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It's usually the awful smell that gives it away!
You know that nasty smell of clothes that didn't get properly dry before they were stored? Mold can be worse than that! When you can't see the hidden mold, the smell would give it away. But, you still need to find the mold.
How? The first step is to understand the causes of mold. You see, mold is a type of fungi that's airborne. These fungi can stay in the air for a long time without bothering you in the form of mold spores. But once it finds a moist, warm area, settles in and starts growing, you need to get it out.
Mold can do a number on your health, especially if you're allergic to it. Long-term mold exposure is not advisable. It is also hazardous to infants, the aged, and people with a weak immune system. Now, you know it's bad. How do you find it?
Well, the next step is to search the usual suspects.
We have highlighted a few places we commonly find mold growth. Note that you might still find it difficult to see that mold without a professional apartment mold inspection, even with our list!
Are you wondering why it could be difficult for you to do a mold inspection with our list and find the mold? It's simple really. You don't inspect mold for a living! It's not your job to notice even the slightest sign of mold growth like these mold inspectors.
Also, you don't have any training for it. You have not taken any course in residential mold inspection or mold assessment. Even if you can scale these hurdles, you are not equipped to find hidden mold. Mold inspectors have specialized equipment that aids their job.
Then why do you need to know the likely places for mold growth? You don't need to know how to find hidden mold in your house. The knowledge is so that you can prevent mold growth in the first place.
Related article:
Advantages of hiring a mold inspection company
With each of these mold hiding places revealed, we have added tips to help you keep them at bay!
Let's jump right into it!
Think about it - you shower every day, crank the heat up sometimes, and maybe leave a little dirt behind in this area. Your bathroom has all that mold needs to grow! Let's look at some of the problem areas you should keep in check!
You keep your toilet pretty clean. But do you ever think to wash under the toilet rim where the water rushes from? The answer is no for most people. The combination of moisture and warmth in that place allows mold growth. Get a good brush and vinegar, water, baking soda mix to clean that area.
Your electric toothbrush can harbor mold. It certainly touches water every day with its holder. You leave your brush to drip into this holder every day and don't wash it when you do general cleaning. Mold can build up there in no time. Ensure you get these spots cleaned daily.
The kitchen is a hive of likely places for mold growth. You use water almost every time in this area of the house. Add the increased humidity from cooking, and mold has certainly found a happy place. Let's take a look at some of the common problem areas.
These kitchen appliances that often come in contact with moisture are suspect. Your microwave also remains warm after your cooking and gathers moisture as it cools off. These appliances often harbor mold in their rims and seals. You can prevent it by constant careful cleaning. For your oven, heat a glass of vinegar. The fumes would stop the mold in its tracks.
Your refrigerator or freezer drip pan is a mold suspect. Yes, that little tray under your fridge that you never take time to clean. The mix of food crumbs and water allows mold to conveniently grow in your fridge or freezer. Always wash this tray as often as you can.
Just a little leak under your kitchen sink added with the trash you probably store there and you have a mold problem on your hands. Make sure you clean this area regularly and fix any leaks immediately. You might also want to consider getting storage baskets. Remember to clean that area.
You might think your living area shouldn't be a hot spot for mold like the two above. Well, mold can be real sneaky. There are lots of places to hide in your living room.
Your carpet and rug trap a lot of dirt, dust, skin cells. Add a little spill or flood problem to these organic matters and voila! Mold is here! You can prevent it by regularly vacuuming with mold-resistant products.
Mold can grow in the crevices and cracks of your window. Those black spots are not rust. You are looking at the slow invasion of mold. Keep condensation low around your window and clean the area as often as possible.
We know it's gross but it's true. Children put their toys in their mouths a lot which allows moisture to accumulate on your toys. It allows for mold growth on these toys. Ensure your children's toys often get a visit to the washer.
Mold can hide in your drywall and wallpaper. These areas can come in contact with moisture due to a leak or flood and start growing mold without it showing. You should always paint with mold-resistant paint to prevent mold. Check and clean these areas often!
Does nine seem like a lot of places to check? Well, the list doesn't end there!
Here is an additional list of other random areas to check!
Yup! Mold can grow in a whole lot of places. It's a time-wasting ultimate search!
But if you look and you do find mold, what should you do?
The answer is not immediate removal as most DIY solutions would lead you to believe. When you find mold in one place, it is usually present in another that you can't see.
So, the answer is to order a professional mold inspection service. After the inspection, you can get professional mold remediation and removal. Whatever you do, ensure you use a professional service.
Are you looking for a professional mold inspection service near me? O2 Mold Testing has all you need! Our service areas are situated all over the country. We love helping our customers inspect the property and find all the hidden mold with modern equipment. We love helping our customers inspect the property and finding all the hidden mold with modern equipment.
Our services include air/surface probes, laboratory mold testing, moisture and leak detection, and visual mold inspection. Whatever mold inspection and testing assistance you need, our polite and experienced technicians would help you.
Don't let mold take over your house!