When I purchased a home a few years ago, I had no idea what kind of workload I would be faced with. In addition to trying to figure out how to keep the place clean, I was also left with the challenge of tidying up the yard and keeping things trimmed. It was a little overwhelming, but I knew that I could do it with a little hard work and dedication. I started reading a lot of books and blogs about creating gorgeous things for your home and yard, and it was a great creative outlet. This blog is all about exciting, fun ways to make your home and yard even more beautiful.
Mold removal can seem like an easy task you can do at home. While it is doable, you should know that mold and mildew can adversely affect your health. Even if you are not asthmatic and do not currently suffer from respiratory infections like pneumonia or sinusitis, the process of removing molds can increase your risk. Mold spores are the ones responsible for these health problems and you should avoid inhaling them.
Furthermore, there is the risk of having eye and skin irritations or infections due to prolonged exposure to active molds. Thus, before you attempt to remove mold and mildew, think about how to safeguard your lungs, eyes, skin, intestines and other body parts.
How to protect yourself
To protect yourself during mold removal, you should get personal safety gear sold at several hardware shops, building supply shops and home improvement stores. This safety precaution equipment includes the following items.
Disposable shoe covers
A disposable hair cover
Mold safety mask
Coveralls with a hood and booties.
Gloves
If you don't want to purchase coveralls with an attached hood and booties, then wear a long pair of pants and a shirt with long sleeves. Additionally, get some disposable shoe covers and a hair cover to team up with your long pants and long-sleeved shirts. After you complete the procedure, wash these garments in hot water and throw away disposable safety gear.
If your gloves are not disposable, clean them in hot water immediately after completing the mold removal task. In addition to the above-mentioned items, you should get a vacuum with a HEPA filter and big sheets of bulky plastic to tie over your doorways and air entry points. This is to stop mold spores from scattering to unaffected areas of your home. If you have to deal with airborne mold, then a negative air machine will be necessary.
Selecting the best mold safety mask
As there are several safety masks sold to those who want to get rid of mold, you need to know the type that would be best for you. In case you are dealing with airborne mold spores, an N-95 respirator mask should do the trick. It will also be a good pick for those who are dealing with a moldy area that is less than ten square feet. But, if you want a mask that can be more protective and achieve the same thing, get the N-99 mask. It can sift up to 99 percent of airborne spores and particles.
Still, if you are looking for the best of all respirator masks, then N-100 should work as it is designed to filter up to 99.97 percent of all airborne molecules. It is a good pick also when doing a small mold removal job involving just ten square feet or less. In case you are handling a bigger job of over one hundred square feet of moldy areas, then get a full-face respirator mask or a half-face respirator mask. Any of these will do, although the former might offer more protection.
Conclusion
Unless you are extremely confident, ensure that bigger jobs involving more than 100 square feet of moldy areas are tackled by a professional like those at DiBiaso's Cleaning and Restoration, Inc to keep everyone safe and free from the effects of mold. Remember to wear your protective gear to safeguard your health.
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