We recently started using a teak shower mat, which we adore, but when I pulled it up to clean the shower yesterday, I was shocked and disgusted by a layer of orange mold underneath. Luckily, surface mold like mine is pretty easy to clean off of hard surfaces like plastic.
However, “If the surface isn’t non-porous, like tile or granite, it is safe to assume it isn’t just surface mold,” says Russell Vent, vice president of Paul Davis Restoration of Greater Rochester. “With materials like drywall, removal and replacement of the material is the only sure way.”
Here’s how to clean surface mold, when you find it lurking in your home with photos, thanks to my icky shower.
What Is Surface Mold?
Surface mold is mold or mildew that can be easily removed from a surface because it hasn’t penetrated into the material it’s growing on. It is often found in areas with high humidity, like on the shower wall. A direct water event, however, such as a flood, is more likely to produce mold that has grown beyond the surface.
What’s the difference between mold and black mold?
The term black mold is commonly used in the media in reference to toxic molds such as stachybotrys chartarum, but in reality “all molds should be treated the same with respect to potential health risks and removal,” according to the CDC.
“Black mold is simply a buzz word,” says Vent. “There are hundreds of types of molds that may grow in a damp environment, many of which may appear to be black. The color of mold does very little if not anything for how we address it as remediators, surface or not.”
Determine the cause of the mold
Before cleaning the surface mold, it’s a good idea to address the root cause. Mold needs moisture and warmth to grow. So, if it’s in your shower, it’s probably just feeding off of the conditions created by people showering. But, if it’s elsewhere, cleaning it will only be a temporary solution.
The post A Guide to Removing Surface Mold Safely and Quickly appeared first on Family Handyman.
Article source here: A Guide to Removing Surface Mold Safely and Quickly
No comments:
Post a Comment