A few days ago, I wrote an article about the dangers of mold, and the response I received was overwhelming. Everybody wanted to know more about mold. In fact, within a few days of publishing the post, I got a couple dozen emails asking how to get rid of mold. So, I wanted to share my personal tips that I use at my home, as well as here in the office. Please feel free to drop your tips in the comment section below. How to Get Rid of Mold: Investigate your home or office for moisture leakage. If you find any moisture leaks, clean them up with a dry towel immediately and find the source of the leak. Consider hiring a professional if the leak does not stop or if you are dealing with a plumbing issue. Controlling moisture leaks in your home or place of work will reduce the mold’s ability to thrive. Mold loves warm and wet places. If you live in a place with humidity levels of 70% or more, you must particularly take heed to prevent toxic moldy air. Invest in a high-quality dehumidifier and test your home for mold over-growth.

Temperatures above 75° F, as well as poorly lit rooms and unmoving air, can actually create more mold. Keep fresh air moving in your home, as well as bright sunlight coming in through your windows. This will help reduce toxic mold. Open a window while you take a shower, if possible.ac unit capacitor keeps blowing Change air filters regularly in heating and air-conditioning vents.car ac repair norman ok Invest in a good quality air purification system that employs both a HEPA filter and UV & negative ion technologies. dual zone hvac problemsIn my opinion, this will give you the best results when cleaning your air. Keep your home at a moderate temperature, at around 69-73° F and keep the humidity level at 54% and below. Make sure your clothes dryer has an anti-humidity vent.

Check closets for mold growth. This is especially important if you have ever placed wet or damp clothing in your closets. If you find mold in your closet, wash your clothes immediately to help clean any possible mold spores. Protect your breathing passages when removing active or dead mold. Wear a mask, eye protection and protective gloves that filter mold. When cleaning, slightly wet the mold to lessen the amount of airborne spores in the breathing atmosphere while you are cleaning. This can be done with a wet cloth. Scrub hard surfaces infested in mold with a non-ammonia soap. Non-toxic, organic soap is best for the environment. Porous surface cannot be cleaned of mold. Things like moldy carpeting, drywall, wall-paper, fabric, or other porous surfaces, must be completely removed and replaced from your home or office. If you have mold on the structural support of your home or office building, it may not be cleaned out by scrubbing alone. It may have to be sanded.

Don’t forget to wear the appropriate protective coverings. Remember, the best prevention for mold is to KEEP THINGS DRY and always use a good air purification system! Do you know of any other ways to get rid of mold? Please add any mold removal tips in the comment section below.Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. Global Healing Center does not dispense medical advice, prescribe, or diagnose illness. The views and nutritional advice expressed by Global Healing Center are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician. Oxy-Powder® is the top quality colon cleanser. Promotes optimal colon health and regular bowel activity. This complete liver cleansing kit is a comprehensive approach to cleansing your liver. Take Control of Your Health Receive daily or monthly health news. For the Home ⌄

On this page you can find fact sheets from CDC and EPA on mold cleanup, removal and remediation. Homeowner's and Renter's Guide to Mold Cleanup After Disasters [PDF - 2.99 MB] Guidance from CDC, EPA, FEMA, HUD, and NIH on safe mold clean-up after a natural disaster Get Rid of Mold Advice on how to clean up mold in your home safely English [PDF - 114 KB] Español [PDF - 136 KB]When choosing an apartment, diligent renters pepper landlords and real-estate agents with questions about square footage, amenities and security deposits. However, few renters consider the air quality in potential apartments. Most of us don’t think about the quality of the air we breathe at all — until we begin to suspect that the air in our apartments might be making us sick. As we learn more about how air quality affects common diseases like asthma and with new concerns about “sick building syndrome” in office complexes, more and more people are starting to take air quality seriously.

Poor air quality can be caused by a number of different pollutants. In buildings with poor air filtration, common pollutants from outside industrial sites and automobile congestion can stagnate indoors and contribute to respiratory trouble. Carbon monoxide, which is deadly at high enough concentrations, can be produced when fuel-burning appliances malfunction. Radon, a radioactive gas that sometimes enters homes and apartments from the soil underneath the building, is one of the leading causes of lung cancer. Mold and mildew can contaminate air filtration systems and release spores into the air. Along with pollen and dust mites, molds and mildew are key causes of allergies and asthma. The list goes on and on and can make you feel sick just thinking it. If you suspect a problem with the air quality in your apartment, there’s no shortage of products available in stores and online to help you determine which, if any, pollutants are present in your apartment. Several companies sell at-home testing kits that test for mold, some species of bacteria and fungal spores.

Some companies will send inspectors to your apartment to test for mold, fungi and bacteria. If the general air quality in your apartment is poor, you can also buy self-contained air filtration units that span a wide range as far as price and quality. Of course, these filters, tests and kits can be quite expensive. Unfortunately, you may not be able to rely on your landlord to cover the most of these costs. You’ll have more luck if you can argue that your landlord’s negligence or problems with building maintenance have led to the poor air quality in the apartment. A patch of mold and mildew in your ceiling might have been caused by a leaky pipe, one your landlord should have repaired. The terms of your lease may spell out the landlord’s responsibility for air quality obligations your landlord has to protect for the health of tenants in the building. Your landlord may also be open to installing carbon monoxide monitors, which are quickly becoming almost as common as smoke detectors.

Whether your landlord agrees to cover the cost or not, you should get one of these. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that is can kill you before you’re even aware of its presence. You can find them for less than $20, which is definitely worth the peace of mind. If your building is equipped with central air, your air conditioning system may require its own set of filters that need to be regularly changed, usually at least four times a year. Responsibilities regarding maintaining the HVAC system and its filters are often spelled out in the lease. Many tenants assume that changing the air filter is the responsibility of the landlord, but often the landlord is only responsible for maintaining the air conditioning system itself. Tenants may be expected to change the filters, a fact that landlords don’t always make clear when tenants sign the lease. A dirty air filter not only makes the apartment air dirty, it also makes the HVAC system work harder to cool the apartment, resulting in increased energy bills.

If you don’t have central air but want to improve air quality and circulation, you can purchase a self-contained air filtration unit or air purifier. These are often sold at home supply stores like Bed, Bath & Beyond, or specialty stores such as The Sharper Image. A wide range of apartment air-filtering systems is available, so it makes sense to do your research before you purchase anything. Look for the CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rating) of the unit. The CADR is a standard rating of how well the unit functions, with a higher number indicating a stronger purification power. You can also look for HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filters, which remove over 99 percent of airborne particles over .3 micrometers in size. All of these purchases can make filtering the air in your apartment expensive. If you’re on a tight budget, a well-placed (and clean) window fan can make a big difference and improve your apartment airflow. Letting sunlight and fresh air in through the windows may not seem like a particularly effective remedy, but sunlight can actually help eliminate dust mites — one of the major bad-air culprits in many apartments.