How To Deal With A Serious Case Of Mould In The Home

Mould in the Home

If you have mould or damp in your home, it could be causing a number of serious health issues, especially if you are elderly or have young children and babies living with you. In order to deal with a serious case of mould in the home, you need to first work out what is causing the problem. In this article, we’ll take a look at what causes mould in the home and also how you can get rid of it.

The Causes of Mould

Mould and damp are caused by surplus moisture. This can be caused by a number of things, such as rain seeping in through openings in the roof or windows, rising humidity in basements, and leaking pipes.

Excess moisture can also be caused by condensation, which is why bathrooms are often a key area where mould is found. Drying clothes indoors, showering, cooking, and even breathing without having adequate ventilation in place can also cause problems with condensation. While house repairs may be needed to combat many of the above, there are a few things that you can do to prevent mould from occurring in the first place, such as:

Opening the windows in your house for 15 minutes each day
Heating your home for a little extra each day
Improving the insulation in your home
Drying washing outside and placing lids on top of saucepans
Leaving the doors open inside the house
Using the fans when cooking and showering

How to Remove Mould

It’s more difficult to remove mould than it is to prevent it. It can also be dangerous to do so yourself; you should only attempt to DIY the job if you know it was caused by condensation and is smaller than one metre squared. Before attempting to remove it, you should also ensure you are fully kitted out with long rubber gloves, goggles, and a mask that covers your nose and mouth. This is to ensure that mould spores do not enter your lungs during the removal process. When you have done this, you can follow the steps below:

Fill a large bucket with water and either some mild laundry detergent or some washing up liquid
Dip a rag or a cloth into the water and then apply it liberally to the walls, making sure to wash the mould away as opposed to scraping it (the latter can lead to mould spores entering the air)
Afterwards, use a dry rag or towel to dry the walls
Place all of the rags into a plastic bag to throw away and fully vacuum the area. If any soft toys or furnishings are affected, these need to be professionally dry cleaned.

Professional Help

If you have a serious case of mould in the home, or if your home has been affected by black mould, you need to contact a professional. It is not worth the risk to your health to attempt to solve the problem yourself. Having the area treated quickly is also vital, so you may want to look at your finances and look at a piggy bank loan alternative if you are unable to afford a professional right away.

Mould can cause a lot of serious health problems, especially to those who suffer from respiratory problems and those with a weakened immune system. A serious case of mould in the home needs to be dealt with quickly and effectively to avoid causing further harm.