Things You Should Know about Mold Mildew

Things You Should Know about Mold Mildew: What to do about mold and mildew, we’re going to discuss what you need to know about it and how you can deal with it so curl up on the couch because things are about to get moldy mold and mildew are fungi which are basic microscopic organisms that can thrive in any moist environment now molds are actually quite important they’re nature’s way of breaking down dead organic matter and help regenerate our environment by breaking down leaves and other organic materials regenerating soil and doing other moldy things this is absolutely wonderful for the outdoors but if mold is indoors it is not a good thing not a good thing mold is typically black brown white or green and can eventually get thick and fuzzy okay one quick shout out to mold we do appreciate that it gave us antibiotics and funky cheese sowhat’s mildew well it’s just mold in its early stages it’s a type of mold and it’s generally found in homes on wood products ceiling tiles cardboard bathrooms and kitchen services wallpaper carpet drywall fabric foods insulation and other organic materials mildew is usually black brown yellow or white occasionally orange or pink and can look dusty or flash mold grows in colonies and starts to form on damp services around the to hour mark they create mold spores which are airborne and can land on organic services close to the original source this is annoying because they spread like a moldy wildfire end you’re the one left to deal with it not to mention bare some of the health implications that come along with mold now mildew is less harmful than mold although it’s still can cause some health issues but it grows more predictably than mold does and I find it to be easier to deal with oh and that pink and orange mildew in your bathroom.

Mold spores can grow or land and start to colonize on damp or moist surfaces like this tiny little baby pumpkin that we used on Halloween or they can start to grow on a wet sponge or on your grout or a bunch of other surfaces around the house basically any wet surface and you might not even be able to see it with your own eyes but oh can you ever start to smell if you smell something that’s a little too earthy a little too outdoorsy a little too rotten or like dirty cheese gosh I don’t know how to describe it any better that’s not a fine wine my friends that is mold there are health issues associated with mold which is why people take it so seriously when it starts to grow and settle those mold spores are considered allergens and that can cause runny nose sneezing red eyes rashes and in more severe cases can lead to asthma attacks for people with compromised immune systems it can be even harder to bear a best mold can be an irritant however it can also be potentially toxic that’s why if you do have a serious mold issue be it from a flood or a lack of ventilation you need to get it treated ASAP mildew can’t reduce less severe instances of these symptoms but a little bit of mildew in a bathroom is more an eyesore than health threats so please don’t worry mold will also ruin any surface acetyls upon eventually unless it’s caught and dealt with ASAP I actually had a mold issue in my old condo I kept coughing and I had a cheese skin and they didn’t know why but there was this strange smell coming from my closet it was this earthy moldy smell eventually I took a look behind my clothes and I saw a giant mold infestation on my closet wall and carpet which of course shared the wall with my bathroom well you can probably figure out how this one ended I had to tear out an entire wall and replace my shower.

I hate to throw away clothing and shoes which were covered in mold not to mention I just spent some cold hard cash on that little unnecessary emergency it was not a good thing mildew on the other hand is common in damp environments and just needs to be managed once it forms it can be cleaned and treated to prevent regrow if you have an old issue in your home like what I had don’t panic but I would recommend calling in a professional company to have a look and handle it they need specialty protective gear they can use specialty products they can test for mold spores in the air and they’ll know exactly how to eliminate the entire problem not just what meets the eye if you have mildew in the house there are some terrific options for cleaning it now one quick note here CMS fans bleach can help remove mold and mildew and it can be an effective cleaner but that being said we don’t use bleach here at CMS HQ and there are so many alternatives which works just as well so here they are option one is a clean my space favorite vinegar and we’re going to be using undiluted vinegar and if you have full strength vinegar even better this means it’s going to be really strong but that’s what we’re gonna need when we’re finding mildew be certain the surfaces you are cleaning can tolerate vinegar first though so this is a no-no on natural stone and other sensitive surfaces simply apply the undiluted vinegar onto the surface with mildew leave it for minutes and then scrub vigorously that means with a lot of energy with a scrub brush rinse and dry and just grease without vinegar and let it air-dry that will help treat the surface and prevent regrowth option number two involves using oxygen bleach or hydrogen peroxide create a mix of either liquid or powdered oxygen bleach or hydrogen peroxide to water apply to the area leave it for minutes and then scrub well with a scrub brush then just rinse it dry it and respray that area with oxygen bleach and allow it to air dry oxygen bleach is not the same as chlorine bleach but it is a safe and effective alternative and I really love this option.

Use a specialty product designed to combat moles and notice like conch robia which is a product I found after that Kondo drama I told you about I like it because it’s non-toxic it doesn’t have any smell and it’s easy to use it it works well remember clean your cleaning tools after this so that you don’t have any mildew left behind it’s no surprise that prevention is key and the easiest way to deal with mold is to stop it from forming in the first place what we do know is that mold thrives on moisture so if you control the moisture in your home you control the mold so here are a few handy tips to help you prevent this nasty stuff use the exhaust fan in your bathroom that’s what it’s there for the exhaust fan will help eliminate excess moisture from your bathroom especially after having showers and you should leave it on during and after the shower for a total of sixty minutes if you don’t have one just leave the door open and ideally a window open as well clean your shower curtain on a somewhat regular basis this helps reduce soap residue in your shower area which mildew feeds on we’ve got a video on that and I will link it down below if you’re gonna use storage baskets in the bathroom use the ones with holes in them which will allow air to pass through that way moisture can’t build up in those areas and create mildew hang any damp towels to dry entirely allow air to pass through them and avoid that roll the musty smell that comes from you know towel not drawing properly the same thing goes for sponges let them dry out entirely so that they don’t smell one of my favorite is to use a squeegee after you shower or bathe or just towel dry the type to neat ease towel dry the towels in the tub one of my favorites is use a squeegee after you shower or bathe or you can towel dry the tiles in the tub it’s the best way to eliminate water buildup on tiles.

Grout in other areas where water can puddle and attract mildew keep your shower or bath area it’s clear from bottles as possible it will make it easier to find the spots where that water is collecting and you want through the mildew anyway you can also use a daily shower spray containing one teaspoon of tea tree oil to one cup of water and just missed that on the shower walls after each use you could also do one part vinegar in one part water either way this is going to prevent the mildew from coming back oh and that pink and orange stuff and the tub and the toilet that just needs to be scrubbed away and cleans like anything else we’ve just talked about just use one of those solutions that I discussed and it will quickly be eliminated until it comes back again and yes it will I have yet to figure out a way to get rid of it entirely mold will not grow if moisture is not present so that’s the key to beating it inside your home now you know the difference between mold and mildew.

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