It is never shocking when you find mold behind your drywall after a flood, or if you find mold in a humid basement. But mold isn’t always in plain sight, it can hide in places that can be hard to detect. To get rid of any mold that you have in your home, you’re going to need to think about the unlikely places that it can hide. Here are some common areas of the home that mold can hide:
Chimneys
The reason why mold can grow there is because water can get into the crevices of the brick, along with other debris. If your chimney cap is rusted and snow and water get in there, mold can grow. To get rid of it, you’ll first want to replace the rusted caps and fix the flashing. Then, call a chimney sweep service to give your chimney a good and thorough cleaning. When you do this annually it can help protect your chimney against mold and other debris.
Refrigerator Drip Pans
Mold can grow here easily because it is rarely noticed, and collects a lot of moisture which is the perfect environment for mold to grow. Each year you should make it a point to clean your drip pan. Spray it with a hydrogen peroxide solution, and then wipe it down with a rag soaked in white vinegar. You’ll also want to clean the floor beneath the drip pan as well.
Front Loading Washing Machines
This is an unexpected place for mold to grow, but this can occur because the washing machines often stays wet due to the fact that the door is closed when it is not in use. If you add lint to the mix, the mold will only multiply. To get rid of the mold, wipe out the gasket and glass before you shut the door. If you do spot mold, run a hot water wash with some chlorine bleach (no clothes included) which should kill the fungus.
Window Seals
It is actually a common spot for mold to grow, as the condensation, dust, and dirt supply everything that mold needs to grow and thrive. After it rains, open your windows and wipe the moisture from the bottom of the sashes and window sills. If the seals between the panes begin to fail, repair or replace them so that you can prevent condensation. The best defense against mold is regularly cleaning windows.
Dishes
Mold can grow on dishes when you stack a lot of them that are still wet and cruddy. Especially if you don’t use these dishes everyday! Run any moldy dishes through the dishwasher and wipe out cabinets with a vinegar soaked rag. Also, make sure to always completely dry your dishes before you store them.
Air Conditioner
Air conditioning units are known to trap dust and pollen, as well as grab moisture from the air. If you don’t run your AC at least every 24 hours in warmer weather, the humidity level will climb and mold may grow in the AC ducts and drain pans. If you find mold in your AC unit, you will have to hire a mold remediation company to clean out the system. If the mold does show up in your system, you should remove the front plate, clean the blower with a HEPA filter vacuum, then flush out the coils and clean the drain pan with a solution of bleach and water.
