How to remove mold from wood

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The best way to remove mold from wood does not involve chemicals of any kind.The only way to effectively remove mold from wood is to physically remove the contaminated area. That is done with good old fashioned elbow grease. What I mean by elbow grease is simple… sand paper, a wire brush or completely remove the affected material all together by cutting it out.

Mold likes to bury itself deep into the pores of wood, drywall  and other fibrous materials. Chemicals such as over the counter mold killer or bleach do not reach these “roots” and therefore do an inadequate job at removing the mold. To add injury to insult, you waste your time and hard earned money for nothing. When sanding or cutting away wood, it is a good idea to mask the surrounding area with plastic that can be thrown away easily (think Dexter). This way you can dispose of mold that was made airborne during the process and you will not contaminate other surfaces. The more you can mask off, the better.

 

Why cleaning products don’t work

Products like mold killer is the worst of all. It does not “remove” the mold but simply kills it when it can. Dead mold is just as harmful as live mold when it comes to causing adverse health effects. Most people think that once they kill the mold in their home, it is safe to clean up…..after-all the mold is dead. When cleaning mold, dead or alive, you often send dangerous mold spores into the air where they can then rest on other untreated surfaces or in your lungs, eyes and other body parts.

Another reason why mold cleaners and killing products do not work is human error. People simply do not read the instructions or follow them correctly. One good example of this is the dwell time required. Dwell time is the amount of time that a chemical is required to site directly on the mold for it to work properly. If there is a layer of dust between the mold and the chemical, the chemical can be less effective which then requires an increase in dwell time. You can begin to see why cleaning products and even household products do not make the grade.

 

Closing summary

Once again, remove the mold completely by sanding the wood with sand paper or a wire brush or by removing the wood completely and replacing it. When sanding, brushing or cutting wood that is contaminated with mold, always wear a breathing mask and disposable clothing that covers all exposed skin. Goggles are also recommended as well as something to cover your head.

Musty smell in my house – Do I have mold?

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Unfortunately for the DIY’er, mold loves to hide. Under carpets, linoleum, hardwood and behind drywall to name a few places. If you have a musty smell in your house then you have a pretty good indication that mold is present. To find out for sure though means damaging walls and floors.

When mold is present, it produces a byproduct called MVOC’s. This stands for Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds. These compounds produce a smell that is musty or earthy in nature, often compared to decaying wood or wet, dirty socks.

If you think your nose has detected mold but you are not 100% sure, the best way to double check is to step outside and get a good amount of fresh air. This will cleanse your pallet. When you step back into the room/area in question, if you smell that earthy, musty smell again, then you may have mold. This can always be confirmed though with a simple mold inspection.

Dangerous mold types

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Although mold spores are present in our every day lives and we live harmoniously with them, some can cause serious health problems. These dangerous molds produce Mycotoxins which are produced to fight off other molds. There are over 200 recognized Mycotoxins which are harmful to humans and pets when inhaled, ingested or brought into contact with the skin. Here are a few of those types of molds;

 

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Name of Mold

Aspergillus Flavus

Aspergillus Pencillium

Fusarium Stachybotrys

Fusarium

Fusarium

Aspergillus Pencillium

Stachybotrys

Altamaria Aspergillus

Aspergillus Pencillium

Aspergillus Versicolor

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Type of Mycotoxin

Aflotoxin

Ochratoxin

T-2 Toxin Tricothecene

Fumonism

Vomitoxin

Citrinin

Satrotoxin H

Gliotoxin

Pautilin

Sterigmatocystin[/one_third][one_third_last]

Health risk

Most potent carcinogen

Kidney and liver damage

Ddigestive tract failure and hemorrhaging

Causes liquefaction of the brain

Gastrointestinal illness

Renal and Bronchial damage

High doses or chronic low doses are lethal

Suppresses immune system

Hemorrhaging of the brain and lungs

Carcinogenic

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Young children, the elderly, Immuno-compromised people and those allergic to mold are at the greatest risk of mold related health problems. To determine what type of mold you may have, it is always recommended to get a professional air quality test.

Mold cleaning tips

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When it comes to cleaning mold, there is a lot that you should know, how to approach the mold, what to wear, what tools to use and so much more. Hopefully these tips help you in your fight against fungi. For serious mold contamination, please contact a certified mold specialist. Your health is more important than the small costs involved with hiring a professional.

In a patch of mold measuring 12” x 12” there are 144 MILLION to 1.44 BILLION spores waiting to be set free and sent off into the air. If the DIY’er is not adequately protected, they puts themselves at risk of inhaling tens of millions of spores every time they take a breath.

 

What to Wear

A full face respirator with HEPA rated cartridges are required to prevent inhalation into the lungs, absorption into the mucous linings of the eyes and face and accidental ingestion when touching the mold and/or moldy surfaces. If you do not have access to this type of respirator, please wear a basic breathing mask. Never approach mold with nothing to cover your mouth, nose and eyes.

A full body Tyvek suit with hood, gloves and foot covers are also required for the same reasons as above. Again though, is you do not have access to this type of suit, then be sure to cover your skin with clothes that you can dispose of later. Do not wear lose clothing either so that the mold spores do not come into contact with your skin. This can result in rashes and other health problems.

 

Approaching the Area

The area to be cleaned should be “contained” to prevent the rest of the building from being contaminated. Just walking by a patch of mold will send millions of spores into the air. This is the reason why containment before cleaning is so crucial. Failure to properly contain the area could result in other persons in the building getting “sick” or other areas becoming contaminated.

If the area to be cleaned is very large, then “Air Scrubbers” may need to be utilized. Air scrubbers clean the air and remove 99.97% of air borne particles at 0.3 microns.

 

Cleaning the Contamination

Before you start any cleaning, it is good to know what type of mold you are dealing with. Unfortunately, the type cannot be identified by the naked eye. Color of the mold colony does not leave any definitive answers as to what kind of mold you have. It is important to know what you are up against as certain mold types are very harmful to your health while others are less harmful.

It is never recommended that you clean mold yourself but you can take some measures. Household products such as bleach, borax, vinegar and ammonia can be used to clean mold when they are present on smooth surfaces such as tiles. On porous surfaces such as wood, these products will not work as mold will often be found deep in the pores of the surface. Click the following link for details on how to clean mold using bleach.

After the “cleaning” is completed, it is highly recommended that air sampling be done to ensure that the mold issue is mitigated.

DIY Mold Removal – Why You Shouldn’t

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DIY mold removal. Several times we have seen products and advertisements for quick in-home solutions that the every day man (or woman) can use to kill mold. DO NOT KILL MOLD YOURSELF. Especially if you are prone to health problems. Mold is a tricky substance to remove and even when it is “dead” it is still alive.

The Mycotoxins in the cell walls of mold remain whether the mold is dead or alive. These Mycotoxins are responsible for the ill effects that molds cause. What we are saying is that mold in any shape can and will make you sick.

The proper thing to do is to find a mold removal specialist who can physically remove the mold from the premises. Failure to do just that, puts you at risk and this could come in the form of severe health effects or expensive structural damage.

The very young, elderly and individuals with Immunol complications are the most susceptible to mold related health issues. If you are one of these people, you put yourself at risk. Even if you are a healthy adult, the risks of mold related health issues are still very high.

Mold Allergy Symptoms

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mold allergy symptoms

What causes mold allergies?

Before we get into details about mold allergy symptoms, first we want to talk about what causes the reactions that we feel. Molds produce mycotoxins that are created to fight off other molds. There are over 200 recognized mycotoxins that molds produce, each of which are harmful when ingested (eaten), inhaled (breathed in) or absorbed through skin.

It is these mycotoxins that cause mold allergy symptoms. Although many of the symptoms are similar in those who are allergic, they can vary from person to person. One person may experience one form of allergic reaction while another can experience something completely different. Even the frequency of reactions can vary as some people can show symptoms year-round while others may only show symptoms seasonaly or periodically.

 

General mold allergy symptoms

  • eye, throat, nose and skin irritation (itch or rash)
  • coughing or wheezing
  • runny or stuffed nose
  • watery eyes

 

Other health effects caused by mold

Mold does not only effect those who are allergic to it. It can effect anybody at any time. Those with weakened immune systems though are often at the highest risk. Other health implications caused by mold include:

  • mycosis: fungal disease with actual mold growth in the human host
  • mycotoxicosis: intoxication due to ingestion or inhalation
  • immunosuppression: lowering of the bodies immune (defense) system
  • Carcinogenic diseases: disease and organ failures linked to cancer

 

Common health effects caused by mold

  • Dermatitis
  • Cold and flu like symptoms
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Fatigue
  • Allergic rhinitis
  • Diarrhoea and digestive problems
  • Infections (eye, ear, skin)
  • Coughing
  • Nose bleeds
  • Respiratory problems