With the appearance of mold in the apartment, the first questions also arise. What can I do now? How can I remove mold? Can I remove the mold myself? Do I need to consult a mold removal expert? We give you the answer to all these questions here.

Whatever the degree of mold contamination in the house – you should not treat the problem superficially. Naturally, the question arises whether you should contact an expert or a company to remove the mold. Before answering this question, it is important to identify the extent of the mold infestation and its causes. If you live in a rented apartment, you must first inform the owner about this defect. The owner will have to contact an appraiser and will also bear the costs. If you are the owner of the apartment, you can also consult an appraiser. If you suspect a large-scale infestation on exterior walls, this does not necessarily mean damage to the building, but it is important that experts act in such a situation.

How does a mold expert work?

First, the mold expert can perform various tasks. In most cases, the first step is to inspect the contaminated surface, examine and record the first data with a measuring device.

He can measure mold growth, analyze microbiological samples, or provide an opinion to estimate mold removal costs. It can determine mold type and concentration and even measure data over a longer period of time. For this purpose, various techniques are available, for example, measuring the humidity of the building structure to find out the causes of construction defects. With a thermal imaging camera or an infrared camera, the temperatures in the different areas of the building can also be measured and thus thermal bridges will be found. Of course, the expert also measures the humidity of the air in the building, because this is the most important factor for the development of mold. At the end, the expert usually draws up a report.

What can you do yourself about effective mold control?

Of course, an expert can help you, but you also have to consider the costs. If you find mold in typical places, such as silicone joints in the bathroom or behind kitchen cabinets, in most cases you can remove it yourself. The appearance of mold on small surfaces in rooms with high humidity, such as kitchens, bathrooms or bedrooms, usually indicates “wrong” living behavior and not structural defects in the building. For these cases, MELLERUD has two special products: Mellerud Solution for mold removal without chlorine and MELLERUD Mold Cleaning Solution with chlorine. Both are highly effective against mold, algae, mold stains, bacteria and spores, yet have different areas of application. If you want to remove mold from bedrooms, children’s rooms or in the living room, wallpaper or wall you should use Mellerud Removal Solution mold. It has a deep action effect on mold, being an active gel based on oxygen, odorless, does not contain chlorine and therefore does not discolor. It is also the best choice for substrates that absorb liquids and therefore cannot be wiped off (wallpaper, plaster, etc.).

MELLERUD The mold cleaning solution is perfect for removing persistent mold in the bathroom, sauna or on the tiles. It is chlorine based and even removes black mold stains. This powerful solution works immediately within 10 minutes and is suitable for all washable surfaces such as tiles, joints, plastics etc.

After you have removed the mold, you should take action on the behavior that contributed to the mold. Follow some simple tips and you will significantly minimize the risk of mold. First of all, mold appears in conditions of increased humidity > 70% This means that you should keep the humidity low, especially in rooms where water vapor is generated, e.g. in the kitchen or bathroom. The bedroom is also a room with increased humidity due to the air we exhale during sleep. These rooms must be aired for 5-10 minutes several times a day. This mode of ventilation is more energy efficient than tilting the window over a long period of time.

Since mold appears especially behind the furniture, due to  lack of air circulation. You should move the furniture away from the walls if possible – the distance from a piece of furniture to the wall should be at least 5 cm. For external walls, the distance can be increased to 10 cm. For areas with walls completely covered with built-in wardrobes or similar furniture, you  we recommend increasing the distance between the wall and the furniture to 15 cm – to ensure good air exchange.

Humidity in the house is also generated by large aquariums but also by drying clothes in the living room or bedroom. It is advisable to dry the clothes either on the balcony or in a drying room.

Conclusion:

Mold is no joke. If you discover an infestation over a large area, you must inform the landlord if you live in a rental, as it could be a structural defect. If you are the owner of the apartment, you can contact a professional directly. However, if you only find mold infestations on small areas, e.g. in the shower or in a small area behind a closet, you can in most cases remove the mold yourself. With the entire mold control range from MELLERUD, you always have the right product – for mold cleaning and mold prevention. You can also reduce the risk of an infection with a few simple measures, such as proper ventilation, proper installation of furniture. Additionally, you can use moisture absorbing devices that will keep the humidity at normal levels.