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Black mold is a frequent guest in humid and warm rooms. Most of all these conditions are suitable bathroom. Mold can appear on the ceiling, on the walls, along water pipes, at the junction of the tiles. Fungal spores are not only visible marks on the walls. Part of the dispute can soar in the air and penetrate the wall. The presence of mold in the living room is extremely negative for the health of the residents. This can lead to diseases of the respiratory system, infectious diseases, allergic reactions. If the house has mold, asthmatics attacks occur much more often.
Why mold occurs
Where does mold come from and why does it appear most often in the bathroom? Here are a few basic reasons.
- High humidity. Humidity is the environment in which the mold grows best.All bathing procedures take place in the bathroom, after taking a shower, steam remains in the air, which condenses on the walls and ceiling. These are ideal conditions for the formation of mold.
- The inability to air the room. In most typical homes in the bathroom window is not provided. For weathered moist air there is a shaft. But often people do not monitor her condition. If it is clogged, humid air remains in the room and settles drops of water on the walls.
- No drying. Indoor air can be dried to reduce humidity. For this, a radiator or heated towel rail is provided. However, they are not always in good condition. If these devices are not sufficiently heated and dry the air, mold cannot be avoided.
- Natural light. As already mentioned, the bathrooms do not have a window and there is no natural light that kills mold. The absence of ultraviolet rays gives an additional plus to the development of the fungus.
- Incorrect work in the repair. When you make repairs in the bathroom, you need to thoroughly treat the surface with anti-fungal agents before finishing. They kill the possible remaining spores and prevent the appearance of mold fungi. Mold can also develop with the wrong choice of finishing material for the bathroom.It is most easily settled in the porous structure of the material, for example, in plaster.
Leakage in the pipes. This creates additional humidity in the room, besides around the clock.
How to reduce the humidity in the bathroom
Humidity is the main condition for the development of fungus. Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate it. For this, first of all, it is necessary to provide good ventilation. If there is no window in the bathroom, you need to check the ventilation duct - the shaft. Sometimes it is necessary to install a small exhaust fan for adequate ventilation. If it is on, you need to open the door to the bathroom so that there is air access.
To cope with the mold, you need to maintain a sufficiently high temperature in the bathroom. It should exceed the total temperature in the apartment by a couple of degrees. To do this, you need to clean or replace radiators, install a powerful heated towel rail. Another great way to heat the air in the bathroom is a warm floor. If pipes flow, the leak must be urgently fixed.
If the bathroom is located at the end of the house, humidity may occur due to the formation of condensation.This happens in winter, when outside air temperature strongly varies with internal temperature. To avoid this, you need to insulate the walls of the house with special materials. If you live on the first floor, you need to warm the floor.
And further. It is not necessary to dry the laundry in the bathroom, it increases the risk of mold. It is better to hang clothes in the open air.
We clean the surface of the mold
To cope with the mold, first you need to clear the surface of black spots. Do not forget to wear rubber gloves. Cleaning means - sponges and cloths can not be reused - they can remain spores of the fungus. After processing, they need to throw. Be sure to wear a respiratory mask so as not to inhale dangerous vapors.
- Tile. If mold has formed on the tile, it is enough to wipe it with warm chlorinated water. The solution should be fairly concentrated. Usually this is enough, because tile is a dense material into which mold cannot penetrate.
- Joints between tiles. If mold has ingrained into the joints, then simple treatment is indispensable. It is necessary to clean the joints with a spatula and let them dry.Then dilute the grout and add a special antiseptic to it. It can be bought at any hardware or hardware store.
- Plaster. If mold has entered into the plaster or into the layer under the tile, you need to completely clean the surface to concrete. Then the walls must be dried with a building dryer and several times treated with an antiseptic composition. And only after that proceed to finishing work.
Home remedies for mold
- Copper sulfate. You can buy it at the hardware store. Add 10 grams of vitriol per liter of water. Apply to a cleaned and dried surface with a brush. Especially carefully a thick layer is necessary to process those areas where there was mold. For prevention, apply vitriol to the entire surface of the walls and ceiling, because you do not know where the mold may occur next time.
- Laundry soap. This environmentally friendly product contains fatty acids that can easily defeat mold. To prepare the solution, rub the grated soap and dilute with hot water.After a while, when the soap is completely dissolved, this liquid should be poured into a spray bottle and sprayed in the place where the mold was. Leave the treated area for several hours, and only after complete drying proceed to the finish.
- Bleach for linen. This is another effective way to eliminate the remains of fungal spores. Dilute a small amount of bleach with ten parts of water. This tool can be sprayed with a spray or just wet it with a rag and wipe the walls. Flush the solution should not be. This is an effective tool that has only one drawback - a pungent smell. The procedure is not recommended if there are children in the house. After processing, thoroughly air the room.
- Chlorine. Any chlorine-containing agents can eliminate mold. This may be whiteness, domesticos or other disinfectants for toilet hygiene. It is enough to dissolve them in a small amount of water and to process walls and a ceiling.
- Soda and vinegar. These household cleaners will be found in every home. Sprinkle areas of blackened mildew thoroughly with baking soda. Then pour vinegar on top.The reaction will go - everything will start to foam, leave it for a few minutes. When the soda stops bubbling, the black areas can be cleaned with a sponge or stiff brush. Do not forget to wear gloves - the composition is quite caustic.
- Tea oil. Tea tree essential oil can eliminate small pockets of mold. This oil can be purchased at a pharmacy or hardware store. A bottle of oil 100 ml must be dissolved in a liter of warm water and wipe all exposed surfaces of the walls and ceiling with this compound. Leave for a few hours. Try not to get water on the treated surface at this time - otherwise the procedure will be useless.
- Boric acid, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide. Boric acid can eliminate mold forever. For greater efficiency, a tablespoon of boric acid should be mixed with two tablespoons of peroxide and the same amount of vinegar. Add 4 spoons of water and mix thoroughly. Apply the composition with a brush to all corners and black places, leave and do not rinse.
- Soda. Sometimes along with the mold in the room there is its unpleasant smell. You can get rid of it with baking soda.Pour the soda in a saucer and leave in the bathroom. Soda powder perfectly absorbs unpleasant odors. You can also wipe all surfaces with a weak soda solution.
- Camphor or mothballs. They are commonly used to protect clothing and footwear from moths and other pests. However, this tool is used in the fight against fungal infections. Leave the balloons in the bathroom and they will sanitize the air, preventing mildew from multiplying.
- Anthracene oil. It can be purchased at a hardware store or pharmacy. This product is diluted with a small amount of warm water and sprayed onto all blackened areas. After treatment, there is a little unpleasant smell, so you need to ventilate the room.
- Iodine. Of course, it is not necessary to treat the surfaces with iodine, because yellow traces may remain, but you can leave an open bottle on a shelf in the bathroom. Iodine kills mold spores that hover in the air.
After that, the wall is treated with special anti-fungicidal agents that are designed specifically for this. These are professional formulations sold in hardware stores. Usually the treatment consists of applying several successive layers of the product. And only after that you can begin to finish.
It is impossible to prevent the development of mold in the bathroom, because it is very dangerous to health. Competently made repairs and compliance with preventive measures will help you get rid of mold forever.
Video: a tool that eliminates mold forever
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