Allergies, asthma, and virtually all other respiratory problems are unfortunately almost always chronic conditions that stay with people all their lives. Hence, trying to avoid them is paramount, and taking care when you already have them is as important.
That involves improving the quality of the air inside of your household. Mold is one of the worst irritants for the respiratory tract; you’ll find yourself coughing and sniffling all the time, and generally, you won’t be comfortable.
In this article, we explain how to remove mold from air by highlighting some of the most effective methods you can employ, so stick around.
1. Use an Air Purifier
One of the most effective ways to remove mold from the air around you without too much effort is by investing in an air purifier for mold. As suggested by the name, this device sucks the air from the atmosphere, passes it through a set of filters, and produces clean air that is completely free of mold, allergens, and all other particles that can cause trouble.
The market is chock-full of different brands, types, sizes, and filter sets of air purifiers, so you have to take your time and do your research to purchase an air purifier that suits you and your space.
Nonetheless, the most crucial point that we’re going to stress is the type of filter you choose to go with. There are HEPA filters, which are high-efficiency particulate air filters that are capable of capturing and removing more than 99% of the particles present in the atmosphere.
Next, we have electrostatic filters, activated carbon filters, ionizers and ozone generators, and UV light filters. Each one of those has its own set of pros and set of cons, and they tend to come coupled with HEPA filters.
2. Install Filters on Air Conditioner Vents And Windows
Another concept that you have to keep in mind is that the mold could very well be coming from outside of your house, not the inside. So, you’ll have to install protection in the form of filters on both your air conditioning vents and window screens.
These filters will prevent the entrance of foreign particles, especially mold and mildew spores, from the outside to the inside. Again these filters enjoy a great variety on the market, including HEPA filters and a few others as well.
3. Upset the Environment That Allows for Mold Growth
Use Dehumidifiers
Dehumidifiers are also an excellent way to stunt the growth of mold. Now, be careful; dehumidifiers don’t kill mold. What they do is reduce the level of humidity in the air back to its normal level. That is anywhere between 30% and 50%, according to whether you live in a warm climate or a cold climate.
Subsequently, they prevent the multiplication of existing mold. That is due to the fact that mold needs a wet, warm, and humid environment to flourish.
So, when you remove humidity, you’ll be disrupting its environment. Hence, you'll stop the growth of mold with a dehumidifier and you’ll be able to control the problem more efficiently.
Use Exhaust Fans
As we've just mentioned, mold needs a wet, humid space to grow. In order for that to happen, the place must be exposed to a lot of water vapor in addition to poor ventilation. Such places are mostly our kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and attics.
Consequently, the logical and economical solution is to install exhaust fans in these places, namely bathrooms and kitchens. Since they’re always relatively humid, the exhaust fans will absorb all of that water vapor and excess moisture, move it to the outside, and improve overall ventilation.
Good Ventilation
Still going with the point of ventilation, try to open your windows, with the presence of the screens, in order to allow more natural air. The fresh air will dislocate the old musty one and naturally bring down the humidity levels while leaving all of the mold spores outside.
4. Mold Killer
Now, what if the mold is coming from the inside of your house rather than the outside? To get rid of the mold particles present in the air, you have to nip the problem in the bud and treat your mold-infested areas.
You can do that using a chemical mold killer. However, we don’t recommend that, especially if you've kids or pets because they can sustain serious harm if they get anywhere near the chemicals present in these solutions.
What we do advise is sticking with nature and resorting to natural products in treating mold. That said, let's speak about a few natural solutions that are highly efficient in getting rid of mold infestations.
Vinegar
First, we have vinegar, which is always a favorite when it comes to cleaning, as most people use a solution of white vinegar and water for their cleaning chores. When you're treating mold, though, you’ll need the full power of vinegar, so you’ll not be diluting it.
White vinegar is capable of eliminating 82% of mold. You should put it in a spray bottle of your choice and thoroughly saturate mold-infested areas. Leave it for about an hour, and you’ll find that the vinegar has fully absorbed the mold particles.
Baking Soda and Water
Another favorite when it comes to cleaning is the baking soda-water solution. Create this mixture and simply spray it on mold-infested areas. Just make sure that the water and the baking soda are well mixed. After spraying, you’ll start scrubbing the area till it's free of mold.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide has always been a jack of all trades, master of all, to be honest. Nonetheless, don’t forget to wear protection on your hands as 3% hydrogen peroxide can cause serious irritation to the skin.
Spray it on the mold-infested areas, and just like you did with the baking soda, scrub till it's clear of mold.
Citrus Extract With Water
This mixture is rather fancy as you mix 20 drops of citrus extract with a cup of water. Shake them well, and spray them on the mold-infested areas.
Then, you’ll let it do its thing as you don’t need to scrub or anything. Also, the citrus extract will leave behind a fantastic smell in place of the musty odor that has been dominating the area.
5. Diligently Clean Mold-Susceptible Areas
Another thing that you should have a set routine for is the cleanliness of the most susceptible areas that we've mentioned before, such as kitchens, bathrooms, attics, and basements.
You already know that this is the perfect environment for mold, so you’ll need to be getting into all of the nooks and crannies of these areas, cleaning them, and making sure that they’re getting proper ventilation.
Also, if you find any mold infestation, even if it’s a small one, treat it immediately. We’ve just mentioned a bunch of natural ingredients that are present in every household that you can use.
Additionally, don’t put things that can attract mold in these areas, like carpets. Nobody ever wants to vacuum the attic or the basement, so the best solution is to remove the carpet and leave it bare.
6. Repair All Leaks
Mold infestations are mostly related to floods and leaks. Thus, try to do regular check-ups for your plumbing and under the sinks. Also, if you keep your washer and dryer in the basement, ensure that all of the pipes are of top-notch quality and that there’s no leakage happening anywhere. That will definitely bring by a nasty mold infestation if it persists.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, how to remove mold from air is a multi-step process. It involves using some devices, doing some labor, and regular maintenance of your own home. And, nobody knows your home better than you do, so you’ll have to create that routine for yourself and know all of the weak spots that you've in order to put in the extra effort for them.
