So you’ve spotted mold. What now? Well, let’s clean it up!
Mold removal doesn’t have to be big and scary, as long as you’re not getting in over your head. But how do you know if your mold situation can be DIY or if you need help with mold remediation?
Before you reach for the scrub brush, here’s how to know if you should ask the experts for help with mold removal in your Sioux Falls home.
So How Bad is the Mold?
Is it black mold? And more importantly, is it on a porous surface such as a wall? Or is it mold on tile or your sink in your bathroom or kitchen?
If you see mold on a hard surface like tile, you may not need to worry too much. Just clean it up by spraying white vinegar on it or by using a 1:10 bleach solution (scroll to the bottom of this post if you just have to do a quick mold cleanup).
However, if you see mold on a porous surface, it could be pointing to a much larger problem.
Mold on walls and near air ducts, especially, are insidious. The root cause could very well be a leaky pipe or an air vent that’s not circulating correctly.
If you’re seeing mold near an airway, on a porous surface like a wall, or if your basement smells musty, it’s important to call in the experts. Breathing in mold spores can be dangerous for your health, and our team has special equipment that protects us and the rest of your home while we get to the root of your mold problem.
Sometimes that involves digging pretty deeply into your home’s airways, walls, and looking at piping. It’s no joke! That’s why our team is highly trained in mold remediation!
What’s the DIY Way to Clean Up Mold?
If you’ve spotted mold on your tile or on another hard surface, cleanup is pretty easy. You can use either bleach or white vinegar to get the job done quickly.
There are lots of other bleach killers out there, but bleach and white vinegar are usually the easiest to get your hands on. Grab some disposable rubber gloves (remember, it’s best to avoid contact with mold) and get to work.
- Dilute bleach by mixing a 1:10 solution (i.e. one cup of bleach for every ten cups of water).
- Use either a spray bottle or a bucket and a sponge or cloth to get the bleach onto the moldy surface.
You don’t need to rinse that solution off unless food, animals, or small children come in contact with the area.
If you’d rather use white vinegar, just grab a spray bottle and spray the undiluted vinegar onto the moldy surface. Let it sit for an hour. Then use water to rinse the area, and the vinegar smell should be gone in about an hour or so.
What if the mold comes back? What if your house still smells musty?
Then the issue may be larger than you previously thought. Remember, be careful when you’re investigating mold in your home!
Mold exposure can cause serious health issues, and it is far better to leave it to the experts than to start digging around in moldy areas on your own.
