How to Clean Items Contaminated by Mold
When a home is contaminated with mold, it can become dangerous for the inhabitants. When looking into mold restoration, most articles address identifying the cause of the mold and taking steps to restore the area of the home that has been damaged. What often goes unaddressed is the subsequent need to clean and decontaminate household items that may have been contaminated. Decontaminating items is also necessary to prevent health problems.
Identify Restorable Items
Mold growing on your walls can easily contaminate other objects in your home including your furniture.
Before attempting to clean items, it is first necessary to identify which items have been contaminated and determine which of those items are restorable. If items have visible evidence of mold contamination or have a musty smell, these items are contaminated. Certain porous items such as ceiling tiles, wallpaper, and upholstered furniture may hold moisture inside, so they are generally not restorable. Non-porous items such as glasses and metal cabinets are usually restorable.
Discard Non-Restorable Items
Items that are porous and may be contaminated internally should generally be discarded. It can be expensive to clean even semi-porous or non-porous items, so it may be logical to discard contaminated items that are lower in value and inexpensive to replace. Consulting with a professional may help you to determine whether you are better off discarding or cleaning certain items.
Determine Best Cleaning Process
There are several different processes that can be used to clean items contaminated by mold and each one may work best for different situations. It is possible to set up an area in the home or garage where items can be cleaned, packed, and removed from the home to be stored until home restoration is complete. It is also possible to remove all of the contaminated items from the home and clean the items as they are brought back in following restoration.
Alternatively, items contaminated with mold may be removed and cleaned at a facility that is designated for such purposes. This method may be advantageous, as professional facilities often have devices and products that can be used to clean otherwise non-restorable items. Professionals may be able to clean books, papers, and clothing, which is not possible without specialized equipment.
Call in Professionals
Cleaning items that have been contaminated by mold is dangerous and can have adverse effects on the health of the home inhabitants if not done properly. It is important to call mold remediation professionals in order to protect health and ensure proper mold removal and cleaning. In addition to cleaning and restoration, professionals may help to prevent future mold contamination issues.
