If black spots appear on the walls, do not think that it is from dirt. Most likely, this is a fungus, which will be quite difficult to get rid of. However, this must be done. To understand why, it is worthwhile to figure out why black mold is dangerous in the house and what harm it can do to human health and surrounding objects.
Read in the article
- 1 Characteristics of black molds by type
- 2 Black and smoky aspergillus
- 2.1 Alternaria
- 3 Than the mold threatens the building materials of the house and apartment: the main impact
- 4 Danger of mold for the household backyard
- 5 Why is black mold in the house dangerous for human health: the main effect
- 5.1 Skin contact and respiratory tract injury
- 5.2 Allergies and decreased immunity
- 5.3 Mycotoxicosis and aflatoxicosis
- 6 Reasons for the appearance
- 7 Detection by first signs
- 8 The main ways to deal with black molds at home
- 8.1 Necessary security measures
- 8.2 Folk remedies - an affordable solution
- 8.3 Chemical and antifungal formulations are an effective option
- 8.4 Professional equipment
- 9 Prevention measures
Characteristics of black molds by type
If a black coating appears on the white walls, then there are problems in the apartment. Do not think that mold is the same. There are different types, each with its own distinctive characteristics. It is worth getting to know them in order to know what this threatens and what to do.
Black and smoky aspergillus
Aspergillus black is most often found in rooms with high humidity. Colonies of fungi appear on the ceiling and walls of the bathroom, on the cover of an old book, on the surface of the tile joints. A similar saprophyte can be encountered during disassembly. humidifier, cleaning the washing machine or air conditioner.
The fungus is able to move through all rooms in the presence of a draft. At the same time, it begins to settle on various interior items and products, causing serious harm to human health.
Fuming aspergillus is the next type of fungus that can withstand exposure to a sufficiently high temperature (up to +53 ° C). The size of the spores is relatively small: only 2-3.5 microns. This allows mold to easily penetrate the lungs. Several hundred spores of this fungus are not capable of harming human health. However, if the body is weakened and immunity is reduced, the likelihood of the disease increases dramatically.
Vegetables and fruits that are damaged are most affected by Aspergillus fumigates. This mold can attack the grain used to make flour. If you then bake baked goods from it, you can see the characteristic mildew and fluffy specks.
Alternaria
Alternaria alternate is one of the varieties of spore-forming mold fungi. The appearance of the colony directly depends on the nutrient medium on the surface of which it was formed. Most often it is dark gray or black. However, in some cases, mildew with a greenish-olive tint may occur.
The fungus settles on the dying part of the plant: overripe fruits, old leaves, soil. Sometimes develops on food and textiles. It is capable of infecting not only plants, but also seeds.
Fungal spores can spread inside and outside living quarters. In conditions of high humidity, mold develops more intensively. In windy conditions, mold spores move more actively between objects.
Than the mold threatens the building materials of the house and apartment: the main impact
Mold can have a negative impact on ancient foundations. It is capable of destroying even a high-quality oak surface in six months. Other building materials are equally negatively affected. Mold can destroy paintwork, tile seams, concrete and brick.
Danger of mold for the household backyard
In agriculture, fungal spores can harm animals and destroy food for them. The fungus Aspergillus flavus causes serious damage to plants. Moreover, it has no taste, smell or color. Almost invisible, it enters the animals' bodies along with the feed, causing them to be poisoned.
Why is black mold in the house dangerous for human health: the main effect
The human body reacts differently to the emerging mold. If you feel unwell, fatigue, headaches, you should make sure that the reason for this is not a fungus that has got into the body or on the skin.
Skin contact and respiratory tract injury
Fungal spores present in the room inevitably get on the skin of people or end up inside the respiratory tract. Once on the skin, they cause itching, redness, and flaking of the skin. That is why, when characteristic manifestations appear on the skin, doctors begin to find out about the presence of foci of mold in the house. To get rid of "atopic dermatitis", you need to remove mold from the house.
Once inside, the fungus infects human organs. The lungs are the first to be affected. There is a cough, chronic bronchitis. The treatment carried out relieves the symptoms, but does not completely get rid of the health problem that has appeared.
Allergies and decreased immunity
Food allergy occurs when fungi enter the gastrointestinal tract. Gradually, they begin to destroy the human body, becoming the cause of irreversible processes. This significantly reduces immunity. The person starts to get sick often. Migraines are observed. There is a lack of strength.
Mycotoxicosis and aflatoxicosis
Mold fungi that appear on the surface of various objects begin to produce toxic substances - mycotoxins. They have a toxic effect on human organs, causing genetic mutations and affecting the fetus. Can cause cancer. Mycotaxin poisoning occurs when eating low-quality products. Spores are found in cereals, beer, wine, nuts, and legumes. Eggs, milk and meat of animals suffering from mycotoxicosis can cause great harm.
Aflatoxin is an equally poisonous poison. Even a small amount of this mold can kill an animal. Most often it covers nuts and grains with a high oil content. In adults, death is rare in the presence of certain diseases. Most often, serious poisoning occurs. Poison is dangerous for children. The first symptoms of aflatoxicosis appear 20-30 minutes after the poison enters the body.
Advice! If you have a headache, cramps and pain in the area of the liver, you should immediately call an ambulance.
Reasons for the appearance
There are many reasons why black mold can appear in your home. Favorable conditions for its development are temperature + 18-25 ° С and humidity over 60%. In such conditions, the fungus begins to actively develop. However, not everything is so simple and obvious.
Mold can be caused by:
- Poor or no ventilation in the bathroom or toilet. This complicates the removal of humid air, which inevitably forms during water procedures and drying clothes. Natural ventilation cannot remedy the situation. We'll have to take care of artificial ventilation.
- Drywall, which is often used to level the rough surface. It absorbs moisture well enough, and then holds it inside. It is possible to prevent such a negative phenomenon during installation work by carefully observing the technology.
- Plastic windows. Possessing a number of indisputable advantages, such window systems are hermetically sealed. Because of this, black mold is easily formed on their surface, which will have to be dealt with. Also, improper installation becomes the cause of the appearance of the fungus. With regular ventilation of the room, the situation changes for the better.
- Cellars and walls. In the former, high humidity is almost always present. On the second - with incorrectly executed design or construction work. The wall will begin to get wet, and then freeze.
Detection by first signs
To make it easier to deal with black mold, it is worth paying attention to the signs that signal its appearance.
These include:
- Dark spots or characteristic coating on the walls.
- Darkening of tile joints in the bathroom or kitchen.
- Removing wallpaper.
- Persistent colds and allergic diseases among residents.
- A specific smell from the air conditioner.
- Musty air in the rooms.
- Feeling tired and exhausted.
The main ways to deal with black molds at home
After making sure of the presence of the fungus, you should immediately begin to eliminate it. At home, you can deal with black plaque in different ways. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the main methods so that you can choose the most suitable one.
Necessary security measures
Before proceeding with the elimination of black mold, you should take care of your safety, for this you need:
- Prepare gloves, respirator and goggles to provide adequate respiratory protection and exposed surfaces during handling.
- Cover clean areas with polyethylene to avoid contact with fungal spores.
- Free the room as much as possible from furniture and other interior items.
- Close the windows and turn off the fan.
- Refuse to use vacuum cleaner, since in this case the spores of the fungus will end up inside the device.
- Drain the air in the room as much as possible. It is advisable to use a special device for this purpose.
Attention! After cleaning the surface, all rags and PPE should be thrown away, as fungal spores may be present on their surface.
Folk remedies - an affordable solution
To cope with dangerous mold will help:
- Hydrogen peroxide. The composition is applied to surfaces affected by mold. Cannot be used to clean colored substrates.
- Soda and vinegar. To prepare a solution in 5 liters of water, add 200 g of soda and 100 g of vinegar. The composition is applied to areas damaged by mold. Most often used for prophylaxis.
- Ammonia. Work must be performed in a respirator. Before applying the composition, the surface is moistened, ammonia is applied and left for half an hour. Then the composition is thoroughly washed off. At the time of processing, the windows and doors in the room must be closed. After cleaning the base, the room is ventilated for 2-3 hours;
- Tea tree oil. A solution is used for processing. To prepare it, water and oil are mixed in a ratio of 1 to 50, and then the finished solution is applied to the fungus. After 3-4 hours the room is ventilated.
Attention! Folk remedies only partially get rid of mold, since they only remove visible manifestations. To combat the fungus that has penetrated the material, professional products should be used.
Chemical and antifungal formulations are an effective option
For a more effective fight against the fungus, chemical compositions are used.
These include:
- Copper sulphate. The powder is diluted in water in a ratio of 1 to 10. The finished composition is applied to the place affected by mold with a brush and left for several hours. After that, it is thoroughly washed off. At the time of processing, there should be no people and pets in the room.
- Buru. First, the substance is diluted in a glass, and then added to a ten-liter bucket. The product is applied to the surface for 10 minutes and then washed off.
- Bleach containing chlorine. Helps to cope with the fungus. They are applied as a preventive measure. The composition is applied to a rag, and then the area affected by mold is wiped, achieving complete removal of plaque. After processing, the bleach is thoroughly washed off.
- Professional formulations designed to fight fungus. Metas-BIO, NANO-FIX, Dali and a number of others are in demand.
NANO-FIX Medic
NANO-FIX Medic
Professional equipment
Considering that fungal spores die under the influence of high temperature and low humidity, microwave drying is used to combat mold. With its help, you can process any kind of base. It is incapable of harming human or animal health. Cleaning the surface from mold begins without any preliminary preparation of the base. Microwave drying is characterized by high productivity, and therefore requires a minimum of time for processing.
Prevention measures
In order not to look for ways to combat black mold, you should not allow it to appear.
To do this, you should:
- Ventilate the apartment regularly, paying particular attention to the bathroom and toilet.
- Timely carry out cleaning and disinfection of premises.
- Control the humidity level in living rooms, basements and common areas.
- Avoid condensation.
- Take care of the basement waterproofing.
- Treat with antifungal agents for prophylaxis.
- Take care of a sufficient level wall insulationif they freeze in winter.
Share in the comments if you have encountered black mold and how you managed to cope with it.
