Spring mold patrol. Even the most frequently cleaned, newest and best-built homes can become mold breeding grounds, especially during damp weather. And after a flood, toilet leak or even the smallest bathtub spill, mold and mildew can take hold within 48 hours, virtually anyplace inside or outside a home. Below are some mold- cleaning tips from Moldex (moldexbrands.com):
Clean any suspect surface including rugs, tiles, counters, walls with a nonbleach mildewstat and fungicide to kill microorganisms, mold and mildew. Use regularly as part of a normal household cleaning routine.
Get the air flowing. Mold thrives in stagnant areas. Open up doors, windows, closets and cabinets to allow air to circulate.
Keep it cool. Since mold loves warm, moist locations, keep your home as cool and dry as possible during cleaning. Consider turning on an air conditioner or setting up fans while monitoring humidity levels.
Check nooks and crannies. Mold growth may occur underneath water-damaged surfaces or behind walls, floors and ceilings.
Know where to look. Visible signs of mold growth may include discolored patches and cottony or speckled growth on walls or furniture. But mold isn’t always visible. If you recently experienced flooding or if you smell an earthy or musty odor, mold could be hiding almost anywhere. Consider calling in an environmental consultant or other professional.
-Dr. Mold
New Moldex Brands™ Website Sets Record Straight About Bleach
and Effective Mold Cleaning and Protection
WILMINGTON, MA – Using bleach or popular bleach-based sprays on a springtime mold problem is like weeding with a lawnmower: a temporary, cosmetic fix with zero lasting impact. The simple fact: bleach does not kill mold’s roots, so spraying bleach on household mold is like inviting it to come again, real soon.
Moldex Brands™, whose only business is engineering products that disinfect, clean and prevent household mold and mildew, is out to set the record straight through www.bleachdoesntkillmold.com. The site exposes common misconceptions about bleach and mold, and explains how non-bleach Moldex® Disinfectant and Moldex® Protectant form a one-two, clean-and-seal, trigger-spray punch. Moldex Disinfectant cleans, disinfects and deodorizes surfaces by killing odor-causing microorganisms while Moldex Protectant forms an invisible, mold resistant barrier against mold-spawning moisture. The antimicrobial products, formulated with proprietary technology for superior performance can be used in the likeliest places mold can crop up — bathrooms, kitchens, basements, exterior surfaces and more.
While spring’s damper weather nurtures mold growth, mold can happen most anywhere. Even typically dry, hot states like Arizona are breeding grounds for mold in wall cavities, where condensation from non-stop air conditioner use comes in contact with warmer surfaces closer to the home’s exterior.
“Come spring and the start of damper weather, people who take exceptional care of their homes simply shouldn’t have to accept that ‘mold just comes back’ every week or so,” says Bryan Redler, CEO of EnviroCare Corp., owner of Moldex Brands.
“Our message is simple: bleach is effective for many household cleaning jobs, but not for mold,” Redler says. When you get the facts, you quickly understand why our products, designed expressly to fight mold, simply work better at both eliminating and preventing mold and mildew at home.”
Spotting, Treating and Preventing Springtime Household Mold
It doesn’t take a 100-year flood for mold to take hold. While mold is found all throughout nature, it easily grows indoors wherever there is moisture and a food source. And when it comes to food choices, mold isn’t exactly picky; damp drywall, wood and cardboard will all do just fine.
Indoor mold explains why sometimes even the cleanest homes aren’t springtime safe-havens against itchy, watery eyes and headaches for seasonal allergy sufferers, and against potentially severe breathing problems for asthmatics. Of the more than 100,000 types of mold, common household strains include Alternaria (often found in showers), Cladosporium (the most common outdoor fungus) and Stachybotrys (a particularly toxic black mold).
Before and during a rainy spring, homeowners need to find and seal potential entry points for moisture into the home, including seams in and around windows, roof, and basement areas. If in doubt about how and where to look, consider calling in a local mold remediation expert, then follow up a preventive, moisture barrier-forming spray like Moldex Protectant.
If and when moisture does get into your home, immediately identify the moisture source. Dry and clean the area within 24 hours using both Moldex Disinfectant and Moldex Protectant.
For a full guide to household mold, including information on severe flooding and mold, visit www.moldexbrands.com.
About Moldex Brands
Moldex Brands products come in convenient, conventional 32-ounce trigger spray bottles as well as in concentrate form and garden hose-end sprayers for exterior use. They are safe for everyday use, indoor and outdoor, worry-free from the potential skin irritation, fabric discoloration and harmful gas emissions of bleach. Moldex Disinfectant and Moldex Protectant are the household versions of EnviroCare Corp.-pioneered, professional grade mold and mildew products home builders have trusted for years.
The complete Moldex Brands line, including deep stain removers, deck care products, and mold and mildew-proof paints are available at top retailers including Home Depot, Ace Hardware, True Value and Do It Best stores.
Moldex Brands is owned by Wilmington, MA-based EnviroCare Corporation.
-Dr. Mold
