How to get rid of mold from your home once and for all

When the rainy season arrives, the air becomes more humid, something that can cause mold to appear in various parts of the house. In addition to having an unpleasant appearance, mold often has an uncomfortable smell and encourages the appearance of respiratory diseases and allergies. To know everything about the topic and learn how to eliminate it from your home for good, check out the following tips.

What is mold?

Mold is formed by a fungus, which proliferates in damp and dark places. According to biologist Carlos Eduardo Lopes, graduated from Castelo Branco University, the microorganism travels through the air and thus multiplies. “It proliferates through spores – a protective layer that guarantees the germination of the species – which are released into the air. When they find a place with ideal conditions, they reproduce, thus generating a colony,” he says.

Also called mold, it can be found on food, clothing, closets, bathroom curtains, walls, ceiling, wood, paper, and even the refrigerator. In the case of food, it becomes unfeasible for consumption as soon as the first layer of mold is noticed. Therefore, pay attention to the validity of the products and the best way of storage.

Problems caused by mold

Mold not only makes items in the house look unsightly, it can also be harmful to health, especially for those who already have rhinitis, sinusitis, bronchitis and asthma. Through inhalation, fungi penetrate the human body and find favorable conditions, thus triggering the allergic process.

The master in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology and professor at the Faculty of Medicine of Petrópolis, Rebeca Vazquez, reveals the main pathologies caused by the fungus: “The most common diseases associated with contact with them are usually allergies, both respiratory and food, and intoxications. caused by the production of toxins by these microbes”.

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If your home has been moldy for a long time and you or others who live in it are suffering from breathing problems, you should seek medical help to treat the condition.

How to prevent mold at home

According to Carlos Eduardo, there are several homemade ways and methods to prevent mold from forming, but there is one that is still the best. “The most important thing is to keep the environment always dry and as ventilated as possible”, he guarantees.

If even leaving the house airy, the humidity in the air is making it easier for mold to spread in your home, there are a number of methods that can help you. Leave the house open during the day so that sunlight enters and warms the room. In addition to providing a dry place, the increase in temperature will prevent the action of the microorganism. Remove rugs and curtains, which are ideal breeding grounds for microbes. And if you can, paint the house with waterproof paint and choose cold floors for your home.

How to clean and eliminate mold

It is not difficult to find homemade solutions to prevent mold from appearing on clothes stored inside closets, drawers and chests. Opening these furniture from time to time so that the clothes can breathe or removing them from the place where they are stored is a good tip to not let the unwanted agent settle. Check out some more options:

Chalk: Leaving tulle sachets with cedar balls or chalk will remove moisture from the place. When the chalk is wet, it’s a sign that it’s time to change it. As for cedar, just put it in the sun to dry and reuse it.
Bleach: Rebeca Vazquez guarantees that it works. “Today on the market we have the most diverse products to eliminate mold and most of them are based mainly on the action of chlorine”. First remove mold from the environment with a dry cloth. Mix 50 ml of bleach with 1 L of water, soak the cloth in the solution and apply it to the infected area. Wait for it to dry and only then put your clothes and other items in the closet. Wear gloves to protect your skin from the bleach action.

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See some more super useful tips against mold in the following video:

Anti-mold products available on the market

There are a number of anti-mold products available at supermarkets and large construction and home improvement stores.

But before buying them, pay attention to the components of what you intend to purchase. “Moreover, it is important to note if the composition contains chlorine, formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde, or sodium hydroxide, which are the most effective substances in eliminating these microorganisms”, advises the specialist in Microbiology. See below the diversity of anti-mold products:

As in many cases, in this situation, the ideal is to prevent rather than cure. Follow the tips and always keep the house and furniture airy to prevent the problem from appearing.