1 year, 6 months ago
via health-qna.com
What are the best ways to treat mold?
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Mould is a type of fungi which develops as a result of wet or damp in confined areas which have poor ventilation. Typical places which will be prone to mould occurring will be in bathrooms or shower cubicles around the bottom of the tiles, where it is joined by sealant to the bath or to the base of the shower.
There are differing views as to whether bleach actually kills mould, it certainly works well enough on non-porous materials such as tiles, this from sporetech.com:
"Will chlorine bleach kill mold or not—yes or no? The answer is yes, but with a caveat. That answer comes from The Clorox Company, Oakland CA, manufacturer and distributor of Ultra Clorox® Regular Bleach. The company’s correspondence to Spore°Tech Mold Investigations, LLC stated that their Tech Center studies supported by independent laboratories show that “…3/4 cup of Clorox liquid bleach per gallon of water will be effective on hard, non-porous surfaces against… Aspergillus niger and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (Athlete’s Foot Fungus)”. Whether or not chlorine bleach kills other molds and fungi, the company did not say. The “hard, non-porous surfaces” part of the sentence is a caveat. Mold remediation involves the need to disinfect wood and wood-based building materials, all of which are porous materials. Thus, chlorine bleach should not be used in mold remediation as confirmed by OSHA’s and EPA's updated recommendations and suggested guidelines. The use of bleach as a mold disinfectant is best left to kitchen and bathroom countertops, tubs and shower glass, etc."
"Why Chlorine Bleach is NOT Recommended for Mold Remediation.
Clorine bleach is corrosive and that fact is stated on the product label (not to mention the exposure hazards of dioxins). Yet the properties of chlorine bleach prevent it from “soaking into” wood-based building materials to get at the deeply embedded mycelia (roots) of mold. The object to killing mold is to kill its “roots”. Reputable mold remediation contractors use appropriate products that effectively disinfect properly scrubbed and cleaned salvageable mold infected wood products. Beware of any mold inspector, mold remediation contractor or other individual that recommends or uses chlorine bleach for mold clean up on wood-based building materials."
There is little chance of a health risk from mould if you are in good health, but there are a few categories of people who could suffer to some degree from exposure to mould, this is explained in detail by toronto.ca/health/mould this is what they say:
"The elderly, pregnant women, infants and young children, people with allergies, chronic respiratory illness and/or chemical sensitivities and those with weakened immune systems are most likely to experience health effects from mould.
* Eye, nose and throat irritation
* Runny nose, sinus congestion, frequent cold symptoms
* Increased asthma attacks
* Allergic reactions"
All in all, mould is extremely unpleasant in every way and is best avoided by ventilation and fixing any leaks.
There are differing views as to whether bleach actually kills mould, it certainly works well enough on non-porous materials such as tiles, this from sporetech.com:
"Will chlorine bleach kill mold or not—yes or no? The answer is yes, but with a caveat. That answer comes from The Clorox Company, Oakland CA, manufacturer and distributor of Ultra Clorox® Regular Bleach. The company’s correspondence to Spore°Tech Mold Investigations, LLC stated that their Tech Center studies supported by independent laboratories show that “…3/4 cup of Clorox liquid bleach per gallon of water will be effective on hard, non-porous surfaces against… Aspergillus niger and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (Athlete’s Foot Fungus)”. Whether or not chlorine bleach kills other molds and fungi, the company did not say. The “hard, non-porous surfaces” part of the sentence is a caveat. Mold remediation involves the need to disinfect wood and wood-based building materials, all of which are porous materials. Thus, chlorine bleach should not be used in mold remediation as confirmed by OSHA’s and EPA's updated recommendations and suggested guidelines. The use of bleach as a mold disinfectant is best left to kitchen and bathroom countertops, tubs and shower glass, etc."
"Why Chlorine Bleach is NOT Recommended for Mold Remediation.
Clorine bleach is corrosive and that fact is stated on the product label (not to mention the exposure hazards of dioxins). Yet the properties of chlorine bleach prevent it from “soaking into” wood-based building materials to get at the deeply embedded mycelia (roots) of mold. The object to killing mold is to kill its “roots”. Reputable mold remediation contractors use appropriate products that effectively disinfect properly scrubbed and cleaned salvageable mold infected wood products. Beware of any mold inspector, mold remediation contractor or other individual that recommends or uses chlorine bleach for mold clean up on wood-based building materials."
There is little chance of a health risk from mould if you are in good health, but there are a few categories of people who could suffer to some degree from exposure to mould, this is explained in detail by toronto.ca/health/mould this is what they say:
"The elderly, pregnant women, infants and young children, people with allergies, chronic respiratory illness and/or chemical sensitivities and those with weakened immune systems are most likely to experience health effects from mould.
* Eye, nose and throat irritation
* Runny nose, sinus congestion, frequent cold symptoms
* Increased asthma attacks
* Allergic reactions"
All in all, mould is extremely unpleasant in every way and is best avoided by ventilation and fixing any leaks.
images:
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Mold can be found in places where moisture has little ventilation like kitchen, closet, bathroom, or basement. The mold can grow without being noticed, if it is growing within the wall. Whenever you spot signs of the mold growing in your home, it is best to hire someone to come clean out the mold professionally.
The mold will make you and your family very sick if left untreated. Your family may suffer from severe respiratory problems, if the mold continues growing. Bleach with help kill mold according to some, but others feel it will not help to stop the mold from growing.
Honestly, it is best to contact a professional mold removal service and rebuild the area that has been affected. You may also need to fix a pipe or get better ventilation for the area, so the mold problem doesn’t keep occurring.
The mold will make you and your family very sick if left untreated. Your family may suffer from severe respiratory problems, if the mold continues growing. Bleach with help kill mold according to some, but others feel it will not help to stop the mold from growing.
Honestly, it is best to contact a professional mold removal service and rebuild the area that has been affected. You may also need to fix a pipe or get better ventilation for the area, so the mold problem doesn’t keep occurring.
images:
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Treating mold isn’t easy. Although chlorine-based mold cleaners are effective for treating mold, this isn’t good for the environment. Here are some natural ways to treat mold:
* Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and fungicide, and works well for treating mold. Make a solution by mixing 1-2 teaspoons tea tree oil with 2 cups of water. Shake and spray it on the affected area. Don’t rinse immediately. Wait for a few days and clean up the dead mold with soap and water.
* Distilled white vinegar can be used to clean mold. Vinegar can kill 82 percent of mold species. Spray vinegar on the affected area, let sit and after a few days clean up the dead mold.
Prevention is the best option, so prevent mold by keeping surfaces clean and dry.
Source: http://www.easy-mold-solutions.com/how-to-remove-mold.html
* Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and fungicide, and works well for treating mold. Make a solution by mixing 1-2 teaspoons tea tree oil with 2 cups of water. Shake and spray it on the affected area. Don’t rinse immediately. Wait for a few days and clean up the dead mold with soap and water.
* Distilled white vinegar can be used to clean mold. Vinegar can kill 82 percent of mold species. Spray vinegar on the affected area, let sit and after a few days clean up the dead mold.
Prevention is the best option, so prevent mold by keeping surfaces clean and dry.
Source: http://www.easy-mold-solutions.com/how-to-remove-mold.html
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