One of the most common molds that grow in homes is called Stachybotrys, also known as the black mold. Black mold is a type of fungus that is present everywhere, including air. You can often see them in moist areas like your basement. Unfortunately, dealing with this type of mold can be costly and difficult for most residents. With proper steps, you can effectively eliminate black mold from your basement.
What Is Black Mold?
Black mold is typically associated with a moist environment. It loves to stay in places that are often damp, such as showers, bathrooms, wet basements, and areas where there is a potential source of water damage. Black mold can cause severe health problems because it produces mycotoxins. It is believed that mycotoxins can cause illnesses such as asthma, allergies, and respiratory issues. Thus, as a homeowner, it is crucial to act fast and eliminate black mold from your basement.
Identify the Enemy
For example, your basement experienced a devastating flood. All you need to do is to address the water damage or waterproof your basement immediately. Then, deal with the enemy. Here is how you identify the black mold.
- Inspect and assess the area that is prone to molds, including crawlspaces, walls, and floors.
- Have a professional inspect your home to identify the black mold.
How to Eliminate Black Mold from Your Basement
Basements are “below grade” spaces in your home, which means they are more prone to producing black mold. Two of the frequent causes of black molds in your basements are water damage (rain and flood) and humidity. Through this, it is easy for the black mold to grow in your basement.
Quickly stop the source of moisture.
If you notice any musty smell from your basement, immediately assess the source of the problem. You may need to perform significant repairs, including sealing any leaks. It may also be necessary to use a dehumidifier to remove any excess moisture. Use sheets of plastic to cover doors and vents that lead to another room in your house. Use a construction tape to tape the plastic and seal the area to avoid molds spore to become airborne.
Take safety precautions.
Before dealing with the enemy, you have to take safety precautions. Use protective eyewear, disposable dust masks, gloves, and possibly protective clothing to avoid any dangers while cleaning and removing mold.
Remove any moldy material in the area.
If the mold has spread only in the small area of your basement, immediately remove moldy materials to mitigate the damage and prevent it from affecting nearby areas. Furthermore, if mold has infested small parts of fibrous materials like carpets, ceiling tiles, and wall material, clean it using your regular detergent and water. Rinse the area with clean water and allow it to dry completely.
Clean the moldy areas that cannot be replaced.
For floors, walls, and other hard materials, use a bleach solution (1 cup of bleach per gallon of water) and commercial cleaners to wash and kill the black mold. Also, use disposable sponges for cleaning to avoid mold spores from spreading around your house. You can also use ammonia for cleaning, but make sure to avoid mixing the solutions.
6 Essential Products and Tools That You Can Use in Killing Black Molds
- Eye protection, disposable mask, and gloves.
- Stiff-bristled brush and disposable sponges.
- Mold stain remover
- Bleach or ammonia
- Cleaning bucket with measuring markers
- Spray bottles
Don’t Want to Use Chemicals? Try This Natural Remedy for Killing Black Molds in Your Basements.
Many residents are health-conscious, so they want to avoid using too many chemicals for cleaning. Thankfully, there are some ways to get rid of black mold in your basement naturally.
A better alternative for bleach and ammonia solution is vinegar and baking soda. Since vinegar and baking soda are both acidic, use the materials to scrub away mold and help kill spores in their wake.
To make a solution, make a half-water and half-vinegar solution and put it on your spray bottle. Then, spray the vinegar solution in the moldy area and leave it overnight. Come back the next day and scrub it with soapy water, but make sure to use your protective gear to avoid inhaling the black molds.
For baking soda solution, make a paste of 50:50 baking soda and water to use as an abrasive scrub, or mix two tablespoons of baking soda with 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Then, spray the solution onto the affected area before scrubbing.
However, this method only works on basements with small-time issues of black mold. For severe mold problems, it is necessary to use solutions that require strong content with professional help.
Professional Mold Removal Services
Killing black mold in your basements may be easy to do, especially when using the methods discussed in this article. But, severe problems like hidden leaks, ruptured pipes, or floods, these problems may lead to an explosion of mold growth in all areas of your basement. The best thing you can do is to leave this job to the professionals.
Water Damage Lake Elsinore offers professional mold removal services. We have experienced and skilled mold removal specialists that can assure you of a clean and better basement. They are equipped with advanced methods and technology in eliminating mold. Call our local office today for mold removal services.