Mould in the home – how to eradicate it?

Mould is a type of fungus, a household pest that grows in small threads (filaments) and forms a kind of network.

On its own, mould in the home might not be so threatening if it were not for its easily airborne spores, which are one of the most notorious allergens that contribute to asthma and other respiratory diseases. What’s more, mould damages finishes, causes damage and the smell of mould in the home evokes negative associations.

Scientists believe that up to 300,000 species of mould may exist! However, a few of them are extremely common unwanted visitors to our homes. 

The most common types of mould found in the home: how to identify silent pests?

Aspergillus. This type of mould is white, greenish or grey with dark spots. It is most often found in walls, attics, cellars and on small and loose foods.

Aureobasidium mould is pink with black spots. It usually grows on natural wood, on walls or at sealing points.

Cladosporium. This mould is not dependent on environmental conditions and grows well in both cool and warm rooms. Cladosporium moulds can often be found on textile surfaces (e.g. curtains or carpets), wood and in heating and cooling systems.

Penicillium is one of the strains of penicillin discovered by the famous British biologist and pharmacologist Alexander Fleming. Penicillium usually starts to grow in water-damaged areas, on or under surfaces such as carpets and basements. The colour of this mould is blue-green or yellowish.

Stachybotrys chartarum (black mould) is one of the most unpleasant and widespread moulds in the home. The greenish-black fungi tend to grow on surfaces with a high cellulose content, such as paper, cardboard, chipboard, plasterboard, etc.

Trichoderma: this is a mould that tends to invade wooden surfaces and grows on windows in damp areas such as bathrooms or kitchens. This mould is easily identifiable by its white or cream colour and turns greenish when it releases spores.

What does black mould look like in the home and what conditions are needed for it to spread?

Mould is a very unwelcome guest in the home. Black mould is a common sight on the ceilings and walls of homes (in a negative sense, of course). For black mould to start growing in the home, 3 conditions are necessary:

• High indoor humidity (60-75% or more), which does not have time to escape and therefore accumulates, triggering the growth of mould and colonies. So, if you are drying laundry at home and your bathroom does not have a ventilation system such as an extractor fan, expect to be attacked by this unpleasant fungus. It is true that even if the humidity in your home is not favourable to your well-being, it is important to know that too dry air in the home also has a negative impact on your health.
• Low temperatures (down to 18 °C, but usually even lower): for mould to develop in a house, it needs to stay there for a longer period of time. It is important to know that if the house is too cold all the time, it will be difficult to control too much humidity, and these 2 factors already increase the likelihood of mould developing. The bad news is that even at sub-zero temperatures, mould on the walls does not die, it just stops reproducing. We invite you to take a closer look at the optimum temperature for your home.
• Poor ventilation. If rooms are not ventilated or are not ventilated properly, air cannot circulate and indoor moisture condenses on the walls, eventually leading to mould growth. It is difficult to eradicate mould on the wall because it often penetrates into the deeper layers of the finishing materials. Colonies of black mould can normally be found in bathrooms without an extractor fan and in kitchens, but if the conditions are particularly favourable for its growth and reproduction, the spores spread and mould occupies larger and larger areas of the house.
• However, there is another prerequisite – spores in the environment. If you have a high concentration of mould spores in your home, then you need to eliminate them first and professional air purifiers will help you avoid them in the future.

How does black mould reproduce?

Mould spores can be compared to seeds. They float in the air until they find a suitable surface (sufficiently high humidity, favourable temperature, etc.) where they begin to germinate and grow.

Black mould spreads by growing tiny hairs called hyphae. The more favourable the environment, the faster the mould grows. In this way, mould colonies can spread over a relatively short period of time and cover quite a large area.

Mould spores (even if the mould itself is not present) can often be found both in multi-purpose rooms and in outdoor spaces containing organic material such as leaves, bark, wood etc.

Health effects of mould

Mould can lead to various diseases or adverse reactions in the body, the most common of which include:

• Allergies. Many people are sensitive to the toxins released by mould. The body can react to these in a similar way to other environmental allergens (pollen, animal dander, etc.). Typical symptoms of mould allergy include runny nose, sneezing, itchy nose and throat, watery eyes, etc.
• Asthma attacks. If a person has asthma, mould increases the likelihood of attacks.
• Aspergillosis. This is a group of different infectious diseases. It is characterised by breathing difficulties, coughing, shortness of breath, fatigue, weight loss, etc.
• Toxic reactions in the body – poisoning. Certain mould species produce natural carcinogenic substances. We breathe in mould spores or we may ingest them in our food. This can cause headaches, dizziness, difficulty breathing, etc.
• Pneumonitis due to hypersensitivity. This is a type of pneumonia in which moulds are listed as causative agents.
• Miscellaneous inflammations. Mould in the home can lead to the growth of bacteria and microbes in the body and cause inflammatory reactions.
• Sinusitis. Mould increases the likelihood of developing sinusitis and other respiratory diseases.

Read more about Mould damage to the body: what are the potential health risks?

How to eradicate mould at home?

How to eradicate mould, how to remove mould from walls, etc. are questions that many owners of flats, houses, offices and commercial premises are asking. There are a wide variety of ways to eradicate mould in the home, but the most popular ones are the ones we are discussing.

Home remediation is effective if the mould has not spread very much. Areas affected by mould can be treated successfully:

• Act;
• a solution of water and baking soda;
• tea tree oil;
• lemon juice;
• hydrogen peroxide;
• household bleach with chlorine;
• household soap, etc.

The secret to removing mould with home remedies is to thoroughly clean and dry the affected areas. Read more about mould remedies here.

Professional mould removal

If you are unsure whether you can get rid of mould permanently on your own, if you are afraid of damaging surfaces, or if mould covers large areas, it is recommended that you contact a specialist mould removal service.

We’ll choose the most appropriate mould control methodologies, guarantee excellent results, help you avoid mould-related ailments, and offer you friendly pricing. Want advice on how to eradicate mould? Get in touch – free advice from our qualified staff!

Mould prevention is also very important

If you have successfully eradicated the mould, but do not address the cause of its growth, it is likely that the mould will return, or worse, attack again and again.

So you need to keep your home at optimum temperature and humidity, ventilate your rooms and install a reliable ventilation system or air conditioning.