Black
mold removal is something that you have to be careful
with because black mold is toxic. You really do need to
have good information about what black mold looks like
and how it forms. It only takes a short period of time
to do the required testing and inspection of your home
to make sure that it is a safe place for your family.
You should be particularly aware of any allergies that
someone in your household has. This could be your first
hint that you need to look at black mold removal.
Basements and bathrooms are the prime places for black
mold testing and inspection in homes. This is because
these are the places in the house most known for being
damp and having a lot of moisture. Black mold can form
on any surface – cement, tiles, or even the countertop
if you don’t take special care to keep it clean and dry.
There are testing kits for black mold that you can use
yourself, so testing and inspection of your home is not
a costly proposition. There are also excellent products
on the market for black mold removal. Once you do the
black mold testing and inspection and find some places
where there is black mold, before you start black mold
removal, make sure the area is well-ventilated. If the
black mold is concentrated in a small space, you can easily
clean it with bleach and water, for difficult jobs you
will need to use a commercial black mold removal product.
You do have to make sure that you dry the area completely
because any excess moisture will only be a new breeding
ground for the black mold to return.
Testing for black mold firstly requires looking to see
if there is any visible mold on the walls or floors of
your basement. However, mold is not always visible because
it can form in cracks and really small spaces. With black
mold testing and inspection, you are really testing the
air quality in your home because once mold spores are
present they will be air-borne. Simple testing using a
petrie dish containing a disc will let you know within
two days if you have to consider black mold removal.
When you get ready to start black mold removal, wear a
facemask and rubber gloves so that you don’t breathe in
the black mold spores or let them touch your skin. This
could cause serious respiratory problems. There are removal
products on the market that kill the black mold. But make
sure you always read the label and make sure that you
follow all safety procedures for use of the product. Black
mold removal is something that you may have to do several
times to make sure you kill all the mold spores.
When doing mold and black mold removal you should wear
clothes that you are able to put in the trash immediately
afterwards as some of the mold spores may stick to your
clothes and harm your health. You also need to take special
precautions such as wearing a face mask or respirator
and protective glasses that do not allow the mold spores
to get through. If you are going to be working for long
periods of time (a couple of hours) on the mold or black
mold removal then ensure that you have plenty of breaks
in an area where there is plenty of fresh air.
Seal Off the Room You Are Working In When removing mold
or black mold from a particular room seal it off as best
you can from the surrounding areas using plastic sheeting
and duct tape. Dampen the Area You Are Working On Before
you start removing the mold or black mold ensure that
you have dampened the area you are working on so as to
minimize the release of mold spores.
The next step in mold and black mold removal is to clean
the area as much as possible using soap and water to remove
as much of the mold as you can. Then disinfect the area
with a bleach and water solution, leave for a few minutes
(usually about 15 minutes) and then rinse thoroughly and
dry rapidly.
What You Need to Discard Apart from your clothes there
are also a number of other materials within the area that
you should discard if they have been exposed to mold or
black mold including drywall, paper and carpet padding.
Plastic, glass, metal and counter tops can be cleaned
effectively but wood must also be sanded down to ensure
that all mold has been removed. Place these mold infected
items in sealed plastic bags and remove them through the
nearest window – do not carry through the whole house.
Before Using the Room after Mold and Black Mold Removal
Before using the room after the mold and black mold removal
you should air the room out so as to get rid of any toxins
still in the area. After this the room should be safe
to use.
Fix the Cause Once you have removed the mold or black
mold it is not enough to simply leave it or the mold will
most likely return, you should also have a look for the
cause of the problem and work on fixing this as well to
prevent future problems. The problem could be related
to areas that are regularly flooded, leaking plumbing
or leaky roofs. Find out where the problem is in your
home and remove this.
Mold and black mold can have serious consequences for
your health and so it is important that this is removed.
You may either choose to do mold or black mold removal
yourself or get in a professional to do this for you.
If you are going to do it yourself, you should ensure
that you take the necessary precautions and also fix any
problems that could have led to the mold.
