How to Reduce Mold in Your Garage
Mold is one of our greatest enemies, and it has been a problem for all of us at least once in our lives – especially in naturally damp and muggy areas such as the bathroom, basement, and garage. It can be detrimental to your health and wellbeing, causing allergic reactions and asthma attacks, as well as unsightly.
But when mold strikes your new garage, is there any way that it can be undone? The short answer is yes, you can reduce and remove the mold in your garage – you just need a little time and dedication. One method is with an air purifier, allergies are less likely to crop up with one of these in the garage. However, we have five great ways to keep mold levels down.
What is mold and What Causes It?
Mold is a type of fungi, and one that thrives in damp spaces within your home. It can appear on multiple surfaces, including food that has been left for too long and on animal waste. There are actually multiple types of mold, five of which are considered the most commonly found in the home.
The cause of mold is the natural growth of bacteria on a surface or object, although in the home it is most frequently attributed to the humidity of a room as well as issues like rising damp and leaks. This is why you will usually find mold in the bathroom, basement, garage, and the kitchen.
Mold growth can be detrimental to the atmosphere and safety of your new garage, so now is the time to learn how to prevent mold – or get on top of things if it is already an issue for you.
How to Reduce mold in Your Garage
There are several ways to remove mold in the garage, and mold removal techniques are both incredibly simple as well as cost-effective.
#1 Remove any Standing Water.
This is a hugely attractive thing for mold, and standing water is something that will not only cause mold to grow but also lead to an awful stagnant smell. Grab a squeegee or a mop and collect all the still water before draining it into a bucket.
Once you have collected most of the excess water, you can then use cloths and old towels to dry the area. You may also want to consider using a fan to help dry it out faster, depending on the ventilation available in your garage.
Garage mold caused by standing water can be a regular issue, and if you want to prevent mold from forming as a result of this you may want to consider a drainage system in your garage floor that will remove the excess moisture and keep mould in the garage to a minimum.
#2 Bring in a Dehumidifier/Air Purifier.
A dehumidifier will reduce the moisture levels in the air, while an air purifier traps toxins like mold and mildew in its filter – greatly reducing the risk of an allergic reaction or asthma attack as a result of its presence. In fact, there are many air purifiers that are made specifically for those who suffer from allergies and asthma.
Some models will even provide you with both functions in one, saving space and ensuring maximum efficiency. Keeping the humidity levels down is essential if you want to get rid of mold, and considering the health issues this fungi can cause you’ll want the purification features as well. This is imperative if you’re renting out your property as it is the landlord’s duty to keep the property free of health hazards and mold. This is something that should be set out in the tenancy agreement. You can even set up a drainage system so that you don’t need to empty the dehumidifier.
#3 Use Waterproof or mold Proof Paint.
It’s a good idea to repaint the garage walls and interior with mold proof or waterproof paint. It stops future mold growth from breaking through, leading to a garage that doesn’t suffer from mold infestations quite the way it used to. It’s not particularly expensive paint either, so worth the investment.
It can be used on the walls and ceiling, as well as the garage door. While it is not the only thing that will prevent mold, you can use it in addition to the other methods we have listed here as a form of mold remediation.
#4 Ensure the Garage has Ventilation and Sunlight.
This is key to preventing mold, and if you don’t have any way for sunlight to get in, you should at least ensure it is well ventilated. The airflow helps to keep the mold levels down and will decrease the risk of growth and infestation in the room. Sunlight and ventilation also help to keep the air drier, reducing the humidity and dampness in the air.
#5 Ditch Cardboard and Go Plastic.
Cardboard gets damp so easily, and this leads not only to it breaking down, but also encourages the mildew and mold growth. To help prevent this from becoming a potentially major issue, make sure you chuck out the cardboard boxes and replace them with a more durable plastic alternative. That way, you can keep mold spores at bay.
To Conclude
Mold is a major issue for many garage owners. It can appear on the garage walls, the garage door, and even on the ceiling. While it might seem like a problem that never ends, the good news is that there are quite a few things you can do to make this less of an issue.
Often, an air purifier for mold and dehumidifier is your best bet, but it’s not the only option you have. By following the advice we’ve laid out above, you are sure to be on the way to a more comfortable space and one that is free from mold. It’s time to tackle your fungi problem.
