Mold in Your Home

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 2009

Mold can grow on your basement wall, shower door, or even in your refrigerator. If conditions are right, mold can grow just about anywhere in your home. Mold spores in the air can cause illness, so reducing mold in the home is important for your health.

"Mold is a microscopic fungus that releases spores into the air," explains Lois Smith, University of Illinois Extension consumer and family economics educator. "The spores settle on surfaces and grow, sometimes producing a musty smell. Mold can appear as a discoloration of white, orange, green, brown, or black growth. Mildew is a common mold."

Conditions that support mold growth on various surfaces include warm temperatures of 77 to 86 degrees, moisture or high humidity, and oxygen. Molds thrive on organic materials such as cotton and wool fibers, paper, leather, and wood, or on surfaces that contain even tiny amounts of food, grease, or soil. Mold growth can deteriorate wood and clothing.

Typical problem areas for mold include the bathroom, laundry room, and basement since they are areas of high humidity. In the basement, condensation from an air conditioner or dehumidifier, leaky pipes, or water standing in sump pump areas can support mold growth. Shower walls in bathrooms are also common areas for mold.

If mold appears on walls or floors, first clean the surfaces with a detergent. Then mix a solution of 1/4 cup chlorine bleach (5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite) with 1 gallon of water to disinfect the area. Allow the solution to stay on the surface for 15 minutes before rinsing with clean water. Use a fan, dehumidifier, and air conditioner to dry the surface quickly. If the outdoor air is dry, a window can be opened to help promote drying. The chlorine/water solution will kill the mold. However, new mold growth will appear on the same surface if the conditions continue to be right for growth.

"To prevent mold growth, keep surfaces clean and dry," advises Smith. "In humid conditions, use a dehumidifier to dry the air and turn on fans to help with air circulation. Wipe down shower stalls after use and vent clothes dryers to the outside of the house. Seal cracks in basement walls to keep moisture out."

For more tips on preventing and eliminating mold in the home, visit the You and Your Family website at http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/regions/SIfamily/. You'll find a free fact sheet in the Around the House section of the website.