black mold

The continuous existence of toxic black mold in the home is extremely dangerous to humans. Black mold produces toxin called mycotoxins. If you are exposed to black mold for a longer period, you may notice:

• Some skin disorders
• respiratory problems
• Allergies or asthma
• Rheumatic diseases
• Damage to internal organs
• nausea
• mental impairment
• headaches
• eye irritation
• fever and rashes
• sneezing

This kind of mold can cause severe health problems, and in extreme cases, it may lead to death.

Nobody can guarantee that the mold in the house is a black mold. All molds look similar and smell similar.Testing is costly, but it is the necessary first step to determine what kind of mold is there at your home. It is also crucial to understand what the black mold is, how to prevent its appearance and growth and how to remove it.

How to recognize black mold?

It is a microscopic living organism.  As a result of increased moisture in the house for an extended period,  it can grow on many indoor materials which are high in cellulose and low in nitrogen. Indoor materials which are high in cellulose and low in nitrogen are:

• gypsum board
• fiberboard
• lint
• paper
• cotton
• dust
• cardboard
• wicker

Black mold tends to be dark black, but it can be grayish black, or greenish. Earthy smells which are exceptionally strong is a sign of black mold presence.

How to prevent black mold appearance and its growth

The first step of prevention is reducing the moisture in the home.Indoor plants, showering, bathing, cooking, washing and drying clothes in the house increase humidity. Additional moisture we create ourselves – with breathing and sweating. The average family of four all over a day can “produce” approximately 10 liters of water! Here are some ways to reduce the humidity in the house:

• Do not dry your clothes at homeClose the door from the kitchen and bathroom
• Minimize the number of indoor plants
• The temperature in all rooms to be around 20 degrees Celsius
• The humidity in the air should be around 45%
• Add some fresh air to your home on a regular basis. Condensation on windows is a sign that you have to aerate(ventilate). You have to open the windows for 5 minutes, 3-4 times a day. This short period is quite sufficient to change the air and will not cool the room.
• If any area in the house has become wet, you must clean it up and dry it as soon as possible to prevent mold appearing.

How to remove black mold

If you have black mold in your home despite all, don’t try to remove it on your own because massive amounts of spores and mycotoxins can be released through your home. The best way is to arrange a professional mold removal service and to move to other accommodation until the black mold has been removed entirely.After that, you should arrange the another mold removal service to confirm that all spores of the mold were removed.If you don’t have enough money to arrange professional mold service according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention you can clean the mold using bleach or soap and water. In this case:

1. Seal the room affected by a black mold with plastic sheets to prevent spreading mold spores.
2. Never mix bleach with other household cleaners. This combination can produce dangerous toxic fumes.
3. Wear protective equipment: Use clothes that can completely cover you, gloves, respirator mask and eye protection.
4. Open the window and run a fan to blow out a window.

The other methods for black mold removing 

1. Sprinkle the part of the wall with black mold with baking soda and then rub it with vinegar. This mix will create a reaction, and the black mold will be destroyed.

2 Mix two teaspoons of tea tree oil and 500 ml of water. Put this potion in a bottle with a sprayer. Apply to the section with black mold and allow it to stand there for one hour.First, clean the mold with a brush and after that with a sponge or cloth and finally with a towel. Do not rinse the wall. Only wipe it with a dry towel. Tea tree will prevent the growth of black mold.If you cannot find tea tree oil, then you can do this procedure with vinegar

3.  You can get rid of black mold with the following ingredients too.

900 grams of borax
400 grams of boric acid
1.4 liters of vinegar

The ingredients are dissolved in 10 liters of water. Heat the solution at 50-70 degrees Celsius and then sprinkle it on the affected area

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