Numerous types of mold can grow and thrive in your home. They can appear as black, gray, brown, orange, greenish, yellow, white, orange, or even a combination of colors. However, you can not recognize the kind by its color but by the spores’ structure and attributes.
What Are White Molds?
White molds are microscopic fungi that frequently appear white, green, or gray at the start of development. While other molds change colors over time, some remain white throughout their lifecycle because of the material type they’re feeding on. After colonies form, white molds look like spots on a surface.
At first glance, they can look flaky, grainy, filmy, or stringy. Sometimes, they also look like mildew, which is a kind of mold or fungi. But white molds are more harmful because they don’t only grow on surfaces but also deep within organic materials.
Where Do White Molds Grow at Home?
You can practically find white molds anywhere in your house with these three requirements: food source, moisture, and temperature between 2 and 40 degrees Celsius. The most usual places in the house that meet these conditions include:
- Basement
- Attics
- Carpets
- Crawl spaces
- Wood
- Plants and Plant soil
- Walls/drywalls
- Concrete
- Furniture
- Cabinets
- Bathroom
- Garage
- Metal
- Tiles
- Floorboards
How to Get Rid of White Molds in Your Home
1. Wear protective gloves, eyewear, and a respirator for protection.
2. Evaluate the area. Test the substance if it’s white mold by spraying water in a spray bottle. If it doesn’t dissolve, it’s most likely white mold. If it dissolves, it’s probably another substance, like efflorescence.
3. Turn off the HVAC system if you suspect signs of contamination. Inspect for white molds near the intake for your ventilation, heating, or air conditioning system. Check if there’s a musty smell or visible white mold growth inside the air ducts.
If you can’t find these signs but some members of your family experience illness or allergies, it’s still best to clean the air ducts. Make sure to clean the air ducts first before trying to run your HVAC system.
4. Decide what to clean and what to discard. Some absorbent materials with visible white molds, such as ceiling tiles and carpets, should be thrown away. You may want to replace them since they’re almost impossible to clean. If your items are expensive, have sentimental value, or you’re not sure how to clean them, consider consulting water damage restoration specialists.
On the other hand, the EPA suggests that hard surfaces can usually be cleaned with soapy water. If white mold is in your grill or smoker, follow the cleaning instructions that came with the product. Click here to know more about professional mold removal.
5. Clean white molds with effective solutions. If you can, ventilate the area if you use bleach or other chemical agents by opening the windows and doors. In addition, wear safety goggles and gloves if you’re using a stronger disinfectant.
Apply your desired solution to the moldy area with a sponge and spray bottle. Allow the cleaning agent to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then scrub the area using a scrub brush or an old toothbrush. Wipe it down with an old cloth or paper towel to remove the residual mold.
You may try these solutions:
- Mild detergent solution (mixture of detergent and water)
- Borax and water solution
- Baking soda and water solution
- 3% hydrogen peroxide
- Undiluted, distilled white vinegar
Professional Mold Removal
The appearance of white mold is changing, and they can grow in high moisture areas, similar to black molds. Unless you are trained and experienced, it may be hard to recognize white molds quickly. Besides, determining it is just a part of the problem.
Other issues include finding out the origin of white molds and effectively cleaning up the contamination. Due to this, it’s always best to leave it to the professionals like PuroClean. Visit them here to learn more about mold removal and other helpful information.
