How Mold Impacts Your Health and How to Prevent Mold in the Home

Mold can be dangerous, as it can impact both human and animal health severely, in some cases. You should know how to deal with mold and remove it from your home. You should also be aware of the steps you can take to minimize its risk of reappearing. Mold can affect individuals differently and you don’t want to risk someone in your home having a severe reaction. Here’s what you need to know about how to prevent mold and keep it out of your home, as best as possible.

How Is Mold Dangerous?

Certain types of mold are more dangerous than others. Depending on how weak your immune system is, you may have a more severe reaction when exposed to toxic molds, like black mold. Molds that produce mycotoxins can be more harmful to your health and can potentially kill humans and animals.

Mold is everywhere. In fact, you may encounter it outdoors than you realize. People can display allergic reactions in the presence of mold and you may notice more intense reactions indoors. The longer you’re around the mold, the more severe your symptoms might be.

Some of the allergy symptoms you may experience in the presence of mold include:

• Itchy, watering eyes
• Coughing and sneezing
• Difficulty breathing
• Fatigue

Unfortunately, testing for mold can be expensive and it can be difficult to eliminate once it’s found. You can enlist a number of methods to eliminate it, including eco-friendly options like using vinegar straight from a spray bottle. The easiest way to ensure there’s no mold in your house is to prevent it from growing in the first place.

5 Ways to Prevent Mold

Instead of waiting until mold grows, and dealing with the problem then, you should try to prevent it from appearing in the first place. Start by making time every day for cleaning, as something as small as washing dishes can help avoid mold growth in your kitchen sink. You’ll likely notice decreased instances of mold in the home if you do this regularly. Note: Mold can still grow in some conditions, so always be on the lookout.

Here are a few ways to lessen the risk of mold in your home.

1. Know Where Mold Hides

Different kinds of mold can be prevalent in various areas of your home. Mold spores are common in the air, and they can grow basically anywhere, including on wood and carpet, making it difficult to narrow down one place mold might hide. Still, you should know mold grows best in damp places, especially if those places are also dark. Watch your bathrooms and basements more closely for signs of mold.

2. Fix Leaks as They Happen

Do you ever put off dealing with a leaky faucet because you don’t feel like fixing it right away? Putting off a leak can lead to a damp environment that allows mold to thrive, not to mention doing so wreaks havoc on your water bills. Leaks typically don’t take much to fix, so try to tackle them as soon as possible. 

3. Wash Your Bathroom Fabrics Often

Since mold thrives in a place as humid as the bathroom, you need to take special care of the fabrics in the room. You shouldn’t leave your towels for more than four showers or baths before washing them, and you may also want to wash all towels together instead of pairing them with clothes or bedsheets. You should also ensure towels are completely dry before you put them back in the bathroom.

You should wash any fabric bath mats or shower curtains regularly to dispel any mold clinging to them when wet. Washing your fabrics often can eliminate the chances of mold, but it can also help get rid of any illness someone in the household may have. Try to clean miscellaneous bathroom fabrics once per week. You can use the eco-friendly option on your washing machine to conserve water, or you may opt to wait until you have a pile of dirty towels to wash together.

4. Ventilate Your Rooms

Make sure to ventilate your rooms well, especially if they’re dark and damp. For example, if you have an expansive basement, you may want to leave a fan running after it rains to help dry it out more quickly. Check to make sure rainwater hasn’t crept into your home either. You should run the fan in your bathrooms when using water, as it’ll help the dampness not linger. You can also use an air purifier to upgrade the air quality inside your home.

5. Lower Humidity Levels

Humidity breeds mold. Unfortunately, some things in your home will cause heat, even when you’re blasting your air conditioner and other fans. When you dry your clothes, you may feel a damp heat near the laundry room. In the warmer months, you can use a clothesline instead of a dryer, which is an environmentally friendly way to dry your clothes while saving energy and keeping some heat out of your home.

Eliminate Mold Once and For All

Mold can be tricky to get rid of, especially when it’s been there for longer than you realized. Once you find a proven way to get rid of it, you can focus on ensuring it never comes back. Keep an eye on the more vulnerable parts of your home where mold might breed more easily. Once you create a routine of cleaning and make a less mold-friendly environment, you may find it easier than ever to decrease your risk of mold.