1) Dry the Moisture. To eliminate mold, you'll first need to eliminate the source. Find out how and where moisture is seeping into your home and deal with it accordingly. Once the moisture problem is solved, you can begin removing the mold.
2) Gear Up. It is in your best interest to invest in a face mask and other protective gear. The last thing you want to do is breathe in mold. A surgical mask, or the type used by carpenters to keep from inhaling saw dust, works well for this task. A long sleeved shirt and long pants should complete the protective outfit. Even the best protective gear is no guarantee that you are safe from the toxins associated with traditional mold removal.
3) Remove the Biomass. The mold must be removed completely. Simply spraying chlorine bleach will not make the mold go away. It will not address the spread of mold spores (the “seeds” that regrow), VOCs (volatile organic compounds: the odor molecules that irritate your lungs), or mycotoxins (the toxins that cause allergic reaction). The best way to remove mold is with a non-chlorine mold cleaning product. Enzyme-based products have proven both safe and effective at removing mold because of their power to break apart the fungal biomass.
Apply an enzyme-based cleaner to the surface. Allow it to penetrate the mold for at least 5 minutes. If the biomass is large or if there is a large surface to treat, a cool- temperature fogger is useful. A heat fogger will destroy naturally occurring enzymes. Always use cool water when cleaning mold. After the enzyme cleaner has had ample time to penetrate the mold, wipe or brush the surface to remove the biomass completely.
Research all products carefully to ensure they are safe for your family, the eco-system, and the surface you are cleaning. There are a variety of mold cleaners, killers, and inhibitors on the market that employ chemicals. Chlorine is commonly and dangerously used for mold clean-up. It is not recommend it. Chlorine bleaches away the mold stain, but the mold always comes back. It wasn’t fully removed from the surface. Even a small mold clean up can expose you to hazardous products and by-products. Mold and chlorine have both been linked to poor indoor air quality, allergies, and even childhood asthma. A lot of people are hesitant to spray chlorine bleach on their home exteriors, as they should be. Chlorine bleach is just as toxic as the mold in many cases. New research has linked the residue compounds left by chlorine cleaners, called organochlorides, to a variety of illnesses from respiratory disorders to cancer.
