Mold abatement can be safely done on your own if you understand how to protect yourself and your home from further contamination. Do it yourself mold abatement starts with finding the moisture source that is allowing your mold to live.
Mold needs food which is any kind of organic matter including regular household dust. Mold requires oxygen which is all over and mold needs moisture!
The only controllable part of mold growth that can be eliminated is the moisture. The moisture source could be humidity, it could be a leak in the roof, leaky bath tub, leaking pipes, and it could be a leaking foundation too. You should have a good idea about your moisture source, unless it is just an overall musty basement.
The damp basement needs a de-humidifier and you need to stop condensation on the walls and floor from the changes in humidity versus the constant temperature of the basement walls. Make sure to include your crawl space also. So you may need to add HVAC to your basement or crawl space, but at least de-humidify it all year.
Once the moisture problem is solved, it's now time for mold abatement. Areas of mold that are one foot by one foot in area, simply take a see through garbage bag and tape the opening to the area around the mold. This serves as a protective containment. Once you start cleaning you will be creating a microscopic dust storm of mold spores. The plastic containment keeps them from contaminating your home.
Next make sure you have a mold remover such as Blinko bleach or an off the shelf mold cleaner that will not harm the finish of where you are cleaning. Cut the plastic with a opening large enough to get your hand and arm. Spray down the area and let the mold killer have enough kill time to allow for the best mold abatement.
Wipe the affected area with an old rag or paper towel. Once you are done leave the rag inside the containment and remove your hand. Place another plastic bag over the slit and pull the rag out into the plastic bag. Immediately tie up the bag and dispose of outside.
Next, I take a Lysol type of spray and completely saturate the space within the containment and let it sit a while. Then I dispose of the containment.
Larger Mold Abatement
Large areas mean you construct a large plastic containment using paint tarp type of clear plastic and duct tape. If you are in the wall, you cover all around the affected area. You put a plastic floor, ceiling and then attach around the moldy target. Leave an overlapping flap so that you can enter.
You will be wearing old disposable clothes or a bunny suit. You will need a N-95 mask, goggles without holes and place all of your rags and equipment inside the containment. Take down the wall and throw the material away in a plastic bag while still in the containment. Once finished tie up the plastic bag. Saturate the moldy area and clean it up per instructions on your Moldicide.
Once clean up is complete and everything is bagged, you will decontaminate the inside of your containment. Spray it down completely and wipe it up. Dispose of everything in a plastic bag and tie it up. Then remove your protective clothing and throw it away too. Last wipe down the garbage bags and immediately have an assistant take the bags to outside of the house.
Carefully dismantle your containment and bag it too. Dispose of it outside as well.
For the best mold abatement results, once the barrier is built, create a negative pressure by installing a plastic pipe line to a window. Most serious containments have a HEPA filter that draws its air from inside the containment and blows it outside. That will keep spores inside the containment at worst and it will evacuate them outside at best.
Mold needs food which is any kind of organic matter including regular household dust. Mold requires oxygen which is all over and mold needs moisture!
The only controllable part of mold growth that can be eliminated is the moisture. The moisture source could be humidity, it could be a leak in the roof, leaky bath tub, leaking pipes, and it could be a leaking foundation too. You should have a good idea about your moisture source, unless it is just an overall musty basement.
The damp basement needs a de-humidifier and you need to stop condensation on the walls and floor from the changes in humidity versus the constant temperature of the basement walls. Make sure to include your crawl space also. So you may need to add HVAC to your basement or crawl space, but at least de-humidify it all year.
Once the moisture problem is solved, it's now time for mold abatement. Areas of mold that are one foot by one foot in area, simply take a see through garbage bag and tape the opening to the area around the mold. This serves as a protective containment. Once you start cleaning you will be creating a microscopic dust storm of mold spores. The plastic containment keeps them from contaminating your home.
Next make sure you have a mold remover such as Blinko bleach or an off the shelf mold cleaner that will not harm the finish of where you are cleaning. Cut the plastic with a opening large enough to get your hand and arm. Spray down the area and let the mold killer have enough kill time to allow for the best mold abatement.
Wipe the affected area with an old rag or paper towel. Once you are done leave the rag inside the containment and remove your hand. Place another plastic bag over the slit and pull the rag out into the plastic bag. Immediately tie up the bag and dispose of outside.
Next, I take a Lysol type of spray and completely saturate the space within the containment and let it sit a while. Then I dispose of the containment.
Larger Mold Abatement
Large areas mean you construct a large plastic containment using paint tarp type of clear plastic and duct tape. If you are in the wall, you cover all around the affected area. You put a plastic floor, ceiling and then attach around the moldy target. Leave an overlapping flap so that you can enter.
You will be wearing old disposable clothes or a bunny suit. You will need a N-95 mask, goggles without holes and place all of your rags and equipment inside the containment. Take down the wall and throw the material away in a plastic bag while still in the containment. Once finished tie up the plastic bag. Saturate the moldy area and clean it up per instructions on your Moldicide.
Once clean up is complete and everything is bagged, you will decontaminate the inside of your containment. Spray it down completely and wipe it up. Dispose of everything in a plastic bag and tie it up. Then remove your protective clothing and throw it away too. Last wipe down the garbage bags and immediately have an assistant take the bags to outside of the house.
Carefully dismantle your containment and bag it too. Dispose of it outside as well.
For the best mold abatement results, once the barrier is built, create a negative pressure by installing a plastic pipe line to a window. Most serious containments have a HEPA filter that draws its air from inside the containment and blows it outside. That will keep spores inside the containment at worst and it will evacuate them outside at best.
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