FOUR SURE WAYS TO CLEAN MOLD

Someone has got to go. Either you or the mold.

And no one's ever heard of a person deferring their house and belongings to a mold colony.

You can take back your home and eliminate the mold growing inside of it. Even better?

You don't have to hire an expensive contractor. Here are 4 sure ways to help clean mold and help you to breathe easy again.

1. Use a wet vacuum.

Wet vacuums are used to remove water from the floor, carpets and hard surfaces. This is of crucial importance following a water incident like a flood or a ceiling leak. It's important to wet vacuum all of the water and dry as much of the area as possible.

Even after this step, there is still more drying to do. Make sure not to use a wet vacuum to vacuum any porous material without liquid; otherwise you could be spreading more spores. Vacuums should also be cleaned and dried after use, preventing mold spores from developing inside your secret weapon.

2. Wipe and clean.

Mold can usually be removed from hard surfaces by wiping the spot down with water and detergent. It is important to clean the area thoroughly and equally important to dry the surface after a wipe down. Mold needs moisture to develop, and a spot that's left undried can start the whole process all over again.

3. Use a HEPA Vaccuum.

HEPA vacuums (High Efficiency Particulate Air) are recommended for the final step of clean up. After an area has been dried and any contaminated materials extracted, the HEPA filtered vacuum can clean up the the remaining dust that might have settled on the surface.

The HEPA filter is the industry standard in trapping unclean air particles from pollutants; wipe out the next generation of mold before it has a chance to start growing.

4. Discard items...carefully.

Sadly, there may come a time when mold growth has become too widespread in a furniture piece and it cannot be salvaged. This often times happens after a major water incident such as a flood or sewage line break. It is better to discard the item than risk exposing yourself to harmful mold, if it cannot be cleaned or is not worth the effort. However, even when disposing of an object be sure to keep the disposal sanitary.

Moldy items should be double bagged using 6-mil polyethylene sheeting. This prevents the mold spores from spreading to other areas of the house on the way out. It might also be a good idea to seal the bag shut with duct tape. Often times porous materials such as upholstered furniture has to be thrown away if it has been soaked in soiled water. In porous materials, molds grow on or fill in the empty crevices of the material, which makes it extremely difficult to clean completely.

These are the most effective methods in mold remediation. If you can think of a better way, then try it. One way or the other, get rid of the mold and restore your house to a healthy living environment.