Mold can appear just about anywhere at any time and can often feel like a losing battle. Prevention is better than cure, which is why we will share these ten easy to follow tips on how to prevent mold from forming in your home.
Topics Covered
- Locating and fixing leaky pipes
- Clearing out indoor trash
- Regulate indoor humidity
- Making use of air purifiers
- Dry spills
- Keep an eye on indoor plants
- Regular vacuuming and dusting
- Leaving wet clothes lying around
- Cleaning refrigerator drip tray’s
- Direct water away from your home
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Inspect your home for water leaks regularly
Regular leak inspections are vital because leaking pipes under the kitchen sink, in the attic, basement, and behind drywall to flood damage are the primary causes of mold formation.
When flooding has occurred, water needs to be removed as soon as possible, and all affected surfaces dried. Additionally, any leaking pipes ought to be fixed too. For areas out of sight like behind drywall, a moisture meter will come in extremely handy to check moisture levels.
Do not let trash accumulate
Leftover foods and liquids left inside your kitchen dustbin can start forming mold in as little as 24 hours. Not only does this create an unbearable stench, but spores also get released into the air, which can trigger allergies and settle in other parts of your home. Therefore, it’s strongly recommended to not leave trash in indoor dustbins for longer than a day.
Control indoor humidity
High indoor humidity creates the perfect environment for mold growth, which is why it’s most common during the spring and summer months. Lowering indoor humidity levels by investing in a high-quality dehumidifier is an extremely effective way to prevent pesky indoor mold from forming. You can purchase a dehumidifier that can cover your entire house, which is ideal for those who live in humid areas. However, if you are experiencing humidity problems in certain parts of your home, then a smaller portable and much more affordable humidifier will be sufficient.
Dry spills
Spilling liquids onto carpets happens from time to time, but all too often, we leave it to dry on its own – especially if not much was spilled. Stopping this habit is essential in preventing mold in the home. The best thing to do in the event of spillage, no matter how minor, is to sprinkle some baking soda over the wet spot and to leave it for an hour before vacuuming the powder up.
Use HEPA filtered air purifiers
HEPA filtered air purifiers remove up to 99.98% of all impurities such as pollen and dust from the air we breathe. These HEPA air purifiers capture and remove not only odors but mold spores too, thereby alleviating allergy symptoms within sensitive people. Additionally, the fewer spores in your home, the less likely it is that you will have mold.
Keep an eye on indoor plants
Not many people know this, but whenever you water the soil around plants, you are creating the ideal breeding ground for mold. Mold growing on plants and its surrounding soil is very common, and indoor plants are not immune to this at all. Removing plants from the indoor environment could be a solution, but some of these plants play a vital role in keeping indoor air clean – much like an organic air purifier. Luckily there is an easy solution – taheebo tea. This tea is renowned for its many incredible health benefits, and adding a bit to the water you give your plants will help prevent mold growth.
Vacuum and dust regularly
Mold spores are just about everywhere, both indoors and outside. If the conditions in your home (humidity or a water source) is right then, it won’t be long before those spores develop into mold. A HEPA air purifier will work wonders with eliminating airborne spores, but the ones that have settled down onto surfaces will be a problem. Therefore, vacuuming your entire home every week is vital. A regular vacuum cleaner won’t be nearly as effective as a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner will.
Don’t leave wet clothes lying around
If you leave wet clothes in the washing machine or in a pile for long enough, the chances of mold forming are pretty much guaranteed. Not only does this ruin the fabric and trigger allergies, but it also causes uncomfortable skin rashes when wearing. Always be sure to hang wet clothes outside in the sun or immediately put them in a dryer.
Clean refrigerator drip tray’s regularly
Regularly cleaning and emptying the drip tray beneath the refrigerator is often overlooked but essential because it contains stagnant water. The tray itself attracts dust and various kinds of bacteria over time, and the standing water creates the ideal conditions for mold. Learn more about refrigerator mold here.
Direct water away from your home
Preventing mold in the basement can be tricky. Running a dehumidifier down there does wonders, and another preventative measure is by keeping the soil surrounding the basement as dry as possible. This can be done by sloping the soil away from your home so that water can’t collect and seep into the basement foundation.
Helpful products
In addition to the information above, we have listed some highly-effective products that will greatly help at preventing mold from growing in your home or office.
