Molds are fungi

Molds grow throughout the natural and built environment. Tiny particles of mold are present in indoor and outdoor air. In nature, molds help break down dead materials and can be found growing on soil, foods, plant matter, and other items. 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.

Mold Clean-up and Removal

To clean up and remove indoor mold growth, follow steps 1-6 as they apply to your home.

Identify and Fix the Moisture Problem

The most important step in solving a mold problem is to identify and correct the moisture sources that allowed the growth in the first place. Common indoor moisture sources include:

• • Flooding
• • Condensation (caused by indoor humidity that is too high or surfaces that are too cold)
• • Movement through basement walls and slab
• • Roof leaks
• • Plumbing leaks
• • Overflow from tubs, sinks, or toilets
• • Firewood stored indoors
• • Humidifier use
• • Inadequate venting of kitchen and bath humidity
• • Improper venting of combustion appliances
• • Failure to vent clothes dryer exhaust outdoors (including electric dryers)
• • Line drying laundry indoors
• • House plants – watering them can generate large amounts of moisture

To 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. You can purchase devices to measure relative humidity at some home supply stores. Ventilation, air circulation near cold surfaces, dehumidification, and efforts to minimize the production of moisture in the home are all very important in controlling high humidity that frequently causes mold growth in our cold climate.

Begin Drying All Wet Materials

As soon as possible, begin drying any materials that are wet. For severe moisture problems, use fans and dehumidifiers and move wet items away from walls and off floors. Check with equipment rental companies or restoration firms to see if you can rent fans and dehumidifiers.

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. Such materials may include sheet rock, insulation, plaster, carpet/carpet pad, ceiling tiles, wood products (other than solid wood), and paper products. Likewise, any such porous materials that have contacted sewage should also be bagged and thrown away. Non-porous materials with surface mold growth may be saved if they are cleaned well and kept dry (see step 4).

Take Steps to Protect Yourself

The amount of mold particles in air can increase greatly when mold is disturbed. Consider using protective equipment when handling or working around mold contaminated materials. The following equipment can help minimize exposure to mold:

• • Rubber gloves
• • Eye goggles
• • Outer clothing (long sleeves and long pants) that can be easily removed in the work area and laundered or discarded
• • Medium-efficiency or high-efficiency filter dust mask (these can be found at safety equipment suppliers, hardware stores, or some other large stores that sell home repair supplies) — at a minimum, use an N-95 or equivalent dust mask
• • Take Steps to Protect Others – plan and perform all work to minimize the amount of dust generated. The following actions can help minimize the spread of mold spores:
  • • Enclose all moldy materials in plastic (bags or sheets) before carrying through the home
  • • Hang plastic sheeting to separate the work area from the rest of the home
  • • Remove outer layer of work clothing in the work area and wash separately or bag
  • • Clean the entire work area to pick up settled contaminants in dust
  • • Clean Surfaces – surface mold growing on non-porous materials such as hard plastic, concrete, glass, metal, and solid wood can usually be cleaned. Cleaning must remove and capture the mold contamination, because dead spores and mold particles still cause health problems if they are left in place.
  • • Thoroughly scrub all contaminated surfaces using proper disinfectant that will kill the mold and not be a new environmental concern in your environment.
  • • Anti-microbial paints can greatly reduce the spreading of spores as a secondary treatment after killing colonies with proper disinfectant

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Remain on Mold Alert

Continue looking for signs of moisture problems or return of mold growth. Be particularly alert to moisture in areas of past growth. If mold returns, repeat cleaning steps and consider using a stronger solution to disinfect the area again. Regrowth may signal that the material should be removed or that moisture is not yet controlled.