Mold and mildew: Prevention is better than cure

Preventing mold and mildew is an often overlooked issue, but one that homeowners should ensure that they invest some time and money into dealing with. More than being offensive to the eye, and causing discoloration of the walls and other surfaces, mold and mildew have been proven to cause health problems such as respiratory disorders including pneumonia, asthma and bronchitis. Mold develops as a result of excess water building up and becoming trapped in surfaces, whether this is caused by a sudden overflow of water or because of a gradual buildup makes no real difference in terms of the effects.

Preventing mold and mildew is a far easier option to deal with than actually dealing with it as it steadily develops, the longer it remains untreated for, then the more damage that is caused to the surfaces which are infected. Carpeting is especially tricky to deal with in the event of mold and mildew building up, you may have to rip up and replace the affected carpeting from scratch which is not a particularly cost effective option and can cause additional problems. With the affected surfaces left well alone, this means that the spores are dormant and not causing any harm, however when disturbed, they will move through the air and then settle onto any nearby surfaces. If you have an air conditioning unit then the spores will find their way into your air conditioning unit and this is a dangerous combination as the spores will then circulate through the whole of your home.

Preventing mold and mildew is a much safer and cheaper option than having to deal with the final effects and one of the best ways of dealing with mold and mildew effectively and without too much lasting harm is by using a natural cleaning product. Try to stay away from industrial cleaning agents which contain harsh chemicals, these chemicals will not only cause damage to your carpets fibres, but the delicate mucous membranes inside your nose, mouth and lungs.

Another major disadvantage of using bleach is that bleach although temporarily removing many of the spores will not actually kill them at the source. What this means in the long run then is that the spores simply grow back time and time again.

An anti-fungal cleaning solution is the best answer to preventing mold and mildew from building up too highly, although please ensure that you have sufficient ventilation to allow the noxious fumes to dissipate. If at any time you feel even the slightest bit dizzy, light headed or nauseous make sure you move yourself as far away as possible from the fumes and recuperate, and then wait sometime until the fumes evaporate away.

You may want to make use of a ceiling fan for preventing mold and mildew, the circulation of air will help water to dry much quicker thereby preventing the development of mold.