Cause before cleaning - mould and damp

[IndoorAirAware]

Hi mums,

Can I ask your thoughts on the advice you get on mould and damp?

All I see is people trying to 'clean' or 'get rid' of mould when actually the focus needs to be on cause (humidity / problematic condensation), but it's a complex subject matter.

On all the mould and damp groups I find the tradesmen really condescending, when mums are only trying their best to make their homes healthy for their kids.

What have your experiences been?

Reason why it's all about getting rid is because lots are living in homes with damp problems which their landlord won't fix. If you're an owner occupier then yes get rid of the cause but you'll still have to clean it up first don't go around in a mouldy environment unnecessarily, if you have to wipe it down daily then do so. I take it you've tried all the obvious, damp/mould caused by humans, type fixes?

You need to do both - clean and treat.

You can get specialist mould cleaning fluids which I think are mainly bleach based.

To treat, if you’re the owner sort proper ventilation / extractor fan and if the damp is a used by water ingress get that sorted.

If you rent, low level damp (often just a fact of life in older buildings which have been partitioned up into flats, impeding air flow) is well treated with dehumidifiers, karcher hoovers for windows and dehumidifier trays. Also make sure you’re opening the windows and doors fully for ten minutes every day.