How to stop mould taking over your home: Do it yourself guide to stopping the spread

After weeks of high humidity, storms and rain, mould is spreading into cars, homes and workplaces – and the cost of getting rid of it can be eye-watering. This is how you can beat it.

After weeks of high humidity and drenching rain, mould is spreading in homes and cars, with the clean-up bill costing nearly $500 per household, alarming new research has revealed.

Current “tropical” conditions that are ideal for mould to thrive.

The mould has latched itself onto homes, cars, clothes, shoes and new research revealed just how many people are battling it.

 

A new Mitsubishi Electric Healthy Home Trends research report revealed nearly a fifth (18 per cent) of Queenslanders were battling mould in their properties.

Nationwide, the figures showed an estimated 5.7m people were living with potentially harmful mould with 22 per cent of those having mould in at least one room.

The report showed 13 per cent of Queensland homes had rooms with dampness present.

It found 67 per cent of responders had clothing or belongings ruined by mould over the past year at an average loss of $427 with Millennials the hardest hit.

Dr Andrew Rochford said mould was presenting everywhere, indoors and outdoors.

“It can grow in and on materials such as food, furniture, fabrics, carpets, walls, paper, timber and plumbing,” Dr Rochford said.

“For people with asthma, inhaling mould spores may cause an asthma attack.”

Mould has also been found inside vehicles left inside garages for too long, as Brisbane woman Jess Miller found.

Ms Miller posted horror images of the back seats of her Mazda C-X5 which was covered in mould.

West End mould victim Laura Roberts, 29, said she and her roommates had to bin thousands of dollars’ worth of clothes and furniture.

Ms Roberts, 29, said the non-stop rain event had “cost her a fortune”.

“Even when it’s not raining, we are struggling to keep the dampness out of the house,” Ms Roberts said.

“With the dehumidifier working overtime the mould is still playing havoc on our clothes, furniture, and walls, and it’s costing us a fortune.”

Queensland Health explainer how to combat mould at home

Steps to removing mould

1. Obtain personal protective equipment, including half-face disposable respirators with P1 or P2 filters, to avoid inhaling mould spores when cleaning. You’ll find these at hardware stores.
2. Place drop sheets on the floor and exclude people from the affected area if they’re not performing the work.
3. Get two buckets: One for cleaning solution and one for clean water.
4. Wipe the area clean with a microfibre cloth and cleaning solution. Don’t put dirty cloths back in the solution; rinse them in the clean water to avoid cross-contamination.
5. After cleaning the area with the solution, wipe the surface with a damp cloth. Don’t use the same cloth you used with the solution.
6. Wipe the surface dry with a clean cloth.

Mould remover

Remove mould using a suitable mould remover, such as:

• a solution of three parts vinegar and two parts water
• a solution of 70% methylated spirits and 30% water
• a solution of tea tree oil and water
• commercial products from the supermarket. Follow the safety instructions to protect your eyes and skin.

Tips

• Always use a different cloth with each process and throw them away after, or the mould spores will spread and mould will reappear.
• Don’t dry brush the area with a broom or brush, as this can spread mould.

Source: Queensland Health