Moulds are living organisms and reproduce by releasing spores into the atmosphere, similar to mushrooms and other fungi. The spores from certain types of mould can cause asthma, bronchitis and recurrent colds and 'flus in some people.
How does mould grow?
Moulds require moisture, a food source (such as paper, paint, clothing etc) and still air. Seventy percent of mould problems are due to condensation coming from wet areas like bathrooms and laundry, while thirty percent comes from rising damp.
What is rising damp?
Rising damp may be evident in winter, but is not always detectable in summer. Even minor signs of damp may indicate a far more serious underlying problem and you should consult a damp control company when in doubt. Rising damp occurs at the bases of walls. Water accumulating there has a tendency to "wick up" through the capillaries that are present in the walls, be they brick, block or most stone; and through the mortar in which they are laid. Damp-proof courses are there to block this upward movement of moisture but are sometimes ineffective.
Rising damp can cause increased room humidity, thus encouraging vermin infestation such as cockroaches, silverfish and dust mites, as well as toxic mould growth - all serious asthma allergens.
How you can eradicate mould and rising damp
Mould growth inside your home should always be considered potentially harmful and should be eradicated. You can eradicate mould by cleaning it with white vinegar (which should kill the current infestation), fixing any sources of moisture such as condensation, rising damp, leaking pipes, and the like, and by improving ventilation.To cure rising damp, your damp control company or building inspector will advise the most appropriate solution. Common cures include replacing or repairing the damp-proof course, repairing leaking plumbling or improving sub-floor ventilation.
I have tried Household mould sprays, white vinegar, soapy water, nothing seems to help, we run dehumidifers during winter but still we get mould, its not a rising mould it's just mould its on the wall, the celing, window sills and only in certain rooms of the house, really don't know what to do other than to look at a ventilation system which is going to cost a lot. :(
One of the wisest ways to know about the tips for mould removal is to browse over the internet for the techniques and services.
The most effective way to rid your walls and ceilings of mould is to visit a nursery or good hardware store and ask for Copper Suphate [ Bluestone ]. This is a specialist fungicide for plants but when mixed with water into a paste, painted onto the wall or ceiling [ after cleaning with something like Simple Green concentrate diluted to 20 parts water to one part concentrate ]. Leave the fungicide paste on the walls for up to a week, dust off, wipe over with a damp cloth [ rinsed regularly ] then paint the surface with an oil based undercoat and finish coat. The mould will never re appear. Mould problems may also be reduced by using a good damp absorber such as Midge, available from hardware stores.
4years ago total revamp new walls new ceiling 2 years ago removed all gardens and trees from around the house and the mould is back worse than ever what to do next, the ceiling is dry under the floor is dry and the damage is on internal walls help????
why useanything other than white vinegar as advised in the article - doesn't it work?
I've tried vhite vinegar and it didn't work for me. :(
yes white vinegar works, had a mould problem i was treating with bleach, house was over run with it and it would be back in a few weeks, watched this show and started using white vinegar, which actually kills it, now no mould.
you can buy mould killer from your local hardware just clean first then paint it on
yes Bleach only bleaches, does not really remove. Try Enjo for a chemical free way to rid the mould.
I have been using Enjo but after using marble paste in my shower it has bleached the dark red floor tiles of my shower, what do you have to say about that?
I'm killing the mould with bleach and I have to do it only once, since many years I don't have mould
bleach does not work as stated by the scientists on this show. it only discolours 'bleaches' the mould so u can't see it. white vinegar actually kills it.
I have been told that bleach does not get rid of the mould it only masks it.....is this a fact?.