What would you do if this happened to you?

This may not have happened to you yet, but please remember me if you ever end up living in a home filled with moisture. I keep my clothes and spaces clean, but one day opened my closet and my eyes couldn’t believe what they were seeing. “Can this really happen?”, I thought, not really sure whether I should laugh, get mad, or cry; then, ended up laughing a lot (it seems it came more from a state of nervousness).

So, this is what happened... My couple’s blue jacket became a Military-styled jacket, and my black one was now full of whitish dots. Something similar happened to a leather purse. Take a look!

    

“Ew! Mildew!” Has it happened to “yew”?

It’s something really strange and puzzling if you’ve never lived in a humid environment. But there was a greater enemy going around: mold. In those days I’d seen some black dots building up in the shower, which led me to do some research.

Getting to know the tougher enemy: mold

Mold can look and smell pretty bad, but that’s nothing compared to the way it can attack. Its effects on your health can be tremendous.

How it attacks

Mold loves moist conditions. Under these, a huge army can grow and strengthen extremely quickly. It’ll find its way around so it can move inside your body while you breathe, eat or simply through your skin. Then, it will make its way to your respiratory system!  

That’s when the alarm turns on. You’ll begin to experience symptoms like an itchy nose and sneezing, among others. As Dr. Josh Axe explains, if the army is numerous, it may lead to:

• Headaches
• Chronic fatigue
• Fever
• Eye irritation
• Sneezing
• Rashes
• Mucous membrane
• Chronic coughing
• Depression
• Brain Fog

How to win the battle?  

And while there are ways to clean it, how do you prevent mold from showing up again?  

Imagine that your home is like a body. You can “cure” it by cleaning it or adding some “medicines”, but if the conditions remain the same there’s a high chance it will be invaded once again. The enemy’s troop will be constantly preparing and getting ready to battle unless it’s weakened.

The winner strategy

Although mold spores will always be in the air, you can stop it from attacking. Just follow these 6 steps:

1. Clean up the battlefield: You need to get rid of the current invaders first. Probably you’ll have to call a professional cleaner for mold that gets out of hand. And if it’s not so bad yet and you’re going to do it yourself, always remember to use battle equipment to stay protected (cover your mouth, arms, legs, and hands). But make sure you do this yourself only when it covers a small area that’s easy to clean, and if you’re not allergic. (Learn: How to Clean Mold with Vinegar and Baking Soda)

2. Build a wall: You can set up a barrier. Surfaces prone to mold growth can be covered with waterproof sealers designed specially to prevent it from growing on them. However, mold spores will still be around, so while these barriers can stop them from reaching some "terrains", they can still reach others (for example, fabric). 

3. Settle in a cooler place: Did you know in some sports players prefer to play in warmer climates, because that’s where they can play their best? Like them, mold armies get stronger with a higher temperature. So make sure to lower it down with an AC to make them weak.

4. Spot any leaks: Make sure to eliminate any water leaks in your home. They hide really well and will help the enemy without you noticing. Make an inspection of your whole space. You’ll find them where you least expect!

5. Eliminate food supplies: A good way to prevent them from entering your terrain is by eliminating their favorite foods. Like us, they also prefer to eat some things than eating others. In an article written by Richard Driscoll, a mechanical engineer from Clarkson College of Technology, it’s mentioned that mold grows up on some surfaces, while not in others. Some of these are wood, paper, and even some kinds of adhesives and paints. If you’re thinking about home remodeling, maybe you can think about changing the wooden floors.

6. Eliminate hydration supplies: With no moisture around, mold spores will be too weak to attack. This is the most important step of all if you really want to win the battle. You can reduce the amount of moisture in your home in many ways, and the best one is to begin using a dehumidifier. You can set it up so that the relative humidity in your home makes mold colonies forget about launching another attack.

To learn more, you can also read about 9 Ways to Fight Humidity and 10 Reasons why Humidity May be Affecting your Quality of Life.

Let's win the battle!

TOSOT Dehumidifier Review

"Did such a great job that I was emptying every few hours the first day before I attached the hose and turned the pump on so it would drain automatically. Brought a 3500 square feet house down from 68% to 45% in a couple days and started cycling on and off from there. Has effectively maintained humidity level since and I am no longer seeing mold or mildew in corners of home from the high summer humidity as I was before purchasing."  Ben, Dehumidifier with Pump customer 

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Use information at your own risk:  The information presented is intended for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard professional medical or home improvement advice. The information and suggestions should be discussed with a professional.  You are responsible for independently verifying the information if you intend to rely upon or use it in any way. You use all information at your own risk.