Would you know what to look for if you had mold in your home? Sure it's easy to spot that green fungi growing on your sandwich bread, but what about the black stuff that can appear on places like drywall.
If you're seeing black spots that look similar to the green stuff, you've got a serious problem! Not only is that black fungus an ugly sight, it can also be very dangerous! While all molds should be eliminated immediately, most aren't as harmful as the black mold.
If you even suspect it's lurking on your walls or anywhere else in your home, you need to remove it immediately.
Drywall mold is a serious matter.
Before doing so however, you need to protect yourself.
Why? Because breathing in the stuff can be poisonous to your body.
It can cause respiratory problems, bleeding of the lungs, headaches, dizziness, nausea and other serious health problems.
So, before you get started, be sure to invest in a pair of rubber gloves, eye goggles and a respirator mask.
Your next step is to seal off the contaminated room to prevent fungus spores from becoming airborne while you work.
You can use a plastic sheet and duct tape to seal off the area or room.
Next you will need to determine how much damage there is.
It's really not uncommon for fungus to spread to other nearby areas.
Check the surrounding walls, floor and the ceiling.
Now here's the bad news.
There's no way to save this type of a moldy wall.
This is because the material cannot be penetrated below the area surface, which means any fungus below the surface cannot be removed.
So instead of trying to disinfect the problem area, you must cut the area out using a utility knife.
Once you have removed the affected area, you'll need to dispose of it in a sealed trash bag and remove it from your home.
Next, you'll need to clean the surrounding areas using a product that is specifically designed to remove molds.
Use a light touch to prevent surface damage and avoid using bleach.
While some may recommend using a bleach solution it's not advisable because it cannot penetrate below the area's surface.
Your next step will be to dry the areas thoroughly.
If you don't, you will risk allowing molds to re-grow on the wet surfaces.
Once you have completely dried the area and have eliminated all traces of the dangerous fungus, you can patch the surface where you removed the affected area.
On a final note, if you find that a rather large area of drywall is affected by mold, your best solution would be to hire a professional and have the entire wall replaced.
While this may seem like a costly solution, please try to remember that your health is more important than your bank account.
Stay safe, always!