Molds and Mildews: Everything You Need to Know

Molds and Mildews:  Are they in Your Home? 

Got Molds and Mildews?  Have you ever wondered why keeping yourself and your surroundings clean is an utmost important factor in our lives? Do dirty surroundings bother you? There are a lot of illnesses caused by harmful organisms just lurking around you daily.  That’s why we appreciate the importance of a clean and germ-free surroundings, especially in our homes. We may not be totally germ-free, but we try to clean up as much as we can.

Basically living in a clean environment creates a feeling of freedom! You can feel that you are free from harmful bacteria and germs that would cause a negative effect on our bodies. According to Benjamin Disraeli, “Cleanliness and order are not matters of instinct; they are matters of education, and like most great things, you must cultivate a taste for them.”  If you think about it, cleanliness leads to the betterment of human lives. Though it is hard to maintain a clean environment with all the trash, dust, and pollution around us, we must exert a lot of effort to do so. If the house is clean, then the person who also lives there is clean as the outside would reflect what’s on the inside.

Molds and mildews love water.  They need it to thrive. When there are mold and mildew, you can be sure that there will be bacteria and mycotoxins. Mold and mildew are both a type of fungi. Both of them can also cause you allergic reactions and compromise your immune system.

Difference between Molds and Mildews

So, is mildew and mold the same thing?  Mold develops in a moist environment. Mold is an essential part of the ecosystem because it is responsible for breaking down dead organic matter.  In addition, it helps in the regeneration of soil as well. Mold is found outdoors as well as indoors. Having it indoors and getting a mold infestation is not a good thing. However, don’t get me wrong.  Mold also has a positive side. Mold is used for our antibiotics. Mold has a variation of colors like black, brown, white, pink, blue, grey, or green in color. Mold will start to grow in about 24-48 hours after being exposed to moist surfaces or wet surfaces. Molds spores are airborne, that is why it is easily reproduced because they are everywhere. 

If you smell earthy, rotten, or spoiled cheese, that means that there is mold infestation in your surrounding area. Yes, that is not just the laundry you’ve been meaning to wash.  That rotten smell is your home telling you that you need to remove mold from your house. Exposure to molds creates a wide array of medical problems. Symptoms of mycotoxin exposure include a runny nose, sneezing, red eyes, skin rashes, and in severe cases, it also leads to the exacerbation of asthma. It is potentially toxic for humans and animals alike, and it needs to be treated as soon as possible.

Mildew is mold in the early stage; it is less harmful than molds. It has black, brown, yellow, white, orange or pink dusty in color. Also, like the molds, mildew spore is airborne and would develop around wet surfaces and can quickly spread through its surroundings. Mildew is less harmful, as mildew just needs to be managed and can sometimes be solved with a mildew cleaner.

Difference between Molds and Mildews:  Appearance and Extent

Molds and mildews both stink.  And the truth is, we are better off without the harmful kind.  However, they are also a bit different. For instance, mildew has a flat and powdery appearance while a mold is fuzzy.  It can also cause health problems but is easier to deal with because it only thrives on the surface of the material it has attached itself on to.  

Mold goes beyond the surface of the affected material.  Therefore, it is harder to remove. The common mistake of people is to use bleach on mold, which only addresses the visible part of the fungi.  As mold feeds of organic substances like wood, food, and fabric, it will attach and expand, and then it releases airborne spores. These spores are responsible for giving off mycotoxins.  They are the most harmful toxins known to mankind.

How to Prevent Molds and Mildews

Mold needs three things in order to thrive.  It needs oxygen, around 40-104 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature and water or moisture.  Knowing this, we need to eliminate these components as much as we can to make sure that molds and mildews don’t take over our house, property, and our lives.  

For example, if you have water on your windows due to condensation, you need to clean that, and you must not forget that you should not allow it to build up.  Your bathroom also has the humidity levels that mold loves. That is why it is so easy to spot mold on bathroom ceilings and floors. So, you can open your bathroom to suck out the air in the bathroom to help the humidity or always remember to turn on the exhaust fan.  When you cook, make sure you use the vent as well so that you can control the moisture and humidity levels.  

Also, remember to clean out and dry out any water problems as soon as you can.  The spores can take over between 24-48 hours. You must also make sure that you did not just clean the water up but attend to any material that may have been soaked by the water problem.  For example, if your carpet was soaked, you have to make sure to clean that up too as soon as you can. 

Having mildew and mold around our house is really annoying.  They are usually very hard to clean, and in severe cases, you’ll need to hire a professional to do it for you. It is not usually cheap, but it is better than having to combat different illnesses that can stem out of having them in your house.

Molds and Mildews are Inevitable

There is no escaping molds and mildews.  They are a part of our environment, and to be honest; there is no way we can completely eradicate them.  However, that does not mean that we have no choice but to allow them to cause us to get sick. We can prevent them from toxically infesting our house and property.  All we need to do is to be consistent in keeping our surroundings clean and try to remove any of the components that will allow them to thrive.

If you already have them in your homes or property, Mold Factor can help you with the remediation process.  We will assess the severity of the infestation and try to salvage your property in the most cost-efficient way possible without compromising your safety and your family’s health.  The earlier you address your mold and mildew problem, the less costly it’s going to be so don’t postpone it any longer. You need to act fast and beat them at their own game. Get your house checked and make sure you do not have an invisible guest around causing you harm.