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Author:
Martin Meyer

Both mold and mildew result from water invading a dark space. This space provides an environment where mold and mildew can grow.

Molds multiply by producing tiny spores. These spores waft through the indoor and outdoor air continually. When they land on a damp spot indoors, they begin growing and digesting whatever they are growing on in order to survive, such as wood, paper, carpet and foods.

When excessive moisture or water accumulates indoors, mold growth will often occur. It is thus important to dry water-damaged areas within 24-48 hours to prevent mold growth. If they area remains undiscovered long enough for mold to grow, follow these steps to conquer the problem:

1. Treat the source of the water invasion. Getting rid of the mold and mildew without first solving the water problem is a waste of time, effort and money. So before you treat the problem, treat the root of the problem by fixing leaky plumbing or other sources of leaks.
   

2. Wash the mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water, then dry completely. Absorbent materials, such as ceiling tiles and carpet that become moldy, may have to be replaced.
   

3. Spray the area with OdorXit solution (2 ounces per gallon of water). Because OdorXit is a contact chemistry odor eliminator, it must come in direct contact with the source of the odor to eliminate it. So be sure to directly spray the mold spots and the spoors around the area.

Now that you have eliminated the mold growth, you can prevent it from returning. Ways to do this include reducing indoor humidity by venting bathrooms, dryers and other moisture-generating sources to the outside. You can also use air conditioners and de-humidifiers, and prevent condensation on cold surfaces (i.e., windows, piping, exterior walls, roofs and floors) by adding insulation.

Another helpful method is to use exhaust fans whenever cooking, dishwashing and cleaning. Finally, do not install carpeting in areas where you have a perpetual moisture problem.

If you follow the above steps and the moisture-prevention tips, mold and mildew will no longer be a problem for you.
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Martin R Meyer is the President of Listening Systems, Inc., and OdorXit is the registered trademark of Listening Systems. Their mission is to provide the highest quality, safest odor-control products at a reasonable price and to offer the best available advice on solving odor problems, even if you don’t use their products. Visit http://www.odorxit.com for a full list of OdorXit products as well as valuable information on solving a wide range of odor problems.

| Article Keywords: Mold

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Mold... Toxic Mold Testing If a homeowner is tackling the toxic mold himself, he should invest in a facemask, safety goggles, and household rubber gloves, as inhaling or touching toxic mold can be poisonous. A mask, particularly the kind used by carpenters to keep from inhaling sawdust, would work well for this task. Lift-tape testing is an easy and effective way to test toxic mold. Using 1-inch wide and 3-inch long, clear adhesive tape, fold the tape under itself, sticky-side to sticky-side, and form a tab. Holding the tab, press the tape onto the mold-infected surface hard enough to get a sample on to the tape. However, do not press so hard that the sample gets squashed, as that will obscure important characteristics of the mold structure. It is advisable to prepare two or more samples of mold. Press the tape, sticky-moldy-side down, to the inside wall of a new, unopened zipper bag. Freezer bags work best, as they are broad and will keep the tape flat. As you press the adhesive tape onto the bag, stick down first the free end that you did not touch, and then press down the rest of the tape onto the bag by pressing on the non-sticky side of the tape. You can then send it to the Mold Inspector Laboratory for laboratory analysis and identification. This technique is called Direct Sampling and is considered the best means to identify visible toxic mold in a home, office, or other building. As toxic mold spores are rarely airborne (unless disturbed physically), direct sampling may be the only way to know if you have toxic mold spores in the building. Toxic Mold provides detailed information on Toxic Mold, Toxic Mold Testing, Toxic Mold Symptoms, Toxic Mold Tort Experts and more. Toxic Mold is affiliated with Black Mold ....