Mouldy walls - What can I do?
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Let's face it, mould is pretty grose - especially if it's growing on your bread or your walls. It can also be harmful to your health and cause damage to whatever it's growing on. So, what can we do about it? (The wall mould, that is!)
For starters, determine what's causing it. Mould spores are almost always present in the air, but will only actively grow when they're exposed to moisture and water. So where is the water coming from?
Circular mould patches or stains on the ceiling are often an indication of a ceiling leak, which is not good! Water in your ceiling can lead to structural damage and are generally a sign that something, somewhere needs fixing!
This ceiling mould patch is due to a cracked roof tile
Mould patches on walls, windows, curtains and behind furniture are more likely due to condensation, which occurs naturally as the temperature changes throughout the day.
Mould thrives in poorly ventilated, dark, damp spaces. If you're finding mould on your bathroom ceiling above the shower then it's a clear indication that you either need a fan, the current fan isn't doing its job or somebody is forgetting to turn it on!
So, how do you go about removing mould?
Depending on how bad the mould growth is, you may need to call in a professional. Some varieties of mould can be quite damaging to your health and difficult to clear without the use of harsh chemicals. Post your mould removal job with Service Central to find local mould remediation experts.
If you think you can handle the mould yourself and want to give cleaning it a try there are a variety of different products you can use. Off the shelf solutions such as 'Exit Mould' can be bought from your local hardware store.
Alternatively a 1/10 mix of bleach and water is known to also be effective, however some moulds will actually feed off it - so use with caution! Vinegar is also suitable for use on clothing, carpet and grout.
The key things to remember when removing mould are:
- While cleaning, open windows and doors and ensure the room is well ventilated
- Wear a face mask so you don't inhale the spores
- If using bleach, prevent it from running down the walls and onto your carpet (it will bleach that, too!)
- Ensure the wall dries completely afterwards before repositioning curtains, furniture, etc
- Throw out any mould contaminated furnishings, clothes and curtains
- Vacuum everything to help remove loose mould spores
- Scrub the spot - just spraying the surface won't be enough.
Prevent mould from coming back
As we mentioned earlier, mould likes spaces that are dark, damp and poorly ventilated. Thankfully this gives us a variety of solutions to prevent it from coming back.
- Use fans and open windows to ventilate the affected rooms
- Place a dehumidifier in the affected room and use it once a week to remove excess moisture from the air
- Remove any new mould growth as soon as you see it - don't allow it to spread!
- Open curtains during the day to allow the sunlight to come in
- Spray mould-prone areas with a mix of 10 drops Oil of Cloves per 750ml water (it's also good to do this immediately after cleaning the initial mould off, too)
- Place moisture absorbers about your home in areas prone to condensation build-up
- Improve the ventilation in your home
Is mould harmful to my health?
Mould is only likely to cause health problems in instances where it's a significant contamination. Generally once you remove either the mould or yourself from the mouldy house, you'll feel fine again.
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