Brackenwood’s guide to cleaning and preventing mould in the home
In this guide, we will look at the different methods you can use to combat mould, keeping your home clean and safe to live in.
Cleaning
If you already have mould in the home, the best thing you can do is clean it. There are many methods for cleaning mould , but you will need some basic equipment first. We recommend picking up some gloves, a good sponge and then your choice of cleaning chemicals. There are lots of different mould cleaners that vary in price, so it really depends what your personal budget is. A good deep clean is the best first start because you can start the process of prevention and protection against it returning.
Control the humidity in your home
One of the best steps you can take towards preventing mold is controlling the amount of humidity in your home. It’s the moisture in the air that enables mould spores to grow and multiply. New mould spurs use air flow in the home to travel and land somewhere else, feeding off the moisture in the air and repeating the process. This is often why mould grows so quickly.
There are a few different methods for controlling humidity in the home, ranging from relatively inexpensive to costly. Damp traps are a relatively inexpensive way of reducing humidity in the home, and they can also be placed where each instance of mould is in the home. Using tiny crystals, the damp traps attract moisture, capturing water in a small reservoir at the bottom. The only real drawback of damp tramps is that they need replacing every few months or so, but they are cheap and can be found in most high-street stores and online.
Dehumidifiers are similar to damp traps, but are much larger and run using electricity. Rather than replacing them, you instead empty the large tank at the bottom when it is full. They are a little more expensive to purchase, but a dehumidifier can be used endlessly and has a wider field of effect. Rather than placing a unit right next to mould, a dehumidifier can reduce the amount of moisture in an entire room.
If you’re looking for a slightly greener way to reduce the humidity in your home, why not try placing some plants? Certain plants are especially effective at removing moisture in the air and can help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in your home.
Decorating
Now that you’ve cleaned the mould and made some steps towards reducing humidity, it’s time to consider decorating. A new lick of paint will help an area affected by mould look better, but there are some other steps you can take which will help reduce the chances of it developing again. Rather than just slapping a fresh coat of paint over the cleaned area, it’s worth looking into purchasing some primer and specialist antifungal paint for the area. Painting primer down will ensure the antifungal paint has a better chance of stopping the mould returning in the long term.
If the mould returns, it could be a fault with the fittings within your home. Poorly fitted windows or doors could let in moisture, which is leading to the growth of mould. If they aren’t replaced, the mould will continue to return regardless of how much cleaning you do. For this reason it’s worth considering a new set of windows in the home, an investment that will ultimately reduce the likelihood of mould returning.
Brackenwood’s beautiful double-glazed windows will provide all the protection you need from the cold and wet outdoors. Whether you’re looking for sliding sash or bay and bow window designs, all of our windows provide warmth, security and peace of mind at an affordable price. If you would like to find out more about our range of windows, please click the following link below.
Want to find out how much double glazing windows might cost? Check out our most recent blog by clicking the link below.