Do you find your home tends to have a musty, mouldy smell even after cleaning? Do you see white powdery stuff on your shower curtain, bathtub, and bathroom walls? Are there black or dark coloured areas in your home such as on the walls, under the sink, or in the shower?
If any of these things sound familiar, you’re likely one of the many households facing Toronto’s hidden cleaning challenges, namely, mould and mildew. In this blog, we will share our cleaning tips to help prevent and remove these dangerous culprits.
What are the signs of mould?
A musty smell indicates higher amounts of mould in the home, but doesn’t always mean you have a serious mould issue. If you aren’t sure where the smell is coming from, try to follow the odour and look under the sink, behind furniture, and in places like laundry hampers where dampness might promote mould growth.
Mould can also be more obvious. Discolouration that ranges from a white to grey powdery substance on surfaces, to a deeper dark green or black substance is very likely mould.
Why are mould and mildew dangerous?
While mildew can be more of an irritant, there are more dangerous forms of darker moulds that present the real danger in your home. Black mould can not only damage surfaces and materials in your home, but also present health risks that impact your family, including:
- Nasal congestion
- Eye irritation
- Rashes
- Sneezing
- Chronic cough
- Wheezing
- Respiratory infections
- Worsening asthma and allergic conditions
- Impact on people with weakened immune systems
However, prolonged exposure to mould can also present far more serious health risks due to its toxicity, including headaches and migraines, chronic exhaustion, and unexplained muscle cramps.
How to Prevent Mould and Mildew
Some tips to help prevent mildew and mould growth in your home include the following:
- Reduce humidity: Mould and mildew love humidity, dampness, and moisture. Reducing humidity levels below 50% is the best way to avoid growth.
- Repair leaks: Continuous leaks are the number one cause of mould growth, providing the ideal environment for mould to thrive. Repairing leaks immediately will prevent mould.
- Use mould-prohibiting materials and paint: When renovating or redecorating your kitchen and bathroom, using mould-prohibiting materials and paints that stop growth can make a world of difference.
- Use mould-killing cleaners: Bathroom cleaners designed to kill mould can help prevent it from spreading. However, these cleaners are quite toxic, so following the label instructions is essential.
- Use air vents: Be sure your home has proper ventilation in the bathroom to help reduce humidity when using hot water.
- Address water damage: Anything in the home with water damage should be replaced or dried completely to avoid mould growth.
How to Clean Mould and Mildew
When dealing with mould and mildew, it is important to wear a mask, goggles, and gloves. This not only protects you against the spores, but also the chlorine bleach used on most surfaces to destroy the mould.
Chlorine bleach, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide can break down mould’s structure and kill the spores to stop it from spreading. It’s important to use these solutions, as they work as disinfectants to remove organic matter. They are also safe for use on typical surfaces where mould tends to grow.
Here are some tips to clean mould and mildew safely from fabric, appliances, and walls:
Fabric
- If possible, take the item outside to reduce the risk of spreading spores.
- Use a dry brush to remove the mould.
- Wash or dry clean the fabric according to the cleaning instructions.
- For mildew, use an oxygen-based bleach cleaner.
Leather
- Follow the first and second steps used for fabric.
- Wipe any remaining mould away using white vinegar or rubbing alcohol and a soft cloth.
- Be sure to rinse the cloth after each swipe to remove any mould residue, and then soak in more alcohol or vinegar.
- Allow the leather to air dry.
- Use leather-cleaning and conditioning products to finish the cleaning and keep the leather supple.
Washing Machines
- Run a hot water cycle with either two cups of chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide (never mix these two solutions together!).
- Once the cycle is finished, dampen a cloth with the same solution you used in the wash cycle and wipe down the seals and gaskets.
- Allow the washer to dry with the door open.
Clothes Dryers
- Dampen old towels with a mix of chlorine bleach and water, and run them in the air-only cycle for five minutes.
- Remove the towels and then rinse the interior with a clean sponge and water.
- Clean door seals and the exterior with the bleach solution, and allow it to air dry with the doors open.
Fridge
- Clear out all food from the fridge.
- Wipe all the surfaces with undiluted distilled vinegar.
- Rinse the cloth off thoroughly between surfaces and re-soak with more vinegar.
Coffee Maker
- Run a brew cycle using distilled white vinegar in the water tank.
- Empty the vinegar and then run two more cycles using water.
Tile and Grout
- Open the windows or run the bathroom fan.
- Mix one cup of bleach with a gallon of water.
- Use a rag or soft-bristled cleaning brush to apply the mixture.
- You can also mix a smaller batch in a spray bottle and spritz the mould.
- Let it sit for 15 minutes.
- Scrub the surface to remove the mould.
- Rinse well with fresh water.
- You might have to repeat the process a few times.
Interior Walls
- Mix together one part dishwashing liquid, 10 parts bleach, and 20 parts water.
- Use a sponge to apply the mixture, being careful not to use too much.
- Allow the mixture to air dry, repeating until the mould fades.
Recurring Mould
You can attack recurring mould in small amounts using specialty cleaning services such as GermBlasters and deep cleaning to help reduce the risk of mould growth from spreading.
However, because mould is toxic, when you encounter severe mould growth in your home, it is important to call a mould-remediation service right away. Trying to remove black mould on your own can actually spread it by releasing toxic spores into the air.
While tackling small amounts of mould using these tips can work, if mould is recurring, it is best to either inform your landlord of the issue, or call the remediation services if you own the home.
Contact the Cleaning Professionals
Hopefully, we’ve helped clarify the dangers of mould and mildew, and explained why it’s important to prevent mould growth. Using our cleaning tips to both prevent and tackle mould growth can help keep your Toronto home mould-free.
Reach out to Maid4Condos for a quote on our cleaning services here to help stop mould growth in its tracks. For more information, you can also call us at 647-822-0601 or contact us online.
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