There are only four things that is required for mold growth. Moisture, temperature, food and oxygen must be present. Just by removing one of these elements from the equation; there will be no toxic mold growth.

Mold needs a moist environment such as pet urine to grow.

Mold also needs oxygen to survive. Sure, mold needs moisture to live but, like us, they will drown if you cut off their air supply. To be sure, removing oxygen from the equation would likely cause you more discomfort, to say the least, before it has any effect on mold growth.

Molds like comfortable temperatures. Unfortunately, the temperature range conducive to mold growth is the same range of temperatures that humans feel the most comfortable. Indoor temperatures can be controlled if you have a thermostat. However, this is also not an ideal solution as the temperatures that mold growth is inhibited are temperatures that humans are also uncomfortable with.

Therefore, the only element that we can reasonably control, is the mold’s food source. Remove the food source and there will be no mold growth.

Removing dust from surfaces (whether or not it contains mold spores) also removes the food that the mold feeds on.

The easiest way to remove mold is with the use of cleaning sprays.

However, there are certain safety considerations that need to be addressed. Be forewarned that using cleaners improperly may leave you more mold than when you started.

Cleaners on moldy surfaces will likely kill any growth that the chemical touches but the moisture that is left over may assist in promoting more growth. Prevent this from happening by making sure that the surface is wiped and dried off immediately after spraying.

Carpets that have been shampooed that have not been thoroughly dried, can contain enough moisture for mold to grow on.

Laundry hung in the closet, before it has been thoroughly dried, is in danger of becoming moldy. Most closets are not adequately ventilated and this may account for the musty closet odors.

Surfaces can be damaged by harsh cleaners. From this, water or humidity can infiltrate in. Dirt, dust or dry wall, can combine to provide a nice environment for the mold to grow on.

Even if no mold growth occurs, damage to walls can result as evidenced by lifting of the paint or laminate. Once the surface is damaged, it will be easier for the mold to proliferate there the next time.

Sometimes, allergic reactions from cleaners can cause coughing, etc; similar to the symptoms you can experience when exposed to toxic mold.

It is highly recommended that you have adequate ventilation upon using cleaners. Use gloves to minimize contact with the skin and eye protection where appropriate.

Typically, there are thousands of mold spores that we breathe in every day. Mold is ubiquitous. You can never successfully remove all of the mold spores from the air you breathe but you can take measures to reduce the allergens in your home or work place environment and prevent them from reaching toxic levels.

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 18th, 2008 at 3:45 am and is filed under Healthy Living Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.