Mold & Mildew in Your Environment

How do I get rid of it!

What is Mold or Mildew?

Molds and mildew are fungi. Mildew is a thin, generally white to blue-green growth caused by microscopic mold spores in the air. Molds grow throughout the natural and built environment. Tiny particles of mold are present in indoor and outdoor air. In nature, molds helps break down dead materials and can be found growing on soil, goods, plant matter...anywhere. Molds produce microscopic cells called "spores" which are very tiny and spread easily through the air. Live spores act like seeds, forming new mold growths (colonies) when they find the right conditions.

What does Mold need to Grow?

Mold only needs a few simple things to grow and multiply:

1. Moisture
2. Nutrients
3. A suitable place to grow

Of these, controlling excess moisture is the key to preventing and stopping indoor mold growth.

Where does it grow?

Mildew grows in damp, warm, poorly aired, poorly lighted places, such as in cellars, basements, and closets; on shower curtains, and shower stalls, and under houses.

Should I be concerned about mold in my home?

Besides looking unsightly, mildew has an unpleasant, musty odor. If permitted to grow, mildew will discolor and rot surfaces such as fabrics, clothing, upholstery, furniture, wood, leather, and paper.

Mold should not be permitted to grow and multiply indoors. When this happens, health problems can occur and building materials, goods and furnishings may be damaged.

How do I tell if I have a mold problem?

Investigate, don't test! The most practical way to find a mold problem is by using your eyes to look for mold growth, and by using your nose to locate the source of a suspicious odor. If you see mold, or if there is an earthy or musty smell, you should assume a mold problem exists. other clues are signs of excess moisture or the worsening of allergy-like symptoms.

• Look for visible mold growth (may appear cottony, velvety, granular, or leathery and have varied colors of white, gray, brown, black, yellow, orange, green). Mold often appears as discoloration, staining, or fuzzy growth of the surface of building materials or furnishings. When mold is visible, testing is not recommended.
• Search areas with noticable mold odors.
• Look for signs of excess moisture or water damage. Look for water leaks, standing water, water stains, condensation problems. For example, do you see any watermarks or discoloration on walls, ceilings, carpet, woodwork, or other building materials?
• Search behind and underneath materials (carpet and pad, wallpaper, vinyl flooring, under sink cabinets, furniture or stored items (especially things placed near outside walls or on cold floors).

How to Clean up/Eliminate a Mold/Mildew Problem in furniture, fabrics, upholstery, bedding, woodwork, bathrooms, windows inside and outside your home.

To clean up and remove indoor mold growth, follow steps 1-4 as they apply to your circumstances and home.

1. Identify and Repair the Moisture Problem. The most important step in solving a mold problem is to identify and correct the mositure sources that allowed the growth in the first place. Common indoor moisture sources include:
   1. Flooding
   2. Condensation (caused by indoor humidity that is too high or surfaces that are too cold)
   3. Movement through basement walls and slab
   4. Roof leaks
   5. Plumbing Leaks
   6. Overflow from tubs sinks, or toilets
   7. Firewood stored indoors
   8. Humidifier Use
   9. Inadequate venting of kitchen and bath (excess humidity)
   10. Failure to vent clothes dryer exhaust outdoors...not in the attic or garage, (including electric dryiers)
   11. Line drying of laundry indoors
   12. House Plants...over-watering can generate large amounts of moisture

Too keep indoor surfaces as dry as possible, try to maintain the home's relative humidity between 20-40 percent in the winter, and less than 60 percent the rest of the year. Ventilation, air circulation, dehumidificaation and efforts to miminize the production of moisture in the home are all very important in controlling high humidity that frequently causes mold growth.

2. Begin drying all wet materials: As soon as possible, begin drying any materials that are wet. Use fans and dehumidifiers and move wet items away from walls and off floors.

3. Remove and dispose of Mold Contaminated Materials: Items which have absorbed moisture (porous materials) and which have mold growing on them need to be removed, bagged and thrown out. Throw away vacuum cleaner bags because they may contain moisture as well as mildew-producing fungi.

4. Clean Surfaces: Surface mold growing on non-porours materials such as hard plastic, glass, metal and solid wood can usually be cleaned. NOK-OUT can also be used to remove mold from fabric surfaces, such as carpet and upholstery. Cleaning must remove and capture the mold contamination, because dead spores and mold particles still cause health problems if left in place.

• Using NOK-OUT, thoroughly scrub all contaminated surfaces with a stiff brush until there is no visible evidence of mold and mildew.
• Sponge excess liquid with a clean, dry towel, or a wet/dry vacuum, mop or sponge. There is no need to rinse. Use fans or dryers to speed up the drying process.
• NOK-OUT will disinfect and prevent mold spores from re-growth; it has a residual effect even when dry.
  

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