Unless you live in the Antarctic, you should be aware that every home has instances of molds and mildews. The fungi are everywhere in our environment, both indoors and out. We ingest them on a daily basis through one means or another - through the air we breathe, the food we eat, our interactions with our pets, and even through invasion of small cuts and abrasions of the skin. A 1999 study by the Mayo Clinic revealed that nearly all...
Read MoreCommon Mold (Non-Toxic) The black mold that you may see growing on grouting and walls of showers and bathtubs is unlikely to be dangerous. The most common mold is Cladosporium. Although it can be an irritant to those with asthma or respiratory disease, it is not known to pose any toxic hazard. It can be removed with various household cleaners. The most effective way to prevent it is by providing adequate ventilation. Vent fans should be installed in all areas...
Read MoreMichigan mold removal (remediation) is not a regulated field. Because you can get a wide variance in opinion, methodology, and experience it is important to research your contractor. Are they able to provide a sensible solution to your mold problem? Are they trained, insured, and experienced? Do they follow established guidelines? These are just some one the considerations to make when searching for a qualified mold remediation contractor. There are no magic mold wands. Our best advice is to find...
Read MoreIf you can’t seem to get that musty smell out of your home, mold and fungus in old carpet and rugs may be to blame. Fungus and old can develop under rugs that are exposed to water–bathroom rugs, for example, can be a hotbed for mold–as well as in dry areas that aren’t cleaned regularly. Shampooing and steam-cleaning the carpets alone won’t kill off mold; when carpets are still damp, mold colonies can redevelop fairly quickly. You may need to...
Read MoreYou should now have a general idea of whether or not you may have black mold, and if you have made the determination that you do, then you must immediately take the necessary black mold removal steps to eliminate the problem. The good news is that there are several things that you can do in order to get rid of the mold, and while it may seem like a daunting task at first, it doesn’t have to be as long...
Read MoreArtist Ethan Gold‘s new album, appropriately titled “Songs from a Toxic Apartment” was literally written and recorded by Gold while he was living in a toxic apartment. The album, complete with 12 songs, is an interesting mix of emotions and sad lyrics all that came about while Gold was hallucinating from exposure to mold in his dilapidated apartment. The album is a combination of natural and electronic sounds, and talks of feelings about isolation and angst. Though Gold was forced...
Read MoreIf you have mold growing on your clothes it's probably because you left them in a damp pile for a few days or more. Every time you wash your clothes you should hang them on the line or dry them in the drier as soon as you can. Clothes that have been washed and then left wet for a day or more are at risk of mold starting to grow on them. The same applies for clothes that have gotten...
Read More(enter your email for more helpful do it yourself solutions) Kill mold with Hydrogen Peroxide Hydrogen peroxide kills mold as it is anti-fungal as well as anti-viral and anti-bacterial. Hydrogen peroxide is a good alternative to chlorine bleach because it is safe to use and doesn't damage the environment, nor does it leave behind toxic residue or produce toxic fumes like chlorine bleach does. You can buy hydrogen peroxide from drug stores for around one dollar for a bottle of...
Read More(be sure to enter your email for more helpful solutions) There are quite a few solutions you can wash moldy clothes in to get rid of the mold. Some good ones include: •Bleach •Borax •Vinegar •Baking soda •Mold killing detergent Tips for Removing Mold from Clothes There are a few general tips when it comes to removing mold from clothes. One is that it's best to wash your clothes in hot water. Hot water kills mold more effectively than cold...
Read MoreIt is impossible to get rid of all mold and mold spores indoors. Some mold spores will be found floating through the air and in house dust. Mold spores will not grow if moisture is not present. Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors. If there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem. If you clean up the mold but don't fix the...
Read MoreAvoid breathing in mold or mold spores. In order to limit your exposure to airborne mold, you may want to wear an N-95 respirator, available at many hardware stores and from companies that advertise on the Internet. (They cost about $12 to $25.) Some N-95 respirators resemble a paper dust mask with a nozzle on the front, and others are made primarily of plastic or rubber and have removable cartridges that trap and prevent most of the mold spores from...
Read More1. Potential health effects and symptoms associated with mold exposure include allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory complaints. 2. There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture. 3. If mold is a problem in your home, you must clean up the mold and eliminate sources of moisture. 4. Fix the source of the water problem or leak to prevent mold growth....
Read MoreMolds are part of the natural environment. Outdoors, molds play a part in nature by breaking down dead organic matter, such as fallen leaves and dead trees. But indoors, mold growth should be avoided. Molds reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air. Mold may begin growing indoors when mold spores land on surfaces that are wet. There are many types of mold, and none of them...
Read MoreInteresting and gross. The History of Thieves Oil Europeans began producing essential oils in the 12th century. During the Plague of the 15th century, certain thieves robbed the dead without becoming infected. Finally, four thieves were captured in Marseilles, France, and charged with robbing the dead and dying victims of the plague. At the trial, the magistrate offered them leniency if they would reveal how they managed to avoid contracting the dreaded infection, in spite of their close contact with...
Read MoreWet, mild winter may lead to difficult springtime for allergy sufferers. ANN ARBOR, MI – Geri Isaacson’s son first noticed that something was wrong in their basement. Earlier this year, he discovered a problem with the carpet – a squishiness, a sign of moisture in the house that Isaacson hadn’t noticed previously because of the dark color of the flooring. That early sign of trouble was a bad omen of things to come. When fans and dehumidifiers didn’t take care...
Read MoreDr. Schwartz says that the unusually high number of cancer cases coming from employees at the Buffalo D-District precinct is probably a statistical fluke and unrelated to the mold found in the building or the three feet of standing water found in the basement. But the city is not taking any chances and evacuating the building. Over the last ten years in the building’s 14 year history, at least ten Buffalo Police Officers and staff have been diagnosed with chest...
Read MoreTwo faculty members and a student at Ohio State University have been diagnosed with histoplasmosis, a fungal disease caused by inhaling hisplasmosis spores growing on bird or bat droppings. Originally diagnosed as lung cancer, two hospitalized employees at Hitchcock Hall have had parts of their lungs and lymph nodes removed. The employees believe they were poisoned during a botched cleaning effort to dry flooding in the hall after a valve on a high-pressure waterline to a coffee maker broke. Soaked...
Read MoreThe mother of Brittany Murphy says her daughter and son-in-law were both felled by the same culprit: mold. Read on to find out what she plans to do about it. When Brittany Murphy died two years ago it was chalked up to a tragic accident: Undiagnosed pneumonia compounded by an accidental overdose on prescription meds. Then, less than five months later her husband Simon Monjack was found dead in the same house of similar causes. Coincidence? Murphy's mom says no...
Read MoreIt is documented that mold can negatively affect your physical health, but what about your mental health? But now a recent study furthers the evidence that there may be a direct link between mold and depression. The study, performed by Brown University epidemiologist Edmond Shenassa and published in the American Journal of Public Health, showed a link between mildew and misery. The study questioned 6,000 adults, men and women from 18-104 living in eight different European cities, about their mental...
Read MoreA properly functioning HVAC may be one of the best ways to prevent mold growth in your home or office. But because of the air distribution system of an HVAC, a malfunctioning system may be the perfect vehicle to spread mold spores throughout the building. Often, the difference between the two comes down to a small detail – which is why HVAC requires proper design, assessment, and maintenance to keep it preventing – not exacerbating – mold growth. While there...
Read More