Black Mold in Mobile Homes Due to Water Damage

Safety Precautions for Mold Removal

Mold has the potential to cause health problems in people who come in contact with it or its spores. To lower the risk of mold contamination, equip yourself with the proper safety gear. An N-95 respirator, safety goggles without vent holes, rubber gloves, long-sleeve shirt, pants and work boots must be worn at all times during the mold-removal process. Open all the doors and windows--including cabinet and closet doors--to provide your mobile home with adequate air circulation and ventilation.

Removing Mold from Hard Surfaces

Fill a 5-gallon bucket with 1 gallon of warm water. Add 1 cup of household bleach and ¼ cup of a mild dishwashing liquid--one that does not contain ammonia--into the water, and mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a clean spray bottle. Spray the mold with the mixture, and wipe the surface mold with a clean cloth. Spray the hard surface once again with the mixture, and allow to sit for 15 to 20 minutes.

After the allotted time has passed, wipe the area with a damp sponge. Fill another bucket or container with cool water and saturate a clean cloth in the water. Rinse the bleach mixture off the hard surface by wiping it with the saturated cloth. Allow the surface to air-dry.

Removing Mold from Carpet

A carpet that has been soaked with water is the perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew. If the carpet is still wet, use a wet/dry vacuum with an upholstery attachment to suck as much water out of the carpet as possible.

Fill a bucket with 8 cups of warm water and 1 tablespoon of powdered laundry detergent. Mix the contents with a whisk until thick, sudsy foam begins to form. Submerge a scrub brush into the foam and scrub the carpet. Work in small sections at a time and scrub in a circular motion. Blot the carpet with a cloth saturated in cool water to remove the residue of the cleaning solution. Allow the carpet to air-dry. Point fans toward the carpet to aid in the drying process.

Removing Mold from Washable Items

Take washable items outside in the sunlight, and remove all the surface mold from the item by brushing with a clean cloth. Make sure the wind does not push the mold and its spores back onto you.

Set your washing machine to the coolest setting, and allow the washer drum to begin to fill with water. Add the laundry detergent as you normally would, plus 1 cup of distilled white vinegar to the water. Submerge the items in the water, and allow the washer to run through a complete cycle. Remove the items and dry them on the lowest dryer setting.

Considerations

Use a dehumidifier in every room of your mobile home to keep mold at bay. Dehumidifiers remove moisture from the air, and without moisture mold cannot grow.

When creating the mold-removal solutions, do not mix bleach with ammonia or products that may contain ammonia. Combining the two will result in toxic fumes.

Use a DIY home testing kit, available for purchase at home improvement stores, to test the air in your mobile home. When using DIY testing kits, you may be required to pay an extra fee to have the laboratory process the result. For more information, refer to the instructions that are included with the test kit.