How to Prevent Mold From Growing in a Home

Mold can often form in a home when conditions are right. Mold can form on any moist and warm surface, as well as surfaces that are made of natural materials such as cotton, drywall and wood. Some strands of mold can be very dangerous and are known to be associated with many health problems. Even if you are not dealing with a harmful strand of mold, many people are allergic to mold spores from any strand of mold.

• Using a high quality dehumidifier can often be an effective way at preventing mold from forming in your home. A dehumidifier circulates your air and filters out the moisture that is in it. By removing the moisture from your air, mold will not be able to thrive and grow as well as it would in a humid environment. If you live in an area that is hot and humid, you may want to invest in a quality dehumidifier to prevent this common problem.

• Check for leaky pipes on a regular basis. Kitchen and bathroom sink drains can sometimes loosen up over time and cause a leak to form under your sink. This is a great place for mold to form that can often go unnoticed for a while. By regularly checking your pipes you can ensure that they are not becoming loose; which could lead to a mold problem underneath your kitchen or bathroom sink.

• Clean out your refrigerator and other food storage areas regularly. Cleanup any spills that form in your refrigerator right away to prevent mold from forming. You should check all food regularly to ensure that it is still within the use by date provided by the manufacture. Discard of any food that is outdated, so that it does not have a chance to grow and spread mold in your refrigerator or pantry.

• Your bathroom is a common place for mold to occur due to the high moisture level in most bathrooms. You can prevent this by running your exhaust fan while you are showering, as well as for an additional 15 minutes after you have finished showering. This will remove any remaining moisture that was caused by the steam from your shower.

• Bath towels, dish rags, washcloths, and sponges are all a common places for mold to form. Wash your towels, dishrags and washcloths regularly after every couple of uses. You also want to lay bath towels over a surface that will allow them to dry in a flattened out position. When a towel or rag is allowed to dry in a crumpled position it allows pockets of moisture to remain which will often lead to mold.