas liberally with the mixture.
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Scrub the mixture into the wood using a stiff scrub brush. Allow the wood to air dry.
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Pour cool water into a bucket. Add a few drops of a mild dish washing liquid.
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Saturate a clean cloth in the mixture. Scrub the areas of the wood that was affected by the mold. Allow the wood to air dry completely.
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Place fans in the direction of wet areas to aid in the drying process.
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12
Run a dehumidifier in your home to remove moisture out of the air and to lower the risk of mold returning or spreading.
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Tips & Warnings
During the mold removal process equip yourself with an N-95 respirator, safety goggles without vent holes, rubber gloves, long sleeve shirt and pants.
Never mix bleach and ammonia or products containing ammonia.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit old home image by pearlguy from Fotolia.com
