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Homeowners, property managers, and small businesses are often tempted to try to clean mold from drywall themselves. They see the mold and decide that it either doesn’t warrant the expense of contracting a professional to do the cleanup, or that it will be an easy job to do themselves. It’s rarely a money saving strategy.

When could you clean mold from drywall yourself?

The Environmental Protection Agency recommends that any mold problem bigger than a patch of around 3ft. by 3ft. should only be treated by a professional contractor, and that the contractor hired should be able to provide references that evidence its experience and expertise in cleaning up mold. But even on small patches of mold, there is a lot that can go wrong when you try to clean it up yourself. Here’s 5 of the most common mistakes made by do-it-yourself mold cleaners:

1.      Believing that you’ve solved the problem

A patch of mold is often not the whole problem. Often, there is mold lurking out of sight. Spores are tiny, and can be easily spread.

2.      Bleach isn’t the killer you think it is

Occasionally, bleach will get rid of mold on drywall – however there’s a reason that professionals use special antimicrobial fluids and cleaners. These are way more expensive than bleach, but are guaranteed to do the job.

3.      Painting over the mold

This is another common error. Once you’ve cleaned the mold, you’ll want to paint to make the job good. A mistaken shortcut is thinking that the two jobs can be done in a single stroke of a paintbrush using mold resistant paint – unfortunately, the mold will still grow and spread underneath the paint until it reappears ten times worse than before you started.

4.      Spreading the mold

All the things that inexperienced cleaners do to remove a mold problem are all the things that spread mold. Scrubbing, tearing up carpets, removal of sections of drywall – all can cause mold spores to drift in the air and populate previously unaffected areas. That’s why you’ll find professionals seal off infected areas, cover all heating and air-conditioning vents, and regularly change their overalls.

5.      Getting ill from cleaning mold

Mold causes a whole range of illnesses, including asthma and respiratory disease. You’ll need to wear protective clothing, breathing masks, gloves, and seal off areas that you’re working on – no matter how small – to be certain that you’re not spreading the spores that cause health problems.

So should you clean mold from drywalls yourself?

Cleaning mold from areas such as metal or glass is relatively easy. When it comes to porous surfaces like drywall, it’s a different story. A proper clean may require removal of the drywall, and it’s always best to get a professional opinion. The last thing you want to do is to make people ill and then discover in a few weeks or months that the mold problem wasn’t eliminated anyway.  Contact us now to get the help you need.

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(973) 835-4150