A few days ago, I wrote an article about the dangers of mold, and the response I received was overwhelming. Everybody wanted to know more about mold. In fact, within a few days of publishing the post, I got a couple dozen emails asking how to get rid of mold. So, I wanted to share my personal tips that I use at my home, as well as here in the office. Please feel free to drop your tips in the comment section below. How to Get Rid of Mold: Investigate your home or office for moisture leakage. If you find any moisture leaks, clean them up with a dry towel immediately and find the source of the leak. Consider hiring a professional if the leak does not stop or if you are dealing with a plumbing issue. Controlling moisture leaks in your home or place of work will reduce the mold’s ability to thrive. Mold loves warm and wet places. If you live in a place with humidity levels of 70% or more, you must particularly take heed to prevent toxic moldy air. Invest in a high-quality dehumidifier and test your home for mold over-growth.

Temperatures above 75° F, as well as poorly lit rooms and unmoving air, can actually create more mold. Keep fresh air moving in your home, as well as bright sunlight coming in through your windows. This will help reduce toxic mold. Open a window while you take a shower, if possible. Change air filters regularly in heating and air-conditioning vents. Invest in a good quality air purification system that employs both a HEPA filter and UV & negative ion technologies. In my opinion, this will give you the best results when cleaning your air. Keep your home at a moderate temperature, at around 69-73° F and keep the humidity level at 54% and below. Make sure your clothes dryer has an anti-humidity vent. Check closets for mold growth. This is especially important if you have ever placed wet or damp clothing in your closets. If you find mold in your closet, wash your clothes immediately to help clean any possible mold spores. Protect your breathing passages when removing active or dead mold.

Wear a mask, eye protection and protective gloves that filter mold. When cleaning, slightly wet the mold to lessen the amount of airborne spores in the breathing atmosphere while you are cleaning. This can be done with a wet cloth. Scrub hard surfaces infested in mold with a non-ammonia soap. dvd lens cleaner macbook proNon-toxic, organic soap is best for the environment.camera lens cleaning kit singapore Porous surface cannot be cleaned of mold. steam usa air duct cleaningThings like moldy carpeting, drywall, wall-paper, fabric, or other porous surfaces, must be completely removed and replaced from your home or office. If you have mold on the structural support of your home or office building, it may not be cleaned out by scrubbing alone.

It may have to be sanded. Don’t forget to wear the appropriate protective coverings. Remember, the best prevention for mold is to KEEP THINGS DRY and always use a good air purification system! Do you know of any other ways to get rid of mold? Please add any mold removal tips in the comment section below. Take Control of Your Health Receive daily or monthly health news. For the Home ⌄Out of sight, out of mind is how many people treat their air ducts and and grates covering the vents - and I used to be guilty of that, too. I was in the habit of forgetting (or ignoring) my air ducts, until I noticed my two little darling girls hovering over the vent enjoying a game of "let's drop things in the air duct". As I checked to inspect what they were dropping down the vent, I was unpleasantly surprised to see a gross little collection of dirt, dust, scraps or paper, bobby pins, barrettes and who knows what else that had been quietly growing inside the vent since the house was originally built.

Now that I knew about it, I couldn't ignore the dirt, dust and grime any longer. I have always liked taking things apart anyway, so I pulled out my cleaning supplies and trusty tools. Cleaning inside the air duct isn't hard, and "dust bunnies" are less likely to build up on the outside of the intake vents because even a small amount of grime makes it more likely that dust will catch on the edges of the vents. If you begin to see the tell-tale signs of a dirty air ducts or vents, simply follow my tips and clean it up fast. You'll breathe easier knowing that your air ducts are clean. I know I did! You've probably seen advertisements for professional air duct cleaning services. I know I've received a ton of flyers advertising cleaning for a very low price and often promoting significant discounts for senior citizens. Before you schedule an appointment for your air ducts to be professionally cleaned, you should be aware that the air-duct cleaning industry has had problems with a decade-long "bait and switch" scam, often targeting senior citizens.

It is important to keep vital parts of your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system clean. The vital components are the cooling coils, fans, filters and heat exchangers that can be damaged due to reduced air flow located inside your furnace or air conditioner. But do your research first and don't be tempted by the ridiculously low price. Know when and why air ducts need to be cleaned and avoid getting talked into expensive cleaning that is not only unneeded, but if done improperly, can be harmful to those with breathing problems. Air ducts are part of a home's heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC). The duct itself does not move and is usually a square or round tube made of sheet metal. Air ducts' only purpose is to carry cooled or heated air from a homes ventilation system into individual areas in the home. The EPA recommends that you DO NOT clean your home's air ducts regularly, but only as-needed. Cleaning Air Ducts "As needed" means:

Mold and mildew grow in damp conditions, and if the air ducts have excessive amounts of dirt or have been infiltrated by rodents or insects then you have a problem that needs to be repaired before you consider cleaning. Address any leaks or holes in the air ducts or ventilation system first before attempting to clean the air ducts as the problem will eventually return. Mold, mildew, insects and rodents can cause very serious health problems. Don't stir up any of that unhealthy dirt and grime trying to clean it yourself! If your ducts meet the EPA's qualifications for needing a deep clean, call a professional. Check with the National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to find a reputable and ethical company to do business with. If you have surface dust and dirt in your air ducts like I did, and you want to clean it yourself, the good news is that you can easily clean them. Cleaning your home's air ducts and vent covers only requires a few basic tools.

Just follow these quick, easy tips to get your home's air ducts and vent covers looking like new: The air ducts both supply heated or cooled air and also return air back into the ventilation system. The return grills are usually much larger than the supply grills, and are located on the wall or ceiling rather than the floor. Another way to explain this is that the return vent sucks air out of the home, and the supply ducts blow heated or cooled air into the home. The air flows only one way (in or out) in each individual duct. They both get grimy, but the intake vent is commonly dusty on the outside, and the supply vents on the floor usually more dirty on the inside and collect the miscellaneous debris. Some vent covers are held in place with screws (usually the walls or ceiling), others just lift out straight or at an angle (usually on the floor). If you have screws holding the vent in place, carefully remove and store these screws so they are ready to re-use once the ducts and vent covers are clean.

I like to place the screws in plastic baggies to make sure they don't get misplaced or scattered. Once you have removed the vent covers, they can be soaked in in the sink or bath tub with warm water and a little mild soap. DO NOT soak wood vent covers. Let the vent covers soak until you have finished cleaning the air ducts (assuming your going to get right to the cleaning). We'll come back to them when the inside of the ducts have been cleaned. Air ducts that are located on the floor can be a treasure trove of all sorts of interesting objects, especially in homes with pets and small children. Don’t be surprised to find toys, pet food, crackers, pencils, crayons, paper clips, bits of paper, barrettes, and many other long-lost items in your air ducts once the covers are removed. Pick up the larger items by hand. Be careful when removing the debris so you don't accidentally drop or push it further down the air vent. A soft brush attachment is really helpful because it will mold to the bends and angles in the duct work.

It's a little more awkward to clean the duct if your vacuum doesn't have a brush attachment, but that's okay. You can also use the regular flex hose with or with out the crevasse tool. Once a majority of the dust and debris has been vacuumed out, wipe the vent down as far as you can reach by hand, to clean up and remove remaining grime: Once the air duct vent is thoroughly clean it’s time to revisit the vent covers. The vents covering an air duct can become filthy, especially the grate covers (most likely return vents) in kitchens and bathrooms. They are especially prone to attracting dirt and grease, etc. and it's helpful to soak them before cleaning them. Once the covers are clean and dry, screw them back in or drop them back into place. Air conditioning and heating systems are much more effective when the air filters are replaced (or cleaned) regularly. Changing the air filter frequently also increases air quality in your home. *Always rely on the the manufacturer’s instructions to verify how frequently your filters should be replaced.