Video transcriptWhat Is Mold and Why Does It Matter?
What is mold, and why does it matter? Hi, I am Josh from Mold and Air Duct Pros, based in Cleveland, Ohio. Mold is a fungus that includes thousands of different species. It may grow indoors or outdoors and thrives in damp, warm, and humid environments. Mold develops when mold spores are introduced to an environment. Spores can enter your home through open doorways, windows, and vents. They can also attach to clothing, shoes, and pets and be carried indoors. If the humidity level is over 60 percent, airborne mold spores can start to multiply.
Attics, crawl spaces, and basements are prone to mold growth due to humidity and ventilation issues. However, any moist area in the home can get moldy. Drywall, ceiling tiles, carpet, furniture, ductwork, roofing, paneling, wallpaper, areas under sinks, and areas around plumbing pipes can harbor mold when the ideal growth conditions are present. Mold matters because it can negatively affect our health if it is not dealt with properly.
That is why it is important to stay on top of potential mold issues and have professionals remediate them so they do not come back. If you smell a musty odor, you are probably smelling mycotoxins. Some mold types are capable of producing mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are defensive chemicals that mold produces to ward off other varieties of mold, and mycotoxins are usually what adversely affects people's health.
If you suspect mold in your home and are experiencing allergic reactions such as a runny nose, itchy throat, or headaches, please call Mold and Air Duct Pros at (440) 467-4104. We pride ourselves on fast, safe, and affordable mold inspection service. We can perform mold tests on site with instant results to give you peace of mind that your home or office is a safe environment.
Mold and Air Duct Pros knows that other than your kitchen, your bathrooms may be one of the most used rooms in your home. It’s only reasonable to assume that your bathrooms need a lot of care to prevent mold growth. In most cases, a bathroom may contain no window of its own and get very little natural sunlight, or any light at all. Between bathing, showering, brushing of teeth, flushing the commode, and hand washing, there’s a lot of water and humidity that builds up, usually with the door closed. Put these factors together and you end up with a small space, containing lots of humidity, creating exactly the right conditions for mold to grow!
Bathroom mold will damage walls and wall paper, floor coverings, vanities, and ceramic tile. And if you or a member of your family is sensitive to mold exposure, that person could have a severe allergic reaction that threatens their health — people respond to indoor mold very differently, and the same bathroom may bother one person and not another.
Cleaning Bathrooms to Prevent Mold
- Start by dusting your bathroom at least once a week. Dust contains lots of organic particles, like hair, skin flakes, and paper fibers. Mold requires organics and water to survive. It’s hard to limit the water released in a bathroom so dust to eliminate organics.
- Use a cleanser designed for bathrooms. Wipe down sinks, toilets, countertops, and bathtubs at least on a weekly basis. This will not only get rid of any leftover dust but also any mold spores that may have settled in the area.
- Clean mirrors and windows. Try spray the glass with rubbing alcohol and then wipe it off with a micro-fiber cloth. The alcohol will dry quickly and using a micro-fiber cloth will ensure that no paper fibers are left behind. Also, the alcohol will cut through things like hairspray and toothpaste faster than normal glass cleaners.
- Don’t leave wet towels in a pile and clean shower curtains often. Eliminating piles of wet clothing, towels, and wash cloths from a bathroom will really help with humidity buildup. Cleaning shower curtains and liners will help cut down soap scum.
DIY Prevention Techniques
There are several other things you can do to control bathroom humidity. Fix faucets and showerheads that leak or drip. Run the bathroom exhaust fan while showering and for a short period afterward, and make sure the fan actually vents outdoors. Wipe up standing water and allow damp surfaces and towels to dry.
Bathrooms are rarely the only damp room in a house. The same habits that keep a bathroom dry apply everywhere else moisture collects, and basements tend to be the room homeowners find a problem in next.
If mold becomes a concern in your bathroom, call Mold and Air Duct Pros at (440) 467-4104. Our team can help you decide whether a free visual consult, inspection, or remediation is the right next step.
