Black mold. It may not creep across your kitchen floor or spin webs in the corners of the bathroom, but it’s an unwelcome visitor in any home nonetheless. It’s relatively simple to prevent — just keep the dark areas of your home free of moisture and make sure you don’t have any persistent leaks in the basement or the attic. But once it’s in your home, it can be a pain to get rid of.
That’s why you want to arrest its progress the moment you find out it’s invaded. That means attacking it at the source, making sure you’ve gotten rid of every spore, and making the affected area hostile to any new growth.
So how do you get rid of black mold?
If the problem is advanced — that is, if black mold has infiltrated the porous areas of your home, like concrete, wood and carpeting — your best bet is to call a mold remediation specialist. Only a qualified contractor can eliminate mold that’s progressed this far, and ensure that it won’t come back again to wreak havoc on your home.
But if the black mold is confined to non-porous surfaces like bathroom tile, kitchen counters, windows or mirrors, it’s fairly simple to eliminate. First, you’ll need to remove as much moisture as possible from the air, and do your best to keep it that way. It might mean ventilating the room by keeping a window cracked, or buying a dehumidifier, but keeping the air a bit drier will create an inhospitable environment for black mold.
To get rid of the mold itself, simply scrape up as much mold as you can with a wet paper towel (or a damp rag, if you’re able to wash and dry it right away). Once you have the bulk of the mold removed, create a solution of one cup of bleach to one gallon of water, and use this to wash the area. Household disinfectants like Lysol and Soft Scrub will also work, but for best results make sure whatever you’re using has bleach. When you’re done, dry the area thoroughly.
Place all resultant trash in a plastic bag and seal it tightly. If you can, avoid taking the bag through your home; mold spores may escape and infest other areas. Try to remove the bag via a window — then take it directly to an outside trash receptacle.
Rightway Waterproofing can help you with any mold remediation effort you may need to make in your home. We can also waterproof any basement to ensure that black mold will never rear its ugly head again. Give us a call today, and we’ll come to your home to offer a free estimate.
