Month: July 2016

Mold Treatment Plan for Your Haymarket, VA Home

With summer well into the season in Haymarket, VA and high humidity, you should have a mold treatment plan for your home. Mold is a fungus that breeds in moisture. If you don’t have the proper ventilation in your home, you are taking a chance of mold growth. Other things like leaky pipes that have gone unnoticed for more than 48 hours can also contribute to mold growth.

Mold thrives on moisture, and its food source are things such as wood, drywall, carpet, insulation, furniture, clothing, paper and food. When these conditions exist in your Haymarket, VA home, it can ruin the structure of your home, get into your HVAC system, put out a musty smell into the home and can cause health issues for you and your family. You should have a mold treatment plan for your home in Haymarket, VA to prevent mold from growing or rid mold if it has already started.

 Preventive Treatment for Mold Growth

A way to thwart off musty mold smells and the fuzzy, slimy fungus from growing in your home in Haymarket, VA and prevent health issues include these preventive mold treatments:

  • Invest in a dehumidifier. Run it in extremely humid conditions or in damp areas of your home.
  • Replace mildewy shower curtains or wash them often, so mildew does not grow.
  • Keep clothes and other fabrics dry and do not let them pile up next to walls.
  • Clean out air conditioning drip pans regularly, so mold doesn’t grow.
  • If you spill something, clean it up right away.
  • Repair any leaks in your plumbing, checking under kitchen and bathroom sinks and your washing machine.
  • Air out your house. Let the sunshine in.
  • When cooking or showering, open doors or windows or run an exhaust fan to get rid of the moisture in the air.
  • Install a better ventilation system in your home or repair your present one if it isn’t performing well.

Home Mold Treatment Products

  • Vinegar is a cheap mold treatment to kill mold. Clean your home with plain white vinegar from top to bottom to ward off mold. If you see mold, spray undiluted on the area, let it sit for a while and then wipe away the vinegar and mold. Repeat as needed.
  • Tree Tea Oil is a natural fungicide and can eliminate mold from your home plus the smell will fill your home with a pleasant medicinal scent. Add ten drops to a spray bottle of water and spray on the mold. Let sit and wipe it and the mold away.
  • Vodka, the cheap kind, can put your mold in a drunken stupor. Fill a spray bottle and spritz the moldy area, let it sit for a while and then wipe the mold away.

By simply taking extra precautions and having a mold treatment plan, you should be able to get a grip on mold growth in your Haymarket, VA home. Envirotex is an environmental services company serving the Northern Virginia area who is licensed and certified in for all your mold treatment needs in Haymarket, VA. If you have any questions, need a mold inspection or mold removal, give the experts at Envirotex a call.

Effective Products Used in Home Mold Removal for Alexandria, VA Homeowners

Great care should be taken by homeowners in Alexandria, VA who choose d-i-y home mold removal.  Some cleaning agents are quite toxic to use indoors so make sure you work in a well-ventilated area and by all means wear a respirator and gloves to protect yourself.

Effective Home Mold Removal Products

  • Ammonia—This cleaning agent is a good disinfectant and does a great job of killing mold on hard, non-porous surfaces such as bathroom sinks, shower doors and kitchen counters around your Alexandria, VA home. It does not kill mold on penetrating porous materials like sheetrock, particle board or ceiling tiles. Ammonia’s fumes are quite toxic, and it will also irritate the skin and eyes. It is poisonous and could cause health issues if ingested or inhaled especially in a non-ventilated area. It should never be mixed with chlorinated bleach.Combine ammonia and water, 50/50 proportions in a spray bottle. Spray the mold contaminated area and allow the solution to sit for about 5 or 10 minutes to kill mold. Then scour the mold area with a brush and wipe clean. Repeat if needed.
  • Bleach—Use on hard, non-porous surfaces to kill nearly any type of mold spores. Bleach is not effective on porous surfaces because the same moisture used to kill the mold will promote additional mold growth to the area just cleaned.Combine one cup of bleach to no less than a gallon of water and mix together thoroughly and add to a spray bottle. Apply evenly to the mold infected area or use a sponge or disposable towel and wipe the area clean. Do not rinse. Allow the bleach to disinfect the area to inhibit future mold growth in your Alexandria, VA home.

Seven Natural Products for Home Mold Removal

  • Baking Soda—A natural cleaning solution that is safe around pets and children.Mix baking soda with water at a 50/50 ratio to form a paste. Apply paste and let dry. Scrub with a brush if needed and then wipe away mold debris.
  • Vinegar—White distilled vinegar is inexpensive and is an anti-bacterial agent that is great in home mold removal.Simply spray vinegar straight onto the surface, let sit, then wipe away.
  • Borax—It deodorizes, disinfects and cleans and borax does not put off toxic fumes or It is toxic so do not ingest. It is also non-carcinogenic.Mix one cup of borax with one gallon of water, mix together well and spray or wipe on mold infected surface. Scrub with a brush if needed and then wipe. Do not rinse because borax will continue to work as a disinfectant and deodorizer. Allow to air dry and repeat if needed.
  • Hydrogen Peroxide—Non-toxic, inexpensive and produces no toxic fumes. It serves as an antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial Can be used in home mold removal for porous materials such as walls and clothing.Mix two parts water with 1 part 3% hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle or soak a disposable towel and wipe mold. Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Use a brush if needed and then wipe away the mold. Allow to dry.
  •  Grapefruit Seed Extract—Similar to tea tree oil, this is natural and non-toxic in home mold removal.Add ten drops of grapefruit seed extract oil to each cup of water needed for mold removal. You can strengthen if needed for stubborn stains. Spray area and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes or longer if needed. Wipe away mold. Do not rinse as the acid will penetrate mold growth and prevent any future mold spores from coming back.
  • Tea Tree Oil—This is a natural fungicide effective in killing black mold spores and removing mildew, and it will also fill your home in Alexandria, VA with a lovely medicinal scent. Make sure it is made from the Australian tree “melaleuca ” It is toxic if swallowed.Add ten drops of tea tree oil to a spray bottle and fill with water. Spray, let sit and wipe away the mold.

Be extremely careful when combining two or more cleaning agents together to prevent harmful accidents. Read all labels and be extremely cautious around children and pets when working with bleach and ammonia cleaners at your home in Alexandria, VA. Be safe at all times!

Depending on how much mold is infecting your Alexandria, VA home, it is advised to call a professional such as Envirotex for mold removal from your home. They are the experts in their field. Envirotex is an environmental service company licensed and certified in mold inspection, mold removal, and remediation.