How to remove black mold from wood
No house can escape, at some point, the visit of some animal, parasite or organism that settles anywhere in it and automatically becomes a real headache for the owners or tenants. Normally we tend to think of ants, cockroaches or termites, but there are also other types of smaller organisms that can cause the same damage, or even more serious, to the furniture and facilities of a house, in addition to causing health problems to the habitants.
A very clear example of these microorganisms is black mold. It can appear in the most humid and warm areas of the house and is especially noticeable on furniture or objects that are made of wood. It is very important to monitor and prevent its appearance because more and more people are showing allergies to this organism. Furthermore, it can be very difficult to get rid of it permanently, although there are various means, both chemical and natural. In FoxWiki we explain to you how to remove black mold from wood.
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Why does black mold appear on wood?
Mold is found inside mushroom group, like yeasts and mushrooms. This organism has the ability to reproduce by spores, so it can be present at home for many years, but not have the opportunity to reproduce because the appropriate conditions for it have not been provided.
In general, it can be said that black mold (like any other type of mold) is easy to appear when two factors come together: heat and humidity. If both the temperature and humidity inside a room are high, mold will be more likely to appear. That is why you have to be especially careful in certain areas of the house, such as the kitchen, bathrooms or furniture that is near pipes where a small leak could occur.
How to prevent black mold from appearing on wood
To control the appearance of black mold, it is necessary to control the variables that produce it. Heat is one of them, but, logically, we are not going to be cold at home, so it is better that we try control humidity level. There are dehumidifiers that can help achieve this and there are also air purifiers that filter the air with HEPA filters, which are very suitable for combating the appearance of mold because they filter out very small microorganisms, including spores. We also recommend that your vacuum cleaner contains a filter of this type.
You can also follow other recommendations such as always keeping the house well ventilated, preventing hot and humid environments from developing, allowing sunlight to enter, since mold cannot grow in the presence of sunlight or even resort to anti-mold paints. In the latter case, it is important that you keep in mind that it is a preventive measure, since it will not work if the wooden furniture already has mold. Also, get one that does not contain fungicides or toxic elements.
How to remove moisture stains from wood
There are various ways to eliminate black mold from wood, some with the use of chemicals and others with more natural remedies. But it is essential that in all cases you do it the right way. Remember that mold spores are very harmful and can cause significant damage to your health, especially if you are allergic to them. That’s why you need to protect yourself. Get a mask, gloves and protective eye glasses and wear clothing that covers all areas of your body to avoid exposure as much as possible.
Never clean the furniture inside the room or inside the house. It is best to take the furniture outside, and even better if you place it in a place where it receives direct sunlight. Before you begin, no matter which method you choose, use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter to Vacuum as many spores as possible from the furniture, passing it through the areas affected by mold. When you’re done, you can choose how you prefer to attack the mold.
Remove mold from porous surfaces with borax
One of the most effective methods is boraxan easy-to-purchase chemical product that is best suited for removing mold from the most porous surfaces.
- First vacuum the area properly.
- Then, clean the mold with a brush with water and detergent.
- Then, dissolve a glass of the product in 5 liters of water.
- With another brush, scrub the affected area several times until you see that the mold has disappeared.
- You don’t need to clarify it, as the presence of borax will prevent the organism from growing again.
If the stain remains, you can resort to ammonia, using it with caution, mixing a cup of the product with another cup of water and spraying the area with this mixture. After two hours, you will be able to rinse it off. If you want to know more, you can find information in the following article about How to use ammonia for wood.
Remove mold from wooden furniture with tea tree oil
There are also natural methods to combat black wood mold. One of them is the oil from the tea treewidely used today in cases of pediculosis since it is fungicide. This is very useful if you don’t know how to remove black mold from wood and don’t want to use chemicals:
- Clean the area with water and detergent.
- Next, dissolve a tablespoon of tea tree oil in a glass of water.
- Next, spray the stain and do not rinse it so it can act. In addition, white vinegar undiluted in water is very suitable for eliminating the most resistant mold stains, and spraying the affected area so that it is completely wet.
- Finally, you will just have to wait for it to dry.
Now that you know how to remove mold from a closet, or how to remove moisture from a wooden door, for example, you may be interested in this other FoxWiki article on How to remove mold from walls.
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