Open Hearth
for October 4, 1998; also seen on Sunday's in the Lancaster Eagle Gazette
MOLD & MILDEW
This is National Indoor Air Quality Awareness Month. It is also National Dental Hygiene Month, National Popcorn Poppin' Month, Child Health Month, National Pizza Month, etc, etc... By now you have the picture. All these months call attention to something either important or frivolous. Today will be talking about indoor air quality. Mold and mildew can cause all sorts of allergies and breathing problems. So this is on one of the more important issues indoor air quality.
Moisture makes bathrooms attractive to mold and mildew growth. A leaky seal under a toilet can allow water to seep between vinyl floor covering and wood or concrete subflooring, encouraging mold growth. A loose connection under a sink may allow mold to grow inside a vanity cabinet; a shower curtain or door may restrict air flow and encourage mold and mildew growth in the bath or shower.
Molds are microscopic fungi that require moisture to grow. They thrive on organic materials, natural fibers such as cotton or wool, paper or wood.
Mold and mildew, which are some of the most common household molds, can cause discoloration on bathroom tile or other fixtures, on walls, around windows, and between layers of flooring. Molds vary in color -- from white to orange, green, black or brown -- and usually produce a musty odor, which helps homeowners detect growth in poorly lighted or unexposed areas, such as behind baseboard near the bathtub.
To reduce mold and mildew in the bath and shower areas try these tips:
- Keep bath and shower areas clean and as dry as possible.
- After showering, wipe shower walls with a sponge, squeegee or towel. Allow towel to dry completely.
- After a bath, wipe up splashes and puddles.
- Keep shower curtains clean and mold and mildew free.
- Use a vented exhaust fan to reduce moisture in the air; allow the fan to run for a few minutes after showering or bathing. Fans should be vented to the outside, not to an attic or crawlspace.
- When weather permits, open a window to allow extra moisture to escape.
- Launder towels frequently.
To clean mold and mildew from bath and shower areas, you can scrub surfaces with a solution prepared with one cup liquid chlorine bleach (laundry bleach), one tablespoon of detergent that does not contain ammonia, and one gallon of water. Water may be warm or cool. Rubber gloves and glasses or protective eyewear are recommended. As with any cleaning solution, avoid breathing fumes. Use a brush or old toothbrush to clean grout. Keep the surface wet for 10 minutes, then rinse well with water and dry.
If shower curtains can be laundered by machine, add chlorine bleach with detergent. For plastic curtains, use a warm water rinse and hang curtains to reduce wrinkling.
To clean painted surfaces in the bathroom that also may host mold or mildew, scrub surfaces with a solution of one cup chlorine bleach to one gallon of water. A detergent, such as trisodium phosphate (TSP) or liquid dishwashing detergent, may be added to the solution. Do not, however, mix bleach with cleaners containing ammonia -- such mixtures can cause toxic fumes. Rinse painted surfaces with clean water and allow them to dry thoroughly before painting or wallpapering.
More information on mold and mildew is available at the Ohio State University Extension Office, 653-5419 or visit the Healthy Indoor Air for America's Homes website: http://www.montana.edu/wwwcxair. Healthy Indoor Air for America's Homes is a national consumer education program designed to develop awareness of home indoor air quality concerns and encourage people to take steps to improve the quality of air in their homes. Support and
coordination of the program comes from a partnership of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service and the Montana State University Extension Housing Program. Program Managers in each state are responsible for implementing the program.
Source: HEALTHY INDOOR AIR FOR AMERICA'S HOMES
Today's Open Hearth is written by Donna Hiles, OSU Extension Program Assistant, Family and
Consumer Sciences.
All educational programs conducted by Ohio State University Extension are available to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability, or Vietnam-era veteran status.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Keith L. Smith, Director, Ohio State University Extension.
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