Mold and mildew are not friends to old houses. Whether they show up indoors or out, they need to be eradicated wherever they show up. Determining the difference between mold and mildew is not exactly the easiest task. The good news is that the treatment of both mold and mildew is very much the same, so a diagnosis isn’t always necessary. That being said, learning to discern between a dirty surface and a moldy surface is important. In this post, I’ll show you how to figure out what you’re dealing with, how to kill it, and how to make sure it doesn’t come back again. Won’t that be nice? Read on for the details! Mold vs. MildewWhile the names are used almost interchangeably these are two slightly different things. Mold and mildew are both fungi but they present in different ways and create different issues. MoldMold is a fun-guy! No seriously, it’s a form of fungus that can grow about anywhere it finds the right conditions. What are the right conditions?
It needs all four of these conditions to exist before it will grow. Mold spreads by microscopic spores that are floating almost everywhere. They hitch a ride on our clothes and other materials and settle on some flat surface where they wait for the perfect combination of the right conditions listed above. Mold is useful in nature because it breaks down old trees and other material, but not so valuable in our houses because it can make us sick and cause structural damage. Mold appears in a multitude of colors like black, brown, rust, mustard, green, and many more since there are thousands of different kinds of mold. It usually presents itself like a blotchy appearance on surfaces and gradually fills in to cover the entire surface if left unchecked. Mold is a danger and should be resolved immediately if discovered. MildewMildew is basically a type of early stage mold that grows flat on surfaces where there is excess moisture. Mildew appears most often on surfaces like shower walls or window sills where there are high moisture concentrations. It has a dusty or light grey appearance at first but can turn darker if it has time to mature. Just like mold it needs warmth, moisture, oxygen, and a food source to grow. Mildew creates a musty smell just like mold, but it poses very little health risk to humans and very little risk of damage to the surface it is growing on. To me mildew is a more of a cosmetic issue and an inconvenience rather than a problem. How To: Get Rid of Mold & MildewSo, how do you get rid of mold and mildew if you discover it? The treatment for mold and mildew is very much the same except in extreme cases. If you have large areas of toxic mold then it’s best to have a professional handle the clean up. For small areas and preventative purposes follow the instruction I outline below. For just about any mold and mildew problem there are a multitude of cleaners on the market. One of my favorites is Jomax Mold and Mildew Killer. You simply dilute with water, spray or brush it on the surface needing treatment, wait a few minutes until the mildew disappears, and then rinse the surface with clean water. You can go with Jomax or any of the myriad other cleaners or you can go the old-fashioned way which works just as well. Mix your own mold and mildew killer by mixing 3 parts water to 1 part bleach. For really tough areas try the more concentrated mixture of 1 part water to 1 part bleach. Keep in mind that whatever cleaner you use it likely already has some kind of bleach or bleach alternative in it so rugs and other materials can be damaged if they get the chemicals on them. Some areas may be more problematic than others and may require treatment a couple times before the problem is resolved so you’ll have to judge for yourself if one treatment did the job. Another option for larger infestations is to spay the cleaner on the surface and scrub the surface with a firm bristle brush or scrubbing pad and then rinse the surface. No one can avoid mold spores but if you keep your house cleaned regularly inside and out it will definitely aid in preventing mold and mildew growth in the future. The post How To: Get Rid of Mold and Mildew appeared first on The Craftsman Blog. from https://thecraftsmanblog.com/how-to-get-rid-of-mold-and-mildew/
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