Ewww! How to Get Rid of Bright Green Mold
Bright green mold is a pesky home invader. It creeps up on you over time and suddenly, you have a mold issue when you thought your home was clean!
The truth is, mold growth doesn’t mean your home is dirty. But it does mean you could have an issue with dampness or lack of ventilation. Mold grows in an array of textures and colors, but most types of mold have one thing in common — the environment it grows and thrives in.
Bright green mold may look worse than it actually is. Nevertheless, this blog outlines how to rid your home of it and prevent mold regrowth.
What Exactly is Bright Green Mold?
Mold is a form of fungus. Bright green mold is just a form of fungi that grows in a shade of green, and other variations of this color. Green mold is powdery and fuzzy in texture, and may even appear grey or black in color.
Green mold grows and thrives in areas of dampness, humidity, and poor ventilation. But it can also spread throughout your home as spores and grow on fruits, bread, and other surfaces that offer the above growth conditions.
Some of the most common green mold found in most homes belong to the following genus:
● Penicillium – it’s usually bluish-green in color and is well-known for its antibacterial properties
● Aspergillus – can have different colors; , this type of mold (along with others) grows on spoiled foods, and in damp areas such as the basement
● Cladosporium – also olive/gray-green or black/brown in color, this form of mold as others, grows on household surfaces, carpets, on plants, and around planters
All of these green mold variations will grow and change color if left unchecked for long enough. Mold may turn blue or black over time. That’s why it’s important to have a professional assess mold growth to determine its exact type if you have a serious mold issue.
Is Bright Green Mold Dangerous?
Most people assume that black mold is the most harmful to the health of your family and pets. But it’s important to note that green mold, whether it’s bright green, bluish-green, or olive-green is equally harmful. Long-term exposure to green mold can cause various health issues.
Mold is particularly harmful to sensitive people or those with allergies. It can have a lasting effect on the respiratory system, cause major asthma and allergy attacks. It’s also known for causing skin irritation, eye irritation, and throat irritation.
It’s crucial that you take control of a mold issue in your home as soon as you notice it. Or better yet, do regular inspections of damp or poorly ventilated areas of your home to prevent mold growth.
How to Eliminate Bright Green Mold From Your Home
Luckily, small mold infestations can be rid of. The larger the mold growth, the more work you’ll need to put in to completely eliminate its growth and the spread of mold spores. If an area of mold growth is smaller than an area of 10-square feet, it’s safe to clean up on your own. If a mold infestation is any larger than this, you may require professional mold remediation.
Without containing a large mold infestation, you could ultimately do more harm than good by spreading mold spores to other areas of your home. As well as exposing yourself and family to mold toxins.
Simple Products That Kill Mold
Mold can be removed with a number of household items you have in your pantry. This includes white vinegar, baking soda, bleach solution and dishwashing detergent.
Before starting to clean the area, use protect equipment, as mask, gloves, and glasses and remove items that are contaminated with the mold. Items as carpet, insulation, ceiling tiles,drywall, or wallboard if contaminated with mold, must be replaced. For items with a hard surface clean with detergent and water. After the cleaning, you should dry the items.
According with the CDC, the mold can be removed from hard surfaces with soap and water, commercial products, and bleach solution (1 cup, 8 ounces, of bleach in 1 gallon of water).
A especial care must be taken when using a blench solution: first open windows and door to ventilate the room; second never mix blench solution with other household cleaners especially if contain ammonia, because they can release toxic gases, that can be harmful for your health. If you have a large area to clean, you may need professional help.
Identify What’s Causing Mold Growth
Once you have cleaned up a mold-infected area, you’ll need to do an inspection of the area and what’s causing mold growth. Basically, you have to alter the environment that favors mold growth in order to keep it at bay.
Generally, mold growth is related to some source of water or moisture, as well as a lack of ventilation. For example, if mold is growing at the base of a wall, it could be caused by a plumbing leak in your wall or roof.
If mold is growing behind an appliance, this could signal that the appliance is leaking. Or, if mold is growing in a dark corner at the corner of your ceiling, this usually points to a room with high humidity.
If the air in a room has enough moisture in it, this will most likely result in mold growth on surfaces such as cupboards, or even food items.
How to Prevent the Growth of Green Mold
Some fool-proof ways of preventing mold from re-growing in certain areas in your home include:
● Wiping down areas of condensation, such as window frames, ledges, pipes, bathroom tiles, the base of your toilet, etc.
● Using a dehumidifier in rooms that are prone to high humidity or dampness
● Regularly using your overhead fume hood while cooking as well as the bathroom fan when showering
● Reducing moisture on countertops that hold food items, such as fruit bowls and bread baskets
● Regularly inspecting your houseplants for moisture buildup on the leaves and at the base of the planter
Try to keep your home well-ventilated. Open your windows and curtains, and allow bright sunlight to stream in. Freely moving air within your home can help to carry mold spores out of it through open windows and doors.
Keep your home thermostat on a regular temperature. If your home is fitted with carpets, clean them regularly with anti-fungal detergent.
Ultimately, it’s imperative to keep your home dry and well-ventilated in order to prevent mold growth, it’s not rocket science, but it takes effort.
Keep Your Home with less Mold using an Air Purifier
If you’re struggling with a persistent bright green mold problem in your home, then it’s time for an air purifier. They can reduce the number of microorganisms in your home environment. Helping protect your home by reducing bacteria, viruses, mold, mildew, and a plethora of allergens.