NDSU Extension Service Provides Tips for Fighting Mold

Provided by NDSU Extension Service

Wet material needs to be dried quickly because mold can grow in about two days, according to a North Dakota State University Extension Service agricultural engineer.

"If you see or smell mold, you have a problem," Ken Hellevang says.

Several North Dakotans are scrambling to clean up after recent heavy rain flooded their homes.

Hellevang says mold must be removed because it may affect people even if it has been killed with a biocide. People may be allergic to mold spores floating in the air or to mold fragments.

Exposure to mold may cause coldlike symptoms, watery eyes and a sore throat, and can trigger asthma attacks. People exposed to high spore levels may experience a reaction in their respiratory system.

Signs of mold include a musty odor and discoloration of surfaces. Mold may change surfaces to white, green, brown, black or orange. Hellevang doesn't recommend testing for mold because reliable sampling can be expensive.

Hellevang recommends homeowners take water-damaged items, such as clothing, bedding, furniture and rugs, outside to dry as soon as possible to prevent mold from growing. They should use an air conditioner or dehumidifier or open windows for cross-ventilation to remove moisture in the home and run fans to circulate the air over wet surfaces.

Once mold is growing, the process to remove it is the same for all types, he says. Here are some basic tips for dealing with items that become moldy:

• Throw out porous material.

• Clean nonporous material such as hard plastic, glass and metal.

• Remove mold using a soap or detergent. Do not mix ammonia and chlorine bleach because it creates a toxic gas.

• Treat structural wood surfaces from which mold can't be removed completely with enough bleach solution to keep the surface moist for at least 15 minutes. The solution should

consist of a cup of chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Then dry the surfaces quickly.

For more information about removing mold from specific types of items, visit the NDSU Extension Service Web site at www.ext.nodak.edu/extpubs/ageng/safety/ae1179w.htm or contact your county Extension Service office.