Black mold is one of the things no owner wants in their home. It not only spoils the good look of your property but it also creates a risk for your health. The spores of any type of mold spread quickly and if there is black mold infestation in your home, you should act quickly and start black mold damage repair.
Black mold does not only spoil the attractive look of a property, but it can cause different health problems such as coughing, wheezing, sore throat, burning eyes, runny nose and it’s especially dangerous for people who suffer from asthma, infections of the respiratory system, issues and eczema.
Babies, kids and old people are those most vulnerable to the harmful effect of black mold spores. The spores of black mold produce mycotoxins which are very harmful to the lungs, the nervous system and the skin when inhaled.
There are different reasons why black mold build up appears the main things that are responsible for causing black mold damage are condensation and humidity. Black mold build up should be handled in a timely and effective manner, otherwise it can lead to a serious property damage and health complications.
If black mold isn’t fully removed, the uncleaned spores will spread again and cause a secondary black mold development.
It’s always recommended to call professionals to help you get rid of black mold damage. Depending on how severely your windows are affected by black mold, the professional cleaners will determine whether they need repairs or complete replacement.
Black mold can appear at different places and one of the most common spots where black mold usually occurs are windows and the area around them. You can find black mold around PVC, aluminum and timber windows.
Ways to prevent the appearance of black mold on windows
Regular window cleaning
Fortunately, there are some easy-to-do safe methods for cleaning black mold you can try by yourself . But they work only if the black mold infestation is mild. If the case is severe black mold damage, then it’s best to contact a professional cleaning company.
Keep low humidity levels
Black mold thrives in places with increased humidity levels. By decreasing the amount of moisture in the indoor air of your property, you can protect yourself and your property by the negative effect of black mold development.
Allow good ventilation
If you want to decrease the risk of black mold development, allow your building a sufficient level of ventilation by regularly opening the windows in the warm months.
Leave the window vent (also called trickle vent) open to make sure there is maximum ventilation through the indoor space. This will allow the outside air to enter the indoor space more easily and ventilate it. The window vent is usually located at the top of the windows.
Another great way to enhance the ventilation of your property is by using extractor fans when you are using the bathroom or cooking in the kitchen. Dehumidifiers are also a great idea when it comes to effectively decreasing the moisture in the air.
Repair all leaks
Leaks lead to water damage and water damage inevitably leads to the development of black mold. When water goes inside a building through the window sill, this means that the window frame is damaged. For this reason you should regularly check the condition of your windows and whether they need repairs or complete replacement.
Sometimes the cause of mold development can be damaged window frames.
Extra tips
If the windows of your property are single-pane, you can replace them with double or triple-glazing windows because they have a higher resistance to black mold than the other types of windows. This also helps in having an easier time when bleaching since the discoloration might not be there.
Household plants may be a potential source of humidity and for this reason you should place them away from the windows. Plants emit moisture into the air and if you have many plant pots, they can considerably increase indoor humidity levels.
You can try to clean the black mold in your property by yourself but this depends on the severity of the case.
If the area covered by black mold is larger than 1 square meter, then it’s recommended to contact a professional cleaning company who is specialized in cleaning black mold build-up. Professional cleaning companies own the required skills and specialized equipment which makes them able to clean black mold in a quick, effective and safe way.
DIY black mold cleaning solutions:
If you have a small area affected by black mold, you can remove it by yourself using some homemade cleaning solutions. Before you start cleaning black mold make sure that you wear protective clothing such as rubber gloves, a mask that covers your nose and mouth and goggles.
For the cleaning steps you will need a bucket, washing up liquid, cloth, cleaning wipes, a plastic bag, a hoover.
Bleach
Bleach is one of the ingredients that is commonly used in different household cleaning tasks. You can see it as a part of different homemade cleaning solutions. The reason for this is that it’s effective in removing different types of dirt on different surfaces including areas affected by black mold.
Fill ½ or ¼ cup with a bleach and combine it with a gallon of water. Get the cloth , dip it into the bleach solution, squeeze it to remove the excess amount and start scrubbing the window casing.
After that you need to leave the bleach on the window glass for 20 minutes as in this way it can offer an effective disinfection of the surface and destroy the remaining black mold spores.
Washing up liquid
Another thing that works against black mold and it can be found at every home is dish detergent. Mix water with a washing up liquid in a bucket.
Now get two dry cleaning cloths and dip one of them into the bucket. Squeeze the excess amount of the cleaning liquid and start wiping the area affected by black mold. Avoid brushing around the mold as it will just spread onto the surface.
When you are ready wiping, get the other dry rag and use it to remove the excess moisture of the damp spot. Afterwards dispose of both cloths. As a final step you need to wipe the spot where black mold had been for one more time or use a vacuum cleaner to hoover over it.
Take all soft furnishings or clothing that was in the zone where black mold had developed, place them in plastic bags and either bring them to a professional dry cleaning service or throw them away.
