So, you’ve recently signed a lease for your new apartment and been given a key to your new home. Congratulations!
While independence is great, dealing with the adult realities of homeownership (or even renting) is not always fun, especially when it comes to mold.
Maintaining A Mold-Free Home
In order to maintain a mold-free home, it is necessary that you clean your living space efficiently. This article highlights these key ingredients and gives information about how they work in conjunction with one another when maintaining a mold-free home.
What Creates A Moldy Environment?
In a word: damp. A damp home will become a moldy home, which means the best way to avoid mold in the first place is to keep your home dry and damp-free.
There are many ways you can contribute to a drier home, from sorting out your insulation, not drying laundry inside, and ensuring your HVAC system is working efficiently.
Mold and the Air Conditioner and Heating System
Companies like Air Force Air Conditioning & Heating will help you to keep your air conditioning and heating system in good working order to improve airflow throughout your home and minimize the risk of mold developing.
The HVAC system is one of the most important pieces of equipment to run smoothly in your home. It has a lot of components that play a role in mold prevention. When your system is not properly maintained, it will cause dampness which is the breeding ground for mold spores.
The Dangers of A Moldy House
If your house is moldy, it could cost you a considerable amount of money to fix it up. Unfortunately, there are some things that cannot be fixed, like mold during the building stage.
The results of prolonged exposure to mold can include:
- Respiratory issues, including allergies and asthma.
- Allergic reactions that cause hives, rashes, or even anaphylactic shock.
- Eye irritation
- Digestive problems, including diarrhea and abdominal cramps.
- Sinusitis and bronchitis (especially if the condition is aggravated by mold spores).
Cleaning Your Home and Your Clothes
Even if you have cleaned your surroundings diligently, there are still things that could be harboring mold. Unfortunately, mold cannot always be seen with the naked eye, which is why it takes a special kind of cleaning product to keep your home mold-free.
Bleach
It is most effective when applied directly to an active mold colony instead of being used as a general cleaner for surfaces that might be affected by hidden spaces where mold may develop later on.
However, Bleach cannot kill all the various types of mold you will encounter in your home. Bleach can also strip away the color from fabrics and leach chemicals into the air you breathe.
A Natural Mold Killer
Baking soda is an effective natural mold killer. It is also inexpensive and has many uses around the house.
Mix it with water to make a paste, then apply it to any affected area, let it dry, and remove the residue with a cloth.
