Do-It-Yourself Black Mold Removal - What You Need To Know

Depending on how bad your infestation of mold is

you can perform the black mold removal yourself by following the proper

removal instructions. The removal process can be somewhat of a tedious

p...

Depending on how bad your infestation of mold is

you can perform the black mold removal yourself by following the proper

removal instructions. The removal process can be somewhat of a tedious

procedure and it is important that the necessary steps are taken in

order to prevent further spread of this toxic mold.

Identifying the Issue

First

is it important to make sure you have identified the issue properly.

There are kits out there that you can use to test to see if the spot

you are curious about is toxic or not. Another way is to hire a

specialist to come out and assess the area. Once you know for sure what

you are dealing with (i.e. whether or not it's mold, and whether or not

it's toxic) you will to want to remove the mold as quickly and safely

as possible.

Removing Black Mold

The

severity of the infestation will determine the level of removal

necessary. If you caught it quickly enough and it's contained to a

small area, you can easily clean it with distilled white vinegar,

detergent and water. If your case is more serious you will have to

purchase a special cleaner. The process is much more involved in severe

cases than when removing black mold from a small contained spot.

Step 1: Seal Off the Area

You

want to first seal off the area that contains the toxic substance. This

is to prevent spores from spreading to other areas of the building or

home. If the contaminated area is near a door or window you should

place an exhaust fan inside the contained area and open the door or the

window to the outside. This will create a negative pressure that will

blow the spores outside.

Step 2: Protect Yourself

Wear

protective clothing that covers your entire body and make sure the

clothes can be easily removed and easily disposed of. A Tyvek suit is

highly recommended as well as a face mask or respirator, gloves and eye

goggles while performing black mold removal. If possible, place an air

humidifier in the contained area as well to help prevent mold spores

from spreading further.

Step 3: Clean the Contaminated Area

If

the area is dry you will want to wet it a bit before you start to

clean. This will lessen the chance of the mold spores becoming

airborne. You then want to clean the area with soap and water removing

as much mold as possible. Once finished, it is time to use cleaner

specifically designed for mold removal. This will help kill the toxic

substance more permanently to help ensure it does not come back.

Step 4: Discard Safely & Properly

Once

you are finished, be sure to dispose of all your cleaning rags and

protective gear in a heavy duty plastic bag and make sure it is tightly

sealed. Dispose of it as soon as possible away from your home or

building. The sooner these materials are out of the facility, the

better chance you have of recurrence.