Mould Remediation Guide

So you’ve found a mould outbreak in your home. You may not be sure whether it’s black mould, mildew or some other type of mould, but you know that you need to get rid of it. If it is a small spot where mould has formed, you might be able to clean it yourself, but it will need to be done properly to ensure your safety and that the problem doesn’t come back or show up in other places. For the smaller mould remediation jobs, consider this your guide to mould removal so you can deal with small problems before they become to big to handle. If your mould problem has gotten out of hand, then you’re best option is to leave it to the experts, like First Response to do mould cleaning for you.

To keep mould spores from moving elsewhere in the home and making the problem worse, keep these precautions in mind before starting to clean the mould infestation:

• Wear old clothing that you can wash or throw away once you’re done.
• Always wear gloves, safety goggles, and an N95 respirator.
• Set up an old box fan in a nearby window and be sure to seal any openings to keep mould spores from blowing back in.
• If you are removing mouldy carpeting, be sure to wrap and tape it with plastic sheeting.
• Double bag any mouldy materials in heavy duty garbage bags.
• Seal off all doorways and vents with plastic sheeting, and shut off your furnace and air conditioner to keep mould spores from spreading.
• Keep the vacuum outside of the room when you are using it.

To keep mould spores from spreading to other areas of the room or home, you will need to seal off all of the areas where airborne mould spores can spread. Make sure your air conditioning and furnace are turned off, then seal the vents and doors in the room with plastic sheeting and painter’s tape. It is imperative to make sure this is done carefully and that the seals are air tight so that the only way mould spores can escape is through the fan and out of the house.

Once you’ve discovered all of the mouldy materials that need to be removed, it’s time to get rid of them. Start by cutting out all of the mouldy drywall and placing it in a double bagged heavy duty garbage bag. Once all of the mouldy insulation has been exposed, spray it with the pump sprayer, and then pull it out and place it in the garbage bag as well. Be careful when placing objects in the garbage bag to avoid poking holes in it that mould spores can escape from. When a garbage bag is full, roll up the opening and seal it with duct tape. Make sure the seal is air tight.

After you’ve cleaned up all of the debris, use your scrub brush with a solution of one liter of water and a half cup of bleach to scrub away any mould spots from the floor, wall and wood framing surfaces where it appears. Keep scrubbing until the signs of mould begin to disappear from the surface. Once that happens, do not rinse the surfaces. The bleach solution should be left on the surfaces to penetrate deeper and kill any mould that is below the surface. If you have decided to keep your trim and cleaned it with the solution instead, set it in direct sunlight to dry.

For mould that is growing on hard surfaces, such as concrete, bathroom tiling or tile grout, the process for mould removal is much more simple. Mix a solution of one liter of water, a half cup of bleach, and a little bit of detergent and scrub the mouldy area with a soft bristle scrub brush. The bleach will kill the mould and keep it from spreading, while the detergent will help to lift any dark spots off of the surface. You should still protect yourself by wearing old clothing with long sleeves and pants, and use rubber gloves, and safety goggles. If the mould spots don’t come off on the first try, apply the cleaning solution again and let it sit for a couple of minutes, and then scrub again. Once the area has dried, apply a grout sealer to keep moisture penetration to a minimum in the future and keep mould from growing back.