Mold can be a pesky problem for facility managers and janitorial staff to deal with, especially in more humid areas. Mold grows in moist areas and can be commonly found around leaks in roofs, pipes, and windows. Additionally, mold can also grow on ceiling and wall panels, paper and cardboard products, paints, fabric, carpet, and more.
Left untreated, a mold infestation in a building can lead to unpleasant health outcomes for the building’s inhabitants. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “for some people, mold can cause a stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing or wheezing, burning eyes, or skin rash.”
Although removing mold is oftentimes one of the less pleasant jobs, it is nonetheless critical to keeping a building properly maintained. We have put together a quick guide to help you tackle that next mold infestation:
Before cleaning mold, remember to put on protective gloves, goggles, and a mask to protect your health. You may consider disposable coveralls to help protect clothing.
The EPA recommends getting goggles “designed to keep out dust and small particles”, and warns that “safety glasses or goggles that have open vent holes are not acceptable.”
When looking for respirators, we recommend getting an N-95 respirator or something even more protective, to filter out airborne mold particulates that may get stirred up in the air during cleaning.
You will also want to get gloves to protect your hands from direct contact with the mold and the cleaning chemicals. Glove materials that would work well include: rubber, nitrile, neoprene, PVC, or polyurethane.
The first step is to get rid of the source of the moisture and humidity, because if not addressed, the chances that the mold will continue to grow even after you clean it up are high.
As soon as you spot mold, you will want to remove it right away with a cleaning solution that contains a Fungicide and Mildewcide.
Wearing your protective equipment, apply the cleaning solution to the moldy area using a spray bottle or for larger areas a pump sprayer. This will help to decrease the chance of airborne mold spores during the mold removal process.
You can prevent mold outbreaks by drying up wet areas as soon as they are discovered, and frequently cleaning the space. You can consider using fans and dehumidifiers to reduce moisture in the space to prevent mold outbreaks. If possible, keeping windows open from time to time on non-rainy days will also help air out of the space.
Keep in mind that you can’t stop the growth of mold by simply caulking or painting over the mold. Just because the mold is out of sight doesn’t mean that it’s no longer there or that it no longer poses health risks,
At ACTION Unlimited Resources, we offer state-of-the-art cleaning and facility maintenance supplies. If you are looking to stock up, our team is here to chat about the best solutions to fit your business needs!