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Tips For Removing Mildew
There are a number of ways of removing mildew, and the approach to choose is normally determined by the material on which the mildew is present. Removing mildew from paper is quite different than removing it from a carpet, and the process involved in removing mildew from wood or tile is different still. The particular process required may be extremely simple in some cases, and complicated or quite expensive in others.
Mold Or Mildew? - There is sometimes some confusion regarding the terms mold and mildew as they are often used synonymously. We say that mold grows on certain surfaces, and the same applies to mildew. The two are essentially the same. One definition is, that mildew is simply mold growing on a fabric. While that may make perfect sense, we also have mildew in shower stalls, and mildew (the powdery variety) on plants. It's more a matter of word usage than a technical issue. Mildew is formed by mold spores, and in removing mildew you are in fact removing mold. We'll use the words mold and mildew somewhat interchangeably here, except when we get to the part about removing mildew, we'll stick to the term mildew.
European Mildew In Your Kitchen - Mold and mildew grow from spores. These spores float though the air with the greatest of ease, like tiny balloons. They can float vast distances. When they come into contact with something that has a dry surface, they simply bounce off and float away. If they happen to come into contact with a damp surface they'll stick there. If the surface is warm, and stays moist for at least 24 hours, the mold spore will set up permanent shop. It also needs to be somewhat dark. Mold and mildew do not thrive in sunlight. Mold spores require an organic material to grow in, but that material can be the thinnest film of dirt on the surface of something. Mold spores are always around to one degree or another. They may come from the next room, your neighbor's house, from the next county, or traveled with the winds from another country. So, we really can't eliminate them, we can only discourage them from settling down by keeping surfaces clean and dry, or getting rid of them id they to settle down.
The initial step in removing mildew from any surface is to dry it out first. This will normally be simple for an article of clothing, or a book that has mildew on it. Drying and brushing may be all that is required. At the other extreme is carpeting, or an area of the house that is warm and moist and difficult to air out. Professional assistance may be needed in cases such as these. The fact remains, if you can't get the affected surface to dry out, there is little chance of effectively removing mildew, and even if you do, it will probably come back.
You don't necessarily have to dry out hard surfaces first before treating them for mildew but you will want to be able to dry them out when you're finished. The agent you use in removing mildew may be water, sudsy water, ammonia, bleach, or one of several other chemicals. Just don't use ammonia and bleach in the same mixture. For carpets, a commercial mildew remover may be your best bet.
The Exterior Of Your House - Chances are there is mildew growing on the exterior of your house, although it may not be noticeable. You can keep it from becoming a problem by washing your house occasionally, perhaps even annually. Some recommend that you do this with a combination bleach and detergent solution in water. The bleach kills the mildew and the detergent cleans it away. If this seems to be too much trouble, just hosing down the exterior on occasion will help, as long as the surface is allowed to dry out. A clean dry exterior is not a good home for mildew.
Interior Rooms and Surfaces – Clean and dry also applies to any interior rooms which might tend to be warm and damp. Bathrooms, showers, and laundry rooms are key examples here, and removing mildew from tile or grout is something many people find themselves doing periodically. A damp basement or cellar may also be a breeding ground for mildew, not only on the surfaces of the floor, walls or ceiling, but on the surfaces of items stored there which have been allowed to become damp. To clean things up you may have to seal some cracks, check for leaky pipes, and rent a heated air blower for a few days to dry the entire room out. For small rooms, just turning on a heater or leaving the lights on for a day or two may do the job.
Another alternative is to use a moisture absorbing product like silica gel or calcium sulfate. If using a chemical compound to absorb moisture, be sure to read the directions to see what surfaces these chemicals can safely come into contact with. A box of clothing may end up dry, but with holes in the clothing if the wrong chemical is chosen. Having removed the moisture, you can start removing mildew stains and then take the necessary action to prevent its return. For most surfaces, the bleach, water, detergent mixture should do the job. (continued...)