How To Get Rid of Black Mold - Safely Killing, Removing & Cleaning Up

You can remove black mold from your home with the following steps. 

First you’ll need to identify the source of the black mold and try to stop it from developing again. 

Next, you’ll want to assess how far the black mold growth extends. Beyond what you can see, there are microscopic black mold spores you can’t see or access because it is underneath flooring or behind walls. 

Make sure to wear the proper protective clothing so you don’t inhale black mold spores or spread the black mold to other areas in your home. 

You will need to use a strong mold cleaner and disinfect the entire black mold affected area. Then you may need to repair or replace walls and flooring if the black mold has eaten away and caused it to be unstable. 

Finally, you will need to bring in fans and use ventilation to dry out the area affected by black mold. 

While it is possible to apply these steps to a small outbreak of black mold that is not the result of water damage, the best course of action is to call a professional mold remediation company.

If there is a water line break or pipes have burst, the resulting black mold may cause severe health effects for you or your family. This is due to the bacteria and even sewage that may be mixed in with the water trapped behind and underneath your walls and floors. 

A professional black mold removal and remediation team has the proper equipment, tools, and cleaning agents to rid your home of black mold without exposing yourself to potential danger. 

Contact the professionals at HRS Restoration Services when you suspect that black mold may be growing in your home. Our team is ready to help.
 

What Is Black Mold? 

The scientific name for black mold is Stachybotrys chartarum. It appears as black or green and could either be powdery or wet to the touch.

Black mold is pervasive and will burrow in porous materials. You may discover black mold on drywall and in areas of condensation near window AC units or a dark and damp basement.  

Black mold often develops from water damage, water leaks, condensation, water infiltration, or flooding.

Common areas to discover black mold include bathtubs, showers, toilets, kitchens, basements and attics. Telltale signs of black mold include cracked wallpaper or paint and bulges in drywall. 

Black mold can be particularly harmful to someone with a mold allergy or an underlying respiratory condition. All mold, but especially black mold, should be eliminated as soon as it is discovered.
 

What Causes Black Mold To Grow? 

Black mold grows when there is excess water, enough warmth, and a porous surface. 

Many homes, and especially commercial buildings, don’t have a lot of natural light, which acts like kryptonite to black mold. Black mold can take hold as long as it has the right conditions. 
 

How Does Black Mold Spread? 

Black mold spores consist of tiny particles that can become airborne or attach to another porous surface. When this happens, black mold spreads rapidly. 

In fact, black mold growth can occur in just 24-48 hours in an optimal environment. 
 

Is Black Mold Dangerous? 

Black mold can cause many adverse health effects such as burning in the eyes and throat, runny nose and a hacking cough. 

Black mold can be especially dangerous if you have a mold allergy, a respiratory illness, or an underlying health condition. 

Black mold is one type of mold that has been identified as being more harmful than others. 
 

How To Remove Black Mold From Each Part of Your House

Removing black mold from your home involves a keen eye, determination, the proper equipment, a strong cleaning agent, and doing whatever it takes to make sure the mold doesn’t return. 

Given its potential dangers, you may research how to clean black mold before beginning to attempt to remove it yourself. Black mold may be lurking beneath your floors or behind your walls and you may not see it until it has been spreading so long that it finally becomes visible on the surface. 

Given that black mold thrives in dark, damp areas in our homes, there are many hidden spots where it can rear its fuzzy head. 
 

Mold On Walls

When mold grows on walls, the walls must be inspected to find out how far it has spread and to see if the mold has affected the structural integrity of the wall. 

The presence of mold may lead to drywall repair or replacement. 
 

Mold In Bathroom

Black mold is persistently found in bathrooms between tiles, in bathtubs, near windows and even on walls. 

Installing a ventilation system and opening doors and windows goes a long way in the fight to remove black mold from bathrooms. 
 

Mold In Shower Caulk

Caulk can retain water and is especially hospitable to black mold. You will need to spray mold cleaner, allow it to permeate and scrub the caulk to remove black mold in shower caulk. 
 

Mold In Basement

Basements are often dark, damp and places where water damage happens. 

Mold in basements can often go undetected since we spend less time in the basement compared to other areas of the home. 

Cleaning black mold in basements may require additional ventilation or fans. 
 

Mold In Carpet

Getting rid of black mold from carpets is especially difficult since the carpet fibers are porous. 

If the mold growth has continued for a long period of time, it may be easier to remove and replace the carpet than to remove the mold from it. 
 

Mold In Attic

A warm, damp, dark attic is a breeding ground for black mold. If rain, sleet or snow enters the home, the attic is the first entry point for water damage that precedes black mold growth.
 

Mold On Windows 

Removing black mold from windows requires a close inspection since the mold can permeate the frame and within the glass panes.  

Select a mold cleaning solution that is best suited to the frame material. 
 

Mold Under A House

Black mold can develop under your home where it is dark, damp and lacks ventilation.  

Unchecked mold growth can affect your home’s foundation  and you may need the help of an expert to evaluate whether the foundation needs repairs or an overhaul. 
 

Is Black Mold Removal Safe To Do Yourself? 

Removing surface level mold is a relatively simple task. As long as the mold has recently developed, is the result of excess moisture and not a water break, and has not penetrated the surface of a wall or floor, you can follow a few easy steps to clean and disinfect the mold affected area.  

Learning how to remove black mold, you will find that you can clean the mold with bleach, a commercial mold cleaner or a mix of natural ingredients. Remember to ventilate the damp area with an open or cracked window and high powered fans.  

However, if mold is the result of water damage that has gone unchecked for a long time and involves pooled water that you can’t see or access, it is time to call a mold removal professional.  

Moreover, the black mold that develops from a water leak is more dangerous than a surface level mold problem because it involves harmful bacteria and even sewage depending on where the water break occurred.  

Mold remediation professionals have specialized training, equipment and experience to address black mold growth that has gone unchecked or unseen. 
 

When To Call A Professional

When the black mold in your home is the result of a pipe break or leak and mold has developed under your floors or within your walls, it is a good idea to call a mold removal professional.  

Professional mold remediation and restoration experts, like those from HRS in Denver, have the experience, training and tools to find how far the mold has spread and exactly how to treat black mold without exposing you to noxious gases and harmful bacteria.  

You may have a mold allergy that could harm your health. Trust a professional to identify, remove, clean and disinfect the area. They will also guide you through mold remediation steps to prevent a future mold outbreak. 

 

Why Choose HRS Restoration Services? 

HRS Restoration Services has provided water mitigation and mold elimination services to homeowners and companies in the Denver metro areas for four decades, and we know well how to get rid of black mold in a house and protect the health and safety of your family.  

We are heavily involved in these communities and proud of our A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. We’re here to help you 24/7 because emergencies don’t keep a schedule!

 

Contact HRS Restoration Services Today! 

Your home is your sanctuary and not a place for mold to take hold. With the help of HRS Restoration Services, your home can be a safe, mold free environment.  

We understand that water damage can lead to mold outbreaks and we also work in water extraction and mitigation in Denver to serve you when the need arises.  

Our comprehensive list of services will solve whatever emergencies life has given you and your home. Call us today for information or to schedule an appointment.