Having mold in your home can lead to serious health problems, including allergies and asthma. Many people don’t have problems with mold, but some bad habits can encourage mold growth in your home. Strive to break the following three bad habits to create a healthier living space.
You Let Condensation Build Up in Your Home
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Mold thrives in wet environments. If you let condensation build up in your home, then you create the ideal conditions for mold to spread.
Condensation can happen in several parts of your home. You’ll find condensation in your bathroom after you take a hot shower, but you can also spot condensation in basements, kitchens, attics, and other areas. Walk through your home often to find spots with condensation. If you notice water building up on walls or windows, wipe away the excess moisture immediately.
Installing a whole-house dehumidifier can be one of the most effective ways to prevent condensation and mold. A dehumidifier will also remove moisture that can exacerbate allergies, asthma, and other health problems.
You Don’t Clean Your Shower Regularly
Your shower is probably the most humid place in your home, so you need to clean this space regularly to prevent mold. Ideally, you should wipe down the walls and curtain after each shower. Realistically, though, you can prevent mold by cleaning the shower well once each week.
You don’t need to use harsh chemicals when cleaning your shower. Many of those chemicals emit fumes that can cause as many health problems as mold, so avoid them. Instead, you can make your own cleaning solutions at home.
Several homemade cleaners will kill mold. A solution containing equal parts of vinegar and water works well on shower walls. You can also mix baking soda and water together to create a cleaning paste. Apply your homemade cleaner to all parts of the shower’s interior. After the cleaning products rest for a few minutes, wipe them away for a clean and mold-free shower.
If mold has already accumulated in your shower, then you may want to use a stronger cleaning product to remove the mold. However, you shouldn’t need to use harsh chemicals after you get into the habit of cleaning your shower at least once a week.
You Don’t Dry Wet Clothes and Towels Immediately
Depending on the temperature, wet clothes and towels can start to grow mold within a day. You can prevent this mold growth by learning to dry laundry immediately after washing it. When you hear the washer’s alarm, move the clothes and towels to the dryer.
Mold can also grow when you leave wet items in a clothes hamper. If you come home from the gym wearing sweat-soaked workout clothes, resist the urge to drop them into the hamper. Instead, hang them up until they dry.
If you find mold growing on your clothes, you can kill it with white distilled vinegar, borax, or bleach.
You may need to take some time and effort to change your bad habits, but you will make your home healthier by putting in the effort.
