Mold remediation
Remove mold to maintain value
Mold growth in living spaces can not only pose a significant risk to the health of the residents, but also reduce the market value of a building. Fighting mold is therefore in the interests of both residents and landlords. If mold occurs, appropriate measures must be taken to permanently remove the mold. A distinction is made between measures that combat the cause of the mold problem and measures that merely hide the symptoms. If the measures are only directed against the visible, superficial mold, the mold will spread again and again after a certain time. A renovation therefore always includes fighting the visible and invisible mold.
The prerequisite for mold remediation is the identification of the cause of the mold. If this is available, a decision can be made as to whether the mold can be removed yourself or whether it has to be removed by a specialist. In some cases, immediate measures are sufficient, some of which can be carried out with everyday household items. Correct implementation and the use of the right aids are crucial in order not to endanger your own health and to be able to permanently remove the mold. In other cases it is necessary to seek specialized help.
This guide provides information about the specific measures to be taken in the event of small and large mold infestations.
- Wear protective clothing
- People with respiratory diseases or a weakened immune system should refrain from cleaning themselves
- Remove or cover larger objects such as furniture from the affected room
- Remove smaller objects (clothing, children's toys, etc.) from the affected area
- Work with little dust: moisten or vacuum surfaces
- Remove contaminated objects such as textiles
- Use of household cleaners and 70-80% alcohol
- No use of mold removers with chlorine bleach or vinegar
The specific mold remediation measures taken depend on the type and extent of the infestation. A distinction is made between primary and secondary infestations. Secondary infestation involves only superficial mold growth covering a small area (less than 0.5 m²), whereas primary infestation affects medium-to-large areas and involves deeper mold contamination.
Different measures must be implemented depending on the nature of the contamination and the associated risk. The underlying cause of the mold is the decisive factor in selecting the appropriate measure.
The expert for moisture and mold damage Mike Hahn states: “Residents often only notice mold infestation by chance, for example during renovation work or when changing furniture. Typical odor abnormalities are the most common. The specialist literature currently describes around 20 odors typical of mold infestation, so-called MVOCs. The best known is probably the typical potato cellar smell. "
Mike Hahn advises: “As an immediate measure, it is generally advisable to replace the contaminated room air as often as possible. That means ventilating as much as possible. It is important to ensure that the infected areas are separated from the non-infected areas by sealing them off with plastic sheeting. "
Only after a complete inventory of the infested object can decisions be made about how to proceed.
Nevertheless, all measures can be broken down into the following basic work steps:
- Cleaning or removing mold
- Drying the affected area
- Disinfection
- Fine cleaning
Depending on the cause and measure, the work steps vary in complexity. In the case of a secondary infestation, smaller immediate measures are usually sufficient. If, on the other hand, there is a primary infestation, the affected areas must be extensively renovated. In addition to the type of infestation, the measures also depend on the nature of the material concerned. Smooth surfaces require different measures than porous surfaces or textiles.
Immediate measures in the event of secondary mold infestation
If there is only a small, superficial mold infestation, small immediate measures to remove mold usually help. Such mold growth can usually be traced back to incorrect heating or ventilation and does not require extensive renovation. However, only if the mold was discovered directly and did not have enough time to spread.
The following protective measures should always be used when removing mold yourself: Basically, people with respiratory diseases or a weakened immune system should refrain from cleaning mold-infested surfaces, as this can affect their health. We also generally advise against using special mold removers that contain chlorine bleach.
Such agents fight mold, but also put a strain on the respiratory tract. Cleaning with household vinegar is also not recommended. This kills the mold, but under certain circumstances vinegar can promote mold growth.
Suitable protective clothing must be worn when handling or cleaning mold-infected material. This includes suitable hand protection (made of rubber or plastic), breathing protection, protective goggles and a protective suit. The respiratory protection must be removed after use. In addition, contaminated objects that can no longer be cleaned should be disposed of in the household waste in airtight and rod-tight manner. It is also important that the work is carried out with little dust. In no case should the affected areas be treated with a broom or a dry cloth, as otherwise the mold spores will be distributed in the air and pose a health hazard. Therefore, surfaces must always be moistened or vacuumed (with a fine filter) before treatment.
If the mold is noticed, objects such as food, children’s toys, clothing or other textiles should be removed from the room to avoid contamination. Larger objects such as furniture should also be removed or at least covered.
We recommend moistening the affected areas with conventional household cleaners and then disinfecting them with 70 – 80% alcohol (ethanol or isopropanol). This measure is effective for smooth surfaces such as ceramics, tiles, metal, glass or lacquered wood as well as for porous surfaces such as wall plaster or joints. The procedure for wallpaper is similar: the wallpaper is first moistened and removed, then the wall surface is treated with alcohol. In the case of very little mold growth, it may be sufficient to treat the affected area on the wallpaper directly with alcohol so that the entire wallpaper does not have to be removed.
Allerdings lassen sich nicht alle Oberflächen reinigen. Probleme bestehen vor allem bei (Polster-) Möbeln und Textilien wie Vorhängen, Teppichen oder Decken. Es ist zwar möglich, den Schimmel auf Textilien durch mehrmaliges Reinigen in der Waschmaschine zu beseitigen, vorhandene Schimmelflecken können aber dauerhaft bestehen bleiben. Hier sollten Sie die betroffenen Möbel und Textilien entsorgen, um tatsächlich den Schimmel dauerhaft entfernen zu können.
Sind Polstermöbel von Schimmel betroffen, ist zunächst zu prüfen, ob der Befall direkt oder indirekt ist . Bei direktem Befall ist der Schimmel nicht nur oberflächlich, sondern befindet sich tief im Material. Der Schimmel konnte sich ausbreiten, weil das Möbelstück Feuchtigkeit aufweist. Ist der Befall hingegen indirekt, liegt die Ursache weniger in einer Feuchtigkeit des Möbelstücks als vielmehr in einer Kontamination durch andere schimmelbefallen Stellen. Aus diesem Grund ist es ratsam, größere Möbelstücke aus einem kontaminierten Raum zu entfernen, damit der Schimmel nicht überspringt.
Depending on the cause of the mold, different measures must be taken. If the furniture is directly affected by mold, cleaning is usually not economically viable because the mold has penetrated too deeply into the material. If the mold attacked not only the upholstery but also the wood, it is questionable whether cleaning is still possible. Likewise, after cleaning it is not guaranteed that the mold spores are completely removed from the material. Even after being killed, the spores can still be hazardous to health. It is therefore advisable to remove mold-infected furniture from the apartment.
If, on the other hand, there is only indirect exposure to the furniture, surface cleaning with a vacuum cleaner with a fine filter (HEPA filter) is sufficient for upholstery. Mold-infected wood should be planed off and then disinfected.
Remediation in the event of primary mold infestation
From a large area of mold infestation of more than 0.5m², it is advisable to forego immediate measures and to engage a specialist company who specializes in mold removal to take over the renovation. In this case, immediate measures do not lead to lasting success. Information about suitable specialist companies can be obtained from the consumer advice centers or the health authorities.
Mike Hahn: “In order to be able to clearly determine the cause of the mold growth that has occurred, it is necessary to determine the type and cause of the moisture unequivocally. Furthermore, the other growth conditions for mold growth, such as the thermal insulation behavior of the outer walls or organic wall construction materials, must be clarified on site. Due to the complexity, the search for the cause should generally be reserved for specialists. “
If mold growth is caused by cracks in the masonry, leaking roofs, flooding, or defective piping, the root cause must be eliminated first to ensure effective, long-term remediation and prevent the mold from repeatedly spreading. Structural defects or improperly executed energy-efficiency upgrades can also be the cause of mold infestations. The actual remediation work can only begin after an expert has assessed the situation and the underlying cause has been rectified.
Depending on the cause, remediation work can range from simple chemical cleaning to complete renovation. Mike Hahn points out: “Chemical cleaning never addresses the actual root cause of the damage.” If, for instance, a burst pipe is detected immediately, mechanical drying of the room may suffice to effectively combat the mold. However, if moisture and mold have had time to spread into the flooring or walls, a complete renovation becomes necessary. This means that mold-infested areas—and usually the surrounding sections as well—must be removed and replaced. If, for example, the entire plasterwork on a wall is affected by moisture and mold, it must be stripped off and reapplied. To ensure permanent mold removal, this work should be carried out by specialist companies.
With wood, it is not always clear whether it needs to be removed and replaced or if a surface treatment suffices, as it is difficult to gauge how deeply the mold has penetrated the material. While absorbent wood products such as chipboard or OSB panels should always be completely removed, the decision regarding untreated wood is left to the expert’s assessment. In case of doubt, it is better to dispose of the wood to avoid the risk of further mold infestation.
Which measures are used in the event of mold infestation should be made dependent on the cause of the mold. Not every mold infestation requires extensive renovation, but in many cases only a specialist can permanently remove the mold. If mold appears in the rented apartment, the measures to be taken must always be discussed with the landlord.
