The combination of humidity and excess moisture in the air can lead to one very unsightly and unhealthy problem in your home; mold growth on your walls. It starts with a little discoloration before you begin to see furry black spots spreading over a patch on your wall.
While many homeowners panic at the mere sight of mold, others don’t take it as seriously as they should. Whatever your reaction may be, we advise taking immediate action to prevent the mold from spreading and causing serious health issues.
Usually, it can be quite tempting to remove all molds by yourself. They can be toxic, so the most practical thing to do is to call in professionals and let them do the job.
You can also clean up a moderate amount of mold by yourself. For this, it’s best to follow a simple step-by-step guide to ensure that you are safely cleaning mold from your walls. Here is our easy-to-follow cleaning guide for moldy walls.
Step 1: Gear Up!
It is essential to protect your skin from making contact with the mold, while also covering your nose and mouth so that you do not inhale the powdery residue that becomes airborne as you attempt to clean it. Similarly, bleach can also cause skin irritation and allergic reactions. It is why it needs careful handling. It is advisable to wear gloves, long sleeves, protective eyewear, and put on a disposable face mask that covers your mouth and nose when cleaning moldy walls.
Step 2: Round Up Things You Need
You will need to have a few things on hand to remove mold from your walls without being stalled during the process. So before you begin, gather up the following items:
- Clean Rags
- Household Bleach
- Bucket
- Ladder (optional)
Step 3: Make Your Cleaning Solution and Begin!
In a bucket, mix ten parts water, 1 part bleach. This is the only cleaning solution you need to remove mold efficiently. To begin, dip and wring a clean rag into the bucket, and gently remove mold by wiping the wall using minimal pressure. Work your way from the top down. Be sure to rinse out the rag, and when it gets dirty to avoid transferring any mold residue back onto the wall. It is also crucial to ensure that you wrung the cloth thoroughly so that it is merely damp and not dripping with water as excess moisture on your walls can damage the paint finish.
Step 4: Dry With Clean Rags
Your walls may take a while to dry up completely; hence, it is advisable to soak up as much moisture from the surface as possible using dry rags. Just press a clean, dry cleaning cloth against the wall and hold it for a few seconds to soak up moisture. Opening your windows and running ceiling fans will also aid in the drying process.
Step 5: Keep Rooms Well-Ventilated to Prevent Mold Growth
Rooms that are dark, damp and humid promote mold growth. The best way to counter these conditions is by allowing as much sunlight into the room as possible while increasing ventilation. That can be accomplished by opening up windows, doors and installing exhaust fans to reduce humidity.In case you have a windowless room, keep it well ventilated by using passive vents.
Know that after these steps, if the walls had been discolored and damaged, you can repaint that area to make it look brand new. While removing molds seem reasonably easy with this step-by-step guide, remember that the better way to handle the situation is by calling in the professionals! Clean, mold-free walls will be achieved in no time!
