How to Secure a Mold-Proof Home for Your Kids
Mold is a danger to your home and your family. Spreading throughout the hidden areas of your home, the mold spores can break loose and make your family sick or aggravate their allergies. Here are 20 simple things you can do around your home to make it mold-proof and protect your children.
#1 – Eliminate Clutter in the Basement
Eliminate the clutter of extra clothes, papers and furnishings in the basement where humidity levels are typically higher.
#2 – Clean the Closets
From the basement to the bedrooms, clutter becomes a breeding ground for mold. It inhibits air circulation and hides places where mold may be growing. Clean the closets and get rid of items you don’t use.
#3 – Use the Shower Vent
Run the exhaust vent while showering to keep this humidity out of the room and discourage the growth of mold. Make sure the vent goes all the way to the exterior of the home to avoid mold in the attic.
#4 – Use Exterior-Venting Kitchen Vents
Some vents clean the air steam and put the humidity right back into your kitchen. Invest in vents that actually take moisture out of the home and use them when you cook.
#5 – Empty the Lint Trap
As the lint trap fills up, your dryer won’t run properly. It becomes a fire hazard and the dryer cannot properly remove the moisture from your clothes or the unit.
#6 – Keep Showers Short
The more you linger in the shower, the more moisture you will add to the room. Save money on your water bill and keep mold away by taking faster showers.
#7 – Use Hard Flooring Below Grade
When finishing below-grade rooms, choose hard flooring surfaces like tile, linoleum or engineered wood. Carpet becomes a prime breeding area for mold in these damp environments.
#8 – Remove Carpet from Bathrooms
The only carpeting in your bathroom should be small mats that you can run through the washing machine. If you have larger carpeting that cannot be put in the machine, remove it and use hard flooring like tile or linoleum.
#9 – Eliminate Standing Water
If you have standing water around the house, take steps to clean it up and prevent it from returning. Make sure basement drains are clear to allow easy drainage, and keep a cover on sump pump pits.
#10 – Use a Lid for Boiling Water
When you need to boil water, use a lid to contain the moisture and eliminate water loss.
#11 – Clean the Drip Pan
Empty and dry the drip pan located in the back of your refrigerator. Vacuum dust from the coils at the same time to limit how much water enters the drip pan.
#12 – The Post Shower Cleanup
Take a few minutes after your shower to wipe moisture off the shower walls and around the top of the tub. Your bathroom will sparkle and shine between regular cleanings, and you won’t have to battle the mold later.
#13 – Use a Damp Mop
You don’t have to soak hard floors when cleaning them. Just use a damp mop to clean the floors while keeping humidity levels low.
#14 – Watch Humidity Levels in the Basement
It’s important to keep a close eye on humidity levels throughout the home. If you have a whole-house humidifier, reduce the humidity levels.
#15 – Keep Humidity Down Throughout the Home
If not, you can try reducing humidity levels by investing in a dehumidifier for the dampest areas. Keep the windows closed when running the dehumidifier to make it more efficient.
#16 – Hang Laundry Outside
If you like to hang clothes to dry, do not hang them inside the home. The water evaporating from clothes will increase humidity levels inside the home. If you must hang-dry them inside, then put them in the bathroom and use the vent to extract humidity.
#17 – Clean the Laundry Tub
Mold loves damp places, and that includes your washer and wash tub. Take a few minutes to dry them out with a rag when you are finished washing clothes.
#18 – Eliminate Potted Plants
Plants are a source of humidity and mold loves the soil, so cut back on the number of potted plants.
#19 – Take out the Garbage
Keep the trash to low levels and empty the can regularly to avoid odors and prevent mold from spreading from this source.
#20 – Vacuum Often
Vacuum regularly with a HEPA-filter vacuum to catch mold spores and prevent them from spreading.
Keeping your home clean and free of clutter will help you avoid mold. Reducing overall humidity levels is one of the most important steps you can take. While we cannot guarantee that you’ll get rid of the mold, following these tips will help you reduce the risks of mold and protect your family.