{"id":2981,"date":"2021-12-07T05:10:11","date_gmt":"2021-12-07T05:10:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mould-removal.com.au\/?p=2981"},"modified":"2021-12-16T14:12:31","modified_gmt":"2021-12-16T04:12:31","slug":"how-to-get-rid-of-mould","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mould-removal.com.au\/how-to-get-rid-of-mould\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Get Rid of Mould"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1636580134046{margin-bottom: 30px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column]<style type=\"text\/css\" data-type=\"the7_shortcodes-inline-css\">#default-btn-65428f03b6bb7cd7e3055c4c577a63d8.ico-right-side > i {\n  margin-right: 0px;\n  margin-left: 8px;\n}\n#default-btn-65428f03b6bb7cd7e3055c4c577a63d8 > i {\n  margin-right: 8px;\n}\n<\/style><a href=\"tel:+1300219441\" class=\"default-btn-shortcode dt-btn dt-btn-l link-hover-off btn-inline-left \" id=\"default-btn-65428f03b6bb7cd7e3055c4c577a63d8\"><i class=\"fas fa-phone-alt\"><\/i><span>1300 219 441<\/span><\/a>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Let&#8217;s look at the complete mould removal process and all its elements. There is no shortcut if you want to get rid of mould, you need to follow the process thoroughly. Remember that you should always trust mould remediation professionals. However, if you have less than a few square metres of mould, you may want to remove it yourself.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1638836554372{margin-top: 35px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column]<div id=\"ultimate-heading-620666085e8eaba24\" class=\"uvc-heading ult-adjust-bottom-margin ultimate-heading-620666085e8eaba24 uvc-6700 accent-border-color uvc-heading-default-font-sizes\" data-hspacer=\"line_only\"  data-halign=\"left\" style=\"text-align:left\"><div class=\"uvc-main-heading ult-responsive\"  data-ultimate-target='.uvc-heading.ultimate-heading-620666085e8eaba24 h3'  data-responsive-json-new='{\"font-size\":\"\",\"line-height\":\"\"}' ><h3 style=\"--font-weight:theme;\">Mould Removal Steps:<\/h3><\/div><div class=\"uvc-heading-spacer line_only\" style=\"margin-top:15px;margin-bottom:35px;height:4px;\"><span class=\"uvc-headings-line\" style=\"border-style:solid;border-bottom-width:4px;border-color:#76ba3a;width:50px;\"><\/span><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_column][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Inspect and assess the damage<\/li>\n<li>Correct the source of the mould<\/li>\n<li>Wear appropriate\u00a0PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)<\/li>\n<li>Contain the damage<\/li>\n<li>Mould Cleaning<\/li>\n<li>Structural drying and Air Filtration<\/li>\n<li>Post remediation testing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>1. Correction of mould source<\/h4>\n<p>As mentioned in our previous articles, you will need to deal with the mould source first, or the mould will come back again. And in 100% of cases, moisture is a contribution to mould growth. To track down the moisture source and correct it then proceed onto the next step.<\/p>\n<p>Have a look at our\u00a0<strong><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"\/index.php\/2021\/11\/10\/mould-prevention-tips\/\">mould prevention<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0article for some ideas on what could be causing the mould.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>2. Wear PPE<\/h4>\n<p>You will most likely be exposed to mould spores throughout the mould removal process. Your immune system is like a cup, the mould may not affect you straight away, but constant exposure can fill your cup to overflowing and you can make you very sick. What PPE should you wear<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Tyvek Style suite<\/li>\n<li>Gloves taped at the wrists<\/li>\n<li>Full face mask or at least a P3 rated mask<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>3. Contain the Damage<\/h4>\n<p>You will need to install containment barriers to ensure the mould is not spread during the remediation process. Mould spores travel through currents and can easily spread throughout the house<\/p>\n<p>You may want to consider using negative air to suck clean air into the environment and to dispel some of the mould spores out of the environment. This is best done with a\u00a0<strong>HEPA air\u00a0Scrubber.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mould-removal.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/mouldcontainmentbarrier.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Picture of typical mould containment barrier<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>4. Mould Cleaning<\/h4>\n<p>How we remove mould from walls, ceilings structure usually uses the following process (or a variation of it):<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>HEPA vacuum all of the surfaces \u2014 No shortcuts here, vacuum all of them!<\/li>\n<li>Damp wipe surfaces with mild detergent<\/li>\n<li>HEPA\u00a0Vacuum again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Have a look at our<strong>\u00a0<a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"\/index.php\/2021\/12\/07\/how-to-kill-mould\/\">how to kill mould<\/a> <\/strong>article which will talk about the various mould cleaning solutions\/chemical we use.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Removing Mould From Wood<\/strong><br \/>\nAgain this is a variation of the HEPA sandwich process as mentioned above.<\/p>\n<p>Cleaning mould from wood is done by<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>HEPA vacuuming the surfaces first with a brush head<\/li>\n<li>Sanding down the surface<\/li>\n<li>HEPA vacuum again to remove residual mould spores<\/li>\n<li>The surfaces can then be cleaned with detergent and surfaces rinsed<\/li>\n<li>The wood should be dried back to its natural value is now ready for its final clean<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Notice there is no use of antimicrobial here. In some cases, you may want to consider spraying it on to have some residual effect.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mould-removal.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/mould-vacuume.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p>HEPA vacuum<\/p>\n<p><strong>Removing Mould from Carpet<\/strong><br \/>\nIt is very difficult to remove mould from carpet and as such we always recommend the carpet is replaced. Do not try to dry carpet mould with fans. This can spread mould spores throughout the property.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mould Removal Air Conditioner<\/strong><br \/>\nIt is vitally\u00a0important to remove mould from your air conditioning unit as well. If you do not remove mould from the air conditioning you could be spreading mould spores throughout the property after the remediation is complete<\/p>\n<p><strong>Removing mould from Contents and belongings<\/strong><br \/>\nThere are 3 levels of mould contamination to contents<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Condition 1 \u2014 typical mould levels<\/li>\n<li>Condition 2 \u2014\u00a0active mould growth \u00a0settled scores<\/li>\n<li>Condition 3\u00a0\u2014 visible mould growth<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Bare these conditions in mind as I explain the contents remediation process:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cleaning Mouldy Items<\/strong><br \/>\nAll belongings should be HEPA vacuumed thoroughly first then wiped with a detergent with the use of minimal water. The items should be dried properly and stored in a non-contaminated area while the mould remediation is being completed.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Porous Materials<\/strong><br \/>\nBy porous materials, I \u00a0generally mean things like carpet mattresses carpet underlay, fabrics and curtains. Generally, we will dispose of carpets and underlay but we have had a lot of success by recovering items such as clothes, stuffed toys, curtains and blinds. Have a look at this video we did a few years ago which shows our mould remediation process for soft contents<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"player_1\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gRgt9qavU_U?enablejsapi=1&amp;wmode=opaque\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>For toys and clothes, we generally wash them in the washing machine with warm water and enzyme-based cleaning. In our experience, if you are removing mould from contents items you really need to aim to have them fully submerged in water with the right amount of agitation, heat and correct chemical. This is why the washing machine really helps out here.<\/p>\n<p>For blinds and curtains, you may want to find a professional to do these because you will need a fairly large washing machine. Not to mention, some curtains can be dry cleaned only. Whatever way you choose to clean them, you should ensure that the method will physically remove the mould that has penetrated the fabric. If you cannot confirm this, then the restoration efforts have failed and the item may need to be disposed of.<\/p>\n<p>If you refer to the conditions I have noted above, you will need to understand that, the majority of restoration we do of mouldy contents is conditions 1 and 2. We can recover items that are condition 3, but it may take a lot more time and may not be economically viable.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>5. What about mould damaged papers and documents?<\/h4>\n<p>These items are porous and would need to be fully submerged in water and antimicrobial then dried. But how do you do this without wrecking the paper? There are all sorts of home solutions that may work, but I have never seen near-perfect results. The only method I have seen work well first-hand is freeze-drying. This is where you completely submerge the document and then it is dried in a freeze dryer.<\/p>\n<p>Now, this method is costly, so what most people do these days just scan the documents into a digital format.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Are You Packing Out The Contents?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sometimes you will need to pack the contents and belongings out of the premises to clean them. If you are doing this, make sure that you are storing them in an area where it will not be affecting the other contents in the area. What I mean is, you are cleaning the walls and ceiling in a room and you need to remove the mouldy contents, it would be wise to move those affected contents into an area with negative containment or into an outdoor area for remediation.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mould-removal.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/when-to-pack-out-belongings-for-mould-pic-300x200.jpg\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Structural drying and air filtration<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Now, much of the building material inside may still be retaining moisture, especially if there has been some sort of water damage event which has caused the mould problem in the first place. You should therefore dry these areas with air movers and dehumidifiers.<\/p>\n<p>You should also \u201cscrub\u201d the air with a HEPA air scrubber as a final step. This will help capture any remaining mould spores floating in the air.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>6. Post Remediation Testing<\/h4>\n<p>This is one of the most important steps, you should employ the services of a qualified\u00a0<strong><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"\/index.php\/services\/mould-inspection-assessment\/\">mould inspection<\/a><\/strong> to do a post-inspection of the area which includes air sampling and\u00a0<strong><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"\/index.php\/services\/mould-testing\/&quot;\">mould testing<\/a><\/strong>. If the remediation was not successful, the test results should confirm this and help you locate areas that may need more attention. It would be a shame if you went through the whole process to get rid of mould only to have it come back again because some mould spores and moisture was left behind.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>7. What Should You Do Next<\/h4>\n<p>This is an overview of how to get rid of mould and certainly some elements of this you may be able to do yourself. But we find in most larger cases, a professional should at least be consulted before spending your money and time removing the mould. If you would like to have a chat on the phone and are based in Brisbane, we would like to help just call us on <strong><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"tel:1300219441\">1300 219 441<\/a><\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=&#8221;middle&#8221; bg_type=&#8221;grad&#8221; bg_grad=&#8221;background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%, #124370), color-stop(100%, #83A8C4));background: -moz-linear-gradient(left,#124370 0%,#83A8C4 100%);background: -webkit-linear-gradient(left,#124370 0%,#83A8C4 100%);background: -o-linear-gradient(left,#124370 0%,#83A8C4 100%);background: -ms-linear-gradient(left,#124370 0%,#83A8C4 100%);background: linear-gradient(left,#124370 0%,#83A8C4 100%);&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1639627948708{margin-top: 40px !important;padding-top: 30px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;]<div id=\"ultimate-heading-393766085e8eaba67\" class=\"uvc-heading ult-adjust-bottom-margin ultimate-heading-393766085e8eaba67 uvc-1993  uvc-heading-default-font-sizes\" data-hspacer=\"no_spacer\"  data-halign=\"center\" style=\"text-align:center\"><div class=\"uvc-heading-spacer no_spacer\" style=\"top\"><\/div><div class=\"uvc-main-heading ult-responsive\"  data-ultimate-target='.uvc-heading.ultimate-heading-393766085e8eaba67 h4'  data-responsive-json-new='{\"font-size\":\"\",\"line-height\":\"\"}' ><h4 style=\"font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;color:#ffffff;\">Let Us Help<\/h4><\/div><div class=\"uvc-sub-heading ult-responsive\"  data-ultimate-target='.uvc-heading.ultimate-heading-393766085e8eaba67 .uvc-sub-heading '  data-responsive-json-new='{\"font-size\":\"\",\"line-height\":\"\"}'  style=\"font-weight:normal;\"><\/p>\n<h5 style=\"color: #76ba3a;\"><em>Operating Across SEQ and Greater Sydney<\/em><\/h5>\n<p><\/div><\/div>[\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;]<style type=\"text\/css\" data-type=\"the7_shortcodes-inline-css\">#default-btn-fe33202859f3529347749af9fea72184.ico-right-side > i {\n  margin-right: 0px;\n  margin-left: 8px;\n}\n#default-btn-fe33202859f3529347749af9fea72184 > i {\n  margin-right: 8px;\n}\n<\/style><div class=\"btn-align-center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mould-removal.com.au\/index.php\/quote\/\" class=\"default-btn-shortcode dt-btn dt-btn-l link-hover-off \" target=\"_blank\" id=\"default-btn-fe33202859f3529347749af9fea72184\" title=\"Quote\" rel=\"noopener\"><span>GET FAST QUOTE<\/span><\/a><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There is no shortcut if you want to get rid of mould, you need to follow the process thoroughly. Remember that you should always trust mould remediation professionals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1535,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[10,11,14,15],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mould-removal.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2981"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mould-removal.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mould-removal.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mould-removal.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mould-removal.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2981"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/mould-removal.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2981\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3618,"href":"https:\/\/mould-removal.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2981\/revisions\/3618"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mould-removal.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1535"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mould-removal.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mould-removal.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2981"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mould-removal.com.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}