Mold Removal : Using a Mold Killer and Cleaner
Bob H from Alabama
Bob, application of MoldSTAT Plus using the Fogmaster Jr mold fogger is an effective way to treat for mold in any room. The directions include details for using MoldSTAT Plus specifically on carpeting with no warnings regarding future contact. Once the MoldSTAT Plus has dried you can come in contact with it. Of course for washable items, you can always wash them if it makes you more comfortable, but there is no requirement to do so. The only caution is to not use MoldSTAT Plus on food serving or preparation surfaces, so if you have any TV tables, take them out of the room. Also, remove any Pets and cover fishtanks to prevent unintended contact.
Killing mold and removing mold stains are not the same. While bleach can remove the visible mold stain by ‘bleaching the stain’, it doesn’t kill the roots. MoldSTAT Plus – EPA Registered Mold Killer – actually kills the mold at the roots. But that doesn’t always make the stain disappear. Ray asked if that was normal. Check out the answer:
I applied MoldSTAT Plus concentrate at the rate of 3/4 ounces per gallon in the attic of my home that showed signs of mold problems. I used both a spray bottle and a fogger to apply the mixture. After things dried the next day, I did not notice any visible changes in the mold where the MoldSTAT Plus was applied. Is that typical or should there have been a clear visible change to the mold? Continue reading →
Mold shows up where you least expect it, or maybe just where you least want it. There are a few clues to look toward when trying to accomplish effective mold removal, but our goal is to tackle the question: “How do you get rid of mold?” (specifically Residential Mold Removal, not commercial).
The mold and mildew removal process will vary based on the surfaces from which you are removing mold and the location of the mold. For example indoor mold removal (attic mold and Basement mold) is a different process from removing roof mold or siding mold. Additionally the surface the mold is attached to, specifically, is the mold on a porous surface like carpet mold, a vertical surface like mold removal from walls, or a hard surface like many basement floors, and cinder block walls. Continue reading →
In a word, no. In our everyday use of language, we are not always as precise as perhaps we should be and a maker of a mold cleaning product can bank on this to fool you into purchasing and using a product that may not be what you truly need, want, or think you are using.
While we as consumers of a mold cleaner or mold killer product might not be consistently precise the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the government agency responsible for regulating mold killer products, is very clear about the distinction between a product that kills mold and a product that merely cleans mold stains. Many common mold cleaning products are NOT EPA approved or tested as actual mold killing agents. The most commonly misperceived agent is without doubt household bleach. Bleach will certainly remove most VISIBLE mold stains but it is not a tested or approved agent allowed to be labeled as a mold killer.
The wide world of mold is a many colored place. Molds exist in practically every color you can imagine, ranging from purest white to darkest black with stops along the spectrum at brown, tan, green, red, orange, yellow, and even blue. However, unless you are a mycologist (a scientist specializing in the study of molds) the color is irrelevant when choosing a mold killer.
Biologically a mold is a mold is a mold. The color of the growth can help a scientist determine what species a particular mold might be, but color alone doesn’t tell you anything about a mold growth other than what color the growth happens to be at a specific point in time. The color of mold growth is influenced not only the species of the mold, but also by he conditions in which the mold is growing, the nutrient source the mold is utilizing, and even the age of the growth.
With the rains falling again, spring has arrived, and the need to find a mold cleaner that a home owner can use is once again a topic of discussion.
You can save hundreds, even thousands of dollars by doing a flood or rain cleanup yourself. The basic equipment just includes a quality mold killer ( we find MoldStat Plus to be a great value), gloves, a face mask plenty of paper towels and patience.
Just follow the directions on any mold cleaner you purchase, and work slowly and thoroughly. Test that the surface mold has been removed by wiping the area with a clean paper towel; once the paper towel is clean after being wiped across the mold infested area, you know that the surface mold has been removed. One final soak with your EPA approved mold killer, and you will be assured that even the mold roots have been killed.
From this point, just get fans in the area to dry out the space, and aerate the foul mold smell. But if the mold was caused by a constant moisture problem, be aware that until the moisture is controlled, the mold will return.
For seasonal rains, or plumbing floods no future moisture control should be required.