I’ve been wondering about how to eliminate mold — for good. How can I get rid of mold growth in my home?
Mold growth is an ever-present possibility in homes, and
though not all molds are dangerous, identifying which ones are harmful can be difficult. You should thus eliminate mold when you find it by addressing the root causes and then killing the dormant spores left behind.
Mold grows only when sufficient moisture encounters organic materials, so moisture control should always be the first step toward managing mold growth. Increase your home’s ventilation enough during winter to eradicate or greatly reduce window condensation that could trigger mold growth. Proper ventilation will also help curtail the moisture buildup in other places, too. A heat recovery ventilator (HRV) is the best way to boost ventilation and will also improve indoor air quality.
A bleach-and-water solution is a traditional means of killing mold, but this method isn’t always effective. The best way I’ve found to get rid of mold is to use a fungicide called Concrobium Mold Control, which is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency. This product contains sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sodium carbonate (washing soda) and trisodium phosphate (TSP). It’s a transparent, odorless, non-sticky liquid that kills mold and mold spores as it dries. It also offers some residual mold control. Brush or spray it onto moldy surfaces. Professional mold-abatement workers employ fogging units to deliver this same product over large areas inside of buildings infested with mold. A companion product called Mold Stain Eraser uses oxygen-based bleaching to eliminate mold stains with little or no scrubbing
Photo courtesy Concrobium Mold Solutions: Concrobium Mold Control is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency, and is a fungicide that effectively eliminates household mold.
Contributing Editor Steve Maxwell has been helping people renovate, build and maintain their homes for more than two decades. “Canada’s Handiest Man” is an award-winning home improvement authority and woodworking expert. Contact him by visiting his website and the blog, Maxwell’s House. You also can follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook and find him on Google+.
