How to remove mold safely

As the saying goes "prevention is better than cure". Similarly, preventing mold from growing in your home is better than trying to remove it. Proper maintenance of a building is the key to control of mold growth. Regardless of whether one is dealing with "black mold" or not, it should be removed safely. If you've found a small amount of surface mold (less than 1 square meter or 3 square feet) growing in your home, you may clean it yourself. It is highly recommended that you consult a mold remediation specialist if the mold you find is larger than 1 square meter. And do not attempt to remove areas of mold that are greater than 10 square meters. Refer to the mold remediation guidelines for more information.

Steps to take to get rid of mold

Before you clean, you may want to find out whether the mold you've found is toxic or merely of cosmetic concern. Our visible mold test kit will let you know for sure. If it is toxic, you may want to call a mold remediation specialist even if the area is small.

If you decide to clean small amounts of mold yourself, please take precautions. Disturbing mold may release harmful spores into the air, which can worsen allergy and asthma symptoms or cause your family to feel ill if the mold is toxic. For complete instructions on how to remove mold safely in your house (remember extensive mold contamination requires removal by trained people), read the Mould Guidelines for the Canadian Construction Industry available at the website of the Canadian Construction Association.

• Wear disposable (throwaway) cloth, gloves and a dust mask
• Enclose the area with plastic sheet to contain dust and prevent spread of spores
• Turn the furnace or air conditioner off before you start
• If the mold is growing on hard surfaces, simply wash, and dry the area thoroughly. Ensure the moisture problem is fixed even before attempting to clean the mold. It's a good idea to check the area regularly to be sure the clean up was effective
• If mold is growing on surfaces that cannot be cleaned such as porous material, cut off the contaminated material and replace them with new material.

For a more detailed treatment of mold removal read the Mould Guidelines for the Canadian Construction Industry.