Mold and mildew problems are the bane of every house owner’s life – there’s nothing worse than seeing your beautifully refitted luxury bathroom come out in a bad rash of black spores that no amount of scrubbing will get rid of.

If you’ve got a problem with mold in your home, then this is the right website for you, we will show you how to remove mildew and get rid of that mildew smell.  We’ve scoured the globe to find everything you need to know about mildew, exactly what is it and what causes it to thrive? How does mildew negatively affect your home environment, and what are the best ways and the best products available to use in the UK and the US for mold and mildew removal and how do you prevent mildew coming back.

Mildew problem

So what exactly is it? Mildew is what we see as a thin layer of black, dark blue/green or white growth caused by molds which are simple plant species belonging to the group of plants known as fungi. The molds that produce mildew regenerate by releasing microscopic spores which simply drift around in the air, waiting for the right temperature and conditions to be present in order to grow. Usually these molds like the warm, dark, humid, airless nooks and crannies in your home but there are some molds that thrive in colder, drafty places.  Apart from temperature and humidity levels, mold also needs something to feed on.  The most common food stuff for household molds are natural materials such as cotton, silk, linen, wool, leather, wood, paper, and also a few manufactured materials such as grout or silicone sealant and the plastic used in shower curtains.  As a result most homes are susceptible to an attack of mildew, and in particular in the rooms and spaces of a home that are damper and that don’t get much light or fresh air, such as the bathroom or the basement.

Is it hazardous?  For the most part, common household mildew is not seriously hazardous, but in individuals that are more sensitive to certain molds or in situations where there is a high concentration of mold symptoms such as skin rashes, irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, headaches, fatigue and asthma can be triggered.  In serious cases where individuals have an already compromised immune systems, molds such as apergillus fumigatus, for example, can cause aspergillosis in the lungs.  Mold is also linked to “sick building syndrome”.    The other negative affect of mildew in your home is that it is extremely unsightly, can stain products in your home and it is essentially eating away at the material to which it has attached itself. This is why mold and mildew removal is so important.

Solutions for Mold and Mildew Removal

So, what can you do about removing mildew in your home? You can start by trying to prevent mold settling in you home in the first place by keeping it clean, minimizing damp and keeping those areas susceptible to damp well ventilated.  The natural abundance of water in the air can be countered by regularly heating the air in your home and then allowing the hot, dry air to escape from the home by simply opening the windows and you can also use dehumidifiers, moisture-absorbing silica gel or anhydrous calcium sulphate to help absorb excess water. You can also consider using commercial products specially developed to help prevent mildew growing, such as anti-mildew paint for woodwork, wax to protect leather products, and anti-mildew aerosol sprays for fabrics.  Once mildew takes hold in your home, there are also a number of chlorine bleach mildew removers, cleaning methods that will help kill mildew and stop it spreading, and mildew stain removal products available.  With careful research you will find the right mildew remover for your specific mildew problem.

So, there is plenty that can be done to prevent mildew growing in your home or to treat mildew if it does occur.  As with all aspects of maintaining a healthy home, vigilance and cleanliness is key.  And you only need to follow simple steps to ensure that you have the pleasant mildew free environment you deserve.

As with other household items that are susceptible to mildew growth, there are some products available commercially which have been designed specifically to treat mildew on textiles, leather, paper, clothing and jewelry.  It is usually sufficient to follow the directions specified on these products, but here are a few handy hints and homemade recipes to help you remove mold and mildew from these more delicate household items.

For textiles there are a number of homemade recipes that you can try before resorting to a chemical solution.  If you need to clean a colored fabric first make sure that the fabric is colorfast.  The easiest way to do this is to rub the colored fabric against a white fabric – if the white fabric gets stained with the color then the colored fabric is not colorfast.  As long as the fabric is colorfast you can then try soaking it in a solution of 1 cup of buttermilk mixed with 1 gallon of cold water.  Leave it to soak overnight and then wash the fabric on a cold cycle in the washing machine using your usual fabric detergent.  Another recipe you can try is mixing together ¼ cup of salt, ¼ cup of lemon juice and 1 pint of warm water.  Rub the paste into the affected area of the fabric and let it sit for half an hour.  Then wash in the washing machine as normal with your usual detergent.  For white fabric the best method of mildew removal for stains is by soaking in bleach mixed with water for about ten minutes, then rinse thoroughly and wash as usual.

For leather goods that have an unpleasant layer of mold growing on them, first brush off as much of the loose mold spores as possible – do this outside to avoid excessive inhalation of the spores. Then wipe away the remaining mildew with a cloth dampened in a solution of 1 cup denatured or rubbing alcohol to 1 cup water.  If further leather cleaning is necessary use regular washing detergent and finally allow the leather item to dry out completely before treating with wax or polish.

If books or paper have been affected by mildew and they are now dry, then simply remove the loose mildew spores with a clean, soft cloth.  It may not be possible to completely get rid of the mildew stains. If the paper is still damp, then you must first dry it out in a well-ventilated place.  You can speed up the drying process by sprinkling cornstarch or talcum powder between the pages of a book.  Then when the book is dry, simply brush off the starch or powder along with the dry mold spores.  If a book has leather bindings then follow the recipe above to wipe off the mold before applying wax to protect the leather.

If you have a mildew problem in your home, you have two options.  One way is to simply dispose of the items that the mildew has attached itself to; but this can be a costly way of dealing with mildew. A less drastic approach would be to try to salvage your home effects by killing the mold that has caused the mildew and then cleaning away the residual stain.  To do this you can use one of the numbers of commercial products aimed at doing just this, as well as a few homemade recipes that you can try. You will need to think carefully about the method you use to remove the mildew depending on the material of the item that is affected.

If you prefer to use a specially developed commercial product, the first thing to check is whether the product is suitable for home interiors or exteriors, as well as the types of material it can be applied to.  Some products are suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications.  It is also worth noting that different products contain differing degrees of toxic chemicals, usually a form of bleach or ammonia.  There are products on the market, which claim to be environmentally friendly and non-toxic, and in my opinion I would try these products first. You should get a good mildew removal results provided you don’t have really deeply engrained mildew problem.  If the eco-friendly product doesn’t completely remove the mildew then you can try a harsher bleach or ammonia based product.

Once you have chosen a mildew removing product, the next thing to make sure of is that you have the correct application tools – usually a sponge and flannel cloth are sufficient – as well as sensible protective clothing such as rubber gloves.  If you are using a bleach or ammonia based product make sure you use it in a well-ventilated space, or aim to minimize your exposure to the fumes.  Follow the instructions on the product carefully.

Most homemade mildew removal recipes involve combining 1/3 cup household detergent, 1 quart household chlorine bleach, 3 quarts warm water and ½ cup sodium bicarbonate.  Please note that sodium bicarbonate should not be used on aluminum surfaces.

When using either commercial products or homemade recipes, test the product on a small area of the material to be treated first to make sure it does not result in discoloration or damage.