What Black Mold Looks Like and How to Safely Get Rid of It

Black mold, also known as Stachybotrys chartarum or Stachybotrys atra is a dangerous and common type of mold found inside of the home. Not only is it toxic to your health, but can also damage the structure of your home. If you suspect a mold invasion in your home, it’s important to detect and remedy it as soon as possible.

IDENTIFYING BLACK MOLD

Check damp areas. Most mold invasions happen in wet areas such as basements, bathrooms and kitchens. If you suspect that mold is in your home, those areas are a good place to start. Pay special attention to pipes, tile grout and the seals around sinks and showers. 

Follow your nose.

The smell of black mold is often identifiable before you can actually see the mold. Black mold has a distinct smell. Black mold can be characterized as generally having a mildew or musty and stale smell. It has been described as smelling like dirt, wet fall leaves or rotting wood. If you detect this smell in your home, try to follow the smell to the source. Keep in mind you may not always be able to see the mold itself. The mold could be behind a wall or another hidden area. 

What does it look like? If you are able to find mold, you can identify it as black mold by observing the color and texture. Black mold is usually black in color. Also pay attention to the texture of the mold. Black mold is commonly wet, slimy and grows in circular patterns. There are also a variety of mold test kits available on the market to help you determine what kind of mold invasion you are dealing with. 

REMOVING BLACK MOLD 

Clean the area.

Once you have identified the mold invasion, it’s time to remove the mold. There are multiple cleaners known treat mold: hydrogen peroxide, bleach, white vinegar, baking soda and borax. 

Hydrogen peroxide in a 3-10% solution will kill mold.

White vinegar is acidic which is how it kills mold.

Both baking soda and borax have a pH that inhibits the growth of mold. 

Bleach destroys mold immediately but is a harsh cleaner.

Gather your favorite cleaner, the proper protective equipment, a spray bottle and a scrub brush. Add your cleaner to the spray bottle and then saturate the moldy area with the cleaner. Let the cleaner sit on the mold for 10-20 minutes. Scrub the area unit all of the mold stains are gone. Rinse with water. Ventilate and ensure that the area completely drys. Throw away your scrub brush to make sure that you don’t transfer the mold to another area in your home.  

Apply EV360™ Antimicrobial Protectant

Even after a deep clean, your favorite disinfecting products do nothing to prevent mold from invading time and time again. EV360™ Antimicrobial Surface Protectant provides complete, lasting protection against mold and mildew. 

When applied to surfaces, millions of microscopic spikes are bound to the surface and physically destroy mold and mildew before they can take hold. The protection is not only harmless to the human touch, it lasts for up to 90-days. 

Find EV360™ here.

*Mold can be dangerous. Make sure you take the proper safety precautions when dealing with mold or call a mold specialist to identify and remove the mold for you.