How To Stay Safe When Working With Mold

12/10/2019 (Permalink)

Although face masks and other gear can keep you safe when cleaning up mold, there are cases when professional help is needed.

If your Douglas, MN home experiences mold growth, it is important to clean it up quickly to prevent further damage. Depending on the situation, you may need face masks or other gear to protect yourself from potentially harmful mold spores.

Mold-Cleaning Safety Equipment
When cleaning mold, it is important to wear protective equipment to keep yourself safe. The following are some commonly used items that you may find helpful when working with mold:

Safety goggles
Long-sleeve shirts
Long pants
Gloves
Shoe and hair covers
Face masks

Instead of long pants and shirts, you may choose to use a disposable Tyvek suit. The suits provide an extra layer of protection and can be thrown away after use, rather than cleaned. Your respirator mask should be rated at least N-95. A simple surgical mask will not filter out mold spores. Make sure that your gloves and safety goggles fit properly. Loose items will allow mold spores to get inside.

Every mold infestation is unique, so different levels of protection are needed for different situations. When deciding what protective equipment to use, the goal is to keep the mold spores off of your skin and out of your lungs. Remember that any gear you use should be thrown away or washed in hot water and detergent after you have finished working.

Mold-Cleaning Safety Tips

In addition to protective clothing, there are other things to keep in mind when repairing mold damage. If possible, ventilate the area in which you are working. You do not want the mold spores to spread throughout the house, so it is best to turn off the HVAC system. However, you can open the windows in the room to allow fresh air inside.

Immune-compromised individuals and those with asthma should avoid mold-damaged areas.
If the area of mold growth is larger than 10 square feet or if the mold damage is particularly severe, it may be best to hire a professional restoration company.