The Chronicle , 12/18/2001

Mold needs moisture to grow, so the best way to stop or control the growth of mold in your home is by eliminating moisture:

Stop all water leaks. Repair leaking roots and plumbing fixtures. Move water away from concrete slabs and basement walls.

Open doors and windows to let outside air inside, which at this time of year is cooler than the air inside your home. Cool or cold air holds less moisture than warm air, even when it's raining.

Install and use exhaust fans in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms.

Ventilate and insulate attics and crawl spaces. Cover earth floors in crawl spaces with heavy plastic.

Clean and dry water-damaged carpets, clothing, bedding, upholstered furniture within 24 to 48 hours. Consider removing and replacing damaged furnishings. Consider replacing carpets with vinyl floor covering.

Vacuum and clean your home regularly.

Wear gloves, goggles and a mask while working.

Seal off the area from the rest of your home. Cover heat registers or ventilation ducts and grills. Open a window before you start working.

Bag and discard anything that is too moldy to clean.

Scrub all hard surfaces with a solution of 1/4 cup of bleach to one quart of water. Wait 20 minutes and repeat.

Rinse those surfaces with a mild detergent solution, such as laundry detergent and lukewarm water.

Clean the entire area. Vacuum floors, wash clothes and bedding if they have been exposed.

Any areas that cover 1 00 square feet, the size of two full Sheetrock panels completely covered with mold, may be better cleaned by professionals. Check under "Fire and Water Damage Restoration" in the yellow pages.

If you must clean such an area yourself, make sure you wear a particle mask approved by the U. S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration

Remove all your furnishings to a neutral area, then follow the steps for cleaning small areas.

Washable and permeable (clothes, bedding): Run through the laundry.

Washable but not permeable (wood, glass, metal, plastic, ceramics): Apply a solution of a capful of bleach to a quart of water. Test the solution before you apply it, so it does not fade the colors.

Permeable but not washable (beds, furniture): If any part of these items is black with mold, discard them. If they are only spotted with mold and you must keep them, take them outside or into the garage and use a solution of detergent (not bleach) and water to wipe them down. Let them dry in the sun, then vacuum them. If you can detect no moldy odor, they are probably OK.

Books: If the covers or a few pages of a book are moldy, cleaning and drying them should remove the spores. If a book is covered with mold and discarding it is not an option, consult the University of Washington's Preservation Web site at www.lib.washington.edu/Preservation/. Click on the "Caring for Your Personal Collections" and "Web Resources" links.

Source: Washington Department of Health

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