Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Mold Cleanup 101: Say No to Bleach

It's pretty common knowledge that if you're doing mold cleanup around the house that your weapon of choice should be bleach. As is the way with much common knowledge, this factoid is completely false. While using bleach as an antimicrobial is a nice thought, the truth is that bleach doesn't actually kill mold. Not only is mold caustic (it is capable of burning living tissue -- aka. your skin), but when mixed with the right stuff it can actually be toxic. According to HowToCleanThings.com, "you'd do better simply licking the mold away." This website suggests doing minor cleanups with vinegar, which kills mold and disinfects. An even better (and more expensive) option is also tea tree oil.

Something very important to keep in mind, though, is that when you see a little bit of mold in your home, it's likely that there is a lot you can't see. That's where we come in. The most important aspect of mold removal is to remove the water source, something that we're, well, experts at. Mold in your home can jeopardize your health, so step 1: Don't ignore it. Step 2: Don't use bleach. Step 3: Give SERVPRO a call.

Photo Credit: http://i-cdn.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/re-nest/no-bleach.jpg

Sandy Hayden

1 comment:

  1. We know that mold is bad for us. Even kids know that mold (usually from food) is bad for you. But there's more to it than what we see in the 15 day old sandwich you left in your bag. Why does it grow and why is mold cleanup important?

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