Basements are dark and damp places where people rarely have the time to visit or even clean. If you are one of those homeowners who have neglected their basements for a long time, you might be surprised to see how much filth has grown in your basement. Worse, you might even be terrified of the muck, dirt and mold that has taken up residence in your basement.
Water has the natural tendency to flow towards the lowest area of your home and since basements are typically located below ground level, their position makes them the first area to get flooded by rainwater. As a result, basements are typically more moist than the other levels of your home. This moisture coupled with humidity then gets trapped inside the room thus making the environment suitable for fungi. Mold in basement is a common problem, but do not underestimate it as it can spiral out of control if you don’t treat the mold issue immediately.
Inspection
The first step to any mold problem is an inspection. Examine your basement thoroughly. Check the walls and corners and locate all the affected areas or objects. If you can, it is best if you can identify the type of mold pestering your home. This way, you’ll know whether you are dealing with a common harmless fungus or if you should raise the situation to mold professionals. One of the advantages of asking assistance from licensed mold removal companies is that they are able to detect mold hidden from plain sight. Moreover, if you’ve realized that you are already facing a toxic black mold problem in your home, the best course of action is to immediately call for help from professionals such as black mold Lynchburg. Some cases are just not a DIY project so it’s best to leave that to experts.
Testing
Mold test kits that you can easily purchase at Lowe’s are only reliable for testing small areas, but they’re not accurate indicators of your home’s indoor air quality. More advanced cases would need a surface and an air sampling from licensed mold specialists.
Treatment
Once you have identified all problem areas including what species of mold you’re dealing with, it’s time to start cleaning and disposing all items that are contaminated with mold. Treating the mold problem not only includes cleaning off the surface, but also doing the necessary repairs to prevent mold growth again.
In serious cases of mold infestation, a mold removal company is called in to professionally exterminate the fungi but for relatively manageable situations, you can use these common household products to kill off that mold in your basement.
Vinegar
The white distilled vinegar is a popular natural home remedy that has acidic antibacterial properties that is perfect for killing off small amounts of mold. To use vinegar, simply pour it into a spray bottle and directly apply it to the mold-stained areas. Leave it on for a few hours before scrubbing it off the surface. If the smell of the vinegar is too strong for you, you can add in a few drops of essential oil to neutralize the scent.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is a mild and natural disinfectant that is normally used alongside vinegar. You can either dissolve it with water or mix it with vinegar and water solution. Spray it onto the moldy surface and leave it for a few hours before scraping it off.
Baking soda is also great at absorbing moisture in the air and in effect, it’s good at eliminating that musty smell too. So if in any case, there is still a musty odor in your basement even after you have removed the mold, try leaving a dish of baking soda inside the room.
Tea Tree Oil
Tea Tree Oil is a natural mold killer that is known to naturally annihilate black mold. Just combine 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil with 1 cup of water and carefully pour it into a spray bottle and directly apply to the contaminated areas but do not rinse it! And don’t worry because the strong scent of the tea tree oil will dissipate after a few days.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen Peroxide is non-toxic hence, a safer cleaning agent that is used to remove mold. Like the rest of the products mentioned previously, a spray bottle would be useful to maximize the coverage of your solution onto the mold-infected areas.
Mix 3% of concentrated hydrogen peroxide with 2 parts water and pour it into a spray bottle. Let the solution sit on the affected area for 10 minutes and then scrub it with a brush or wipe it off with a damp cloth.
No matter what natural home remedy you choose to use for removing mold in your home or your basement, don’t forget to wear protective gears to keep yourself safe not only from fungi, but also from hazardous chemicals should you decide to use them.
