How to Prevent Mold in Your Home

To lower the amount of moisture build-up, open windows while bathing. If there is no window in the bathroom, leave the door open and open the nearest window if possible. This will allow moisture to escape.

Use a sponge or towel to wipe down walls of the shower or tub every time after you shower or take a bath. The moisture on the walls can lead to mold growth.

Do not leave wet clothes sitting in your washing machine when doing laundry. Mold will start to grow on the clothes. Instead, remove the clothes from the washing machine immediately after wash and place inside a dryer or on a clothes line outside to dry.

Never hang clothes inside to dry. If no dryer is available, always hang your wet clothes outside on a line to dry. Mold can grow on walls and other surfaces due to the evaporated water from these clothes. If it necessary to hang wet clothes inside to dry, make sure that a fan is pushing the air and moisture surrounding the clothes outside of the home.

Clean up floods and spills immediately as mold can grow on the wet surface in as little as 24 hours.

Use exhaust vents and fans in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, basement, and crawl spaces, to help circulate air and push out moisture.

Empty drip trays from air conditioners, refrigerators, and dehumidifiers regularly to prevent mold growth.

Open windows to vent out stale air and use fans to increase air circulation in your home. The fresh air from the open windows will help to control humidity inside and prevent mold growth.

Use a dehumidifier to prevent mold in areas of the home where it is hard to control moisture, such as a basement.

If your basement or bathroom is fully carpeted, remove it and replace with area rugs. The area rugs can be removed, cleaned, dried easily which can prevent mold growth if they get wet.

Insulate walls, pipes, toilet tanks, and water tanks if they are susceptible to condensation forming on them. Metal pipes can be wrapped with sleeves, tanks can be wrapped with insulating blankets, and use fiberglass batts/blankets/foam to insulate walls.

Inspect your home regularly and fix leaks immediately. Check for leaks from pipes, the roof, faucets, appliances, under sinks, under floors (basement), and near toilets, tubs, and showers.