How quick can mould grow? Home remedies mould cleaner?

A client has a small leak on their roof during the recent storm in Sydney west. Just after 1-week visible mould growth spread over the house at a critical rate. 2 rooms have registered high-level humidity and are affected by substantial mould infestation.

Many people underestimate the growth rate and multiplication of mould. Mould can infestation can multiply by double within 24 to 48 hours; given the right environment, it can replicate quicker.

How do moulds migrate?

Mould spores can travel from room to room through the air, human contact, or moving affected furniture from one location to another.

Mould can also be transferred from one place to another by using a Mould infected broom, rags or duster. Always wash or discard the rag or duster when cleaning Mould affected areas before using it in a clean area.

Can I clean Mould using household products?

The short answer here is Yes, but it will not remediate or fix the root cause or provide a deep clean.

Products off the shelf in supermarkets and hardware stores such as Bunnings like Exit Mould or Mould Control, Mould Killer or Mould Power will only provide a surface removal of the mould-infected area only. Surface cleaners do not clean the mould bacteria down to the root level. That is why you need a professional Mould Removal Company to do a site inspection and a recommendation on treatment strategies and ongoing mould remediation plans.

Cleaning Mould with baking soda

One of the typical household products for mould removal is using baking soda with water and vinegar. This mixture will clean the surface, but it will not clean the mould down to the root level. Therefore, the mould will remain active and will regrow within days of cleaning.

Cleaning Mould with tea tree oil

Another standard product that can be used for surface cleaning of mould-affected hard surfaces is tea tree oil. Same as baking soda, it will only provide a surface clean and not down to the root level. Hence the mould will re-grow/new growth in no time.

Cleaning Mould with household detergent

This option is the cheapest and as effective as any other product on the market. Yes, household detergent is a biofilm remover and will remove light surface mould. However, if your mould infested is heavy, or the mould keeps coming back after cleaning, you need to check the environment to find out the source of the problem.

Mould growth in high moisture / high humidity environment. The key to keeping mould away from your house is to keep humidity low ( <50%) and keep a low organic load by regularly cleaning and dusting.