How to get rid of mold on walls?

Modern building techniques improved the airtightness of new houses. The high energy cost causes us to save as much energy as we can. These two factors make mold growth a problem because of poor ventilation in these high-risk rooms.

I witnessed friends failing to switch on the extractor fans while showering and cooking to save energy. You can see the condensation on the wall. Not a great idea if you want to get rid of mold growth.  

Here is how to get rid of mold on walls. You can get rid of mold on walls by cleaning all walled areas with borax, vinegar, bleach, or hydrogen peroxide, along with baking soda, tea tree oil, and water. If you have severe mold infestation on your walls, it may be time to call in the pros.

The best way to get rid of mold is not to encounter it first. The first thing you have to worry about is what causes mold. It is only possible to develop an effective plan to prevent it from appearing on your walls. Some of the problem areas for mold growth are moisture sources.

Can you recognize the signs of mold growth?

You got the know the signs of mold growth to keep your family safe. The most obvious sign of mold growth is the appearance of spots on the wall in areas that get wet frequently.

The bathroom, kitchen, and attic are high-risk areas. You can read the article on how to get rid of mold on bathroom sealants. You may want to get rid of those ceiling molds.

The most obvious sign of a mold problem is finding brown, green, orange, or even black spots on your walls. Discoloration, peeling paint, or cracked paint on the walls followed by a musty or damp smell are more noticeable.

Let us do a quick refresher on what causes mold to grow. Molds thrive in dark, stuffy, and damp areas of the home where there is organic matter to feast on and warmth to grow and spread.

Mold can grow for months, even years behind or underneath a surface without noticing. That is why it is essential to spring clean your home in spring so that these vulnerable areas can be identified and assessed. 

You have to look out for weak areas like leaking or sweaty pipes and around not adequately insulated windows.

Mold may also grow inside your walls.

Applying bleach may only kill the surface mold but leave their roots behind inside the porous surface of the walls.

The remaining roots may continue to grow and spread inside the wall, leading to problems in the future if not adequately dealt with. 

Removing mold from inside the wall is challenging because you may have to remove and discard any material exposed to mold.  

Properly clean structural timber. It is best to apply antifungal cleaners to the affected area and encapsulate the wood if necessary to isolate structural wood to prevent future mold growth.

How to test for mold in walls

It is easy to detect mold by using your sight and sense of smell. You may notice dark spots and moisture on the wall. 

If you cannot see anything, but there is a musty smell in your kitchen, attic, or bathroom, your home may be suffering from a mold infestation.

If you want to be confident it is mold, the best way to test for mold is to use a mold test kit. Since mold loves damp, humid areas of your home, we have to look in those areas first.

You can test for mold in three easy steps

Step 1: Inspect damp and humid areas.

As said before, mold loves damp, moist areas of your home. Therefore, you must be vigilant and look out for leaky pipes. Use your sense of smell to detect any musty smells.

Step 2: Collect the mold samples

The only way to be 100% certain there is mold in your home is to use a mold kit. Follow the instructions on the package precisely. 

Testing can take a few days to determine if you have mold spores, so be patient.

Step 3: Send the mold test samples for lab testing

The lab will run their test to determine the type of mold present in your home. If it is a dangerous type of mold you may have to call the mold removal professionals in.

 How to get rid of mold on walls? Quick answer

You have choices in how to get rid of mold. You can get rid of mold using natural mold removal techniques. If you are interested in those techniques, read the article on how to get rid of mold naturally.

Alternatively, you can buy and use a commercial grade mold removing solution like wet and forget to get rid of mold. 

In addition, you can call in the professional that may use their professional equipment and high strength solutions to get rid of the mold problem for you.

Furthermore, some people swear on the power of the ozone generator to get rid of mold. Ozone (O3) is three oxygen atoms bonded together.

The oxygen we breathe daily is O2; the extra oxygen molecule is unstable and detaches quickly and then bonds itself to organic molecules of bacteria, molds, and viruses oxidizing them on the spot and ultimately killing them. 

You can try the inline Ozone generator if you want to give it a go.

Mold will not treat itself; therefore, you have to take action to get rid of mold. Use some of the options given in the article to rid yourself of mold growing in your home.

Thanks for visiting diyhomeguru for the best information relating to your home. Try and get rid of mold naturally first. If that does not work, call the professional mold removal experts. 

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About the Author: Doug Smith

Doug has been working around the house fixing stuff for years with a smile on his face. Let's just say he is an avid DIYer. Recently, he has decided to share some of the lessons learnt and knowledge gained from fixing things online. Hope you like what he has to say.