Mold in the apartment? Removing minor stains yourself is not enough if you want to solve the problem

Mold in your own four walls is not to be trifled with.

Experts explain why it is so important that when in doubt, you consult a professional.

Mold in the home is not only annoying, but also damages the structure of buildings over a long period of time and can be harmful to health.

It is often due to incorrect ventilation or heating when mold stains have formed on the walls.

Therefore, do not allow rooms in the apartment to cool down - and ensure that there is a regular exchange of air even in rooms without windows.

Otherwise you will not get rid of the mold permanently.

Leaking pipes in the walls could also be the cause.

Better consult a professional and inform your landlord promptly if you discover anything suspicious.

How to remove small mold stains in the apartment?

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Drying laundry indoors can lead to mold growth.

©Panthermedia/Imago

You can also remove small, superficial mold stains yourself.

The consumer center North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) explains on its website what you have to consider: "As a precaution, wear gloves, a face mask with a fine dust filter (at least protection class P2), safety goggles and possibly a disposable overall," says the consumer advocates.

You should also make sure that you do not stir up dust, spread it around the apartment or inhale it.

Mold deposits on smooth surfaces such as glass, painted wood or plastic are usually easy to clean: “Wipe off with a household cleaner and a cloth.

Then throw the cloth away,” advises the NRW consumer advice center.

When is professional mold removal needed?

However, you should only tackle areas that are no more than half a square meter.

It doesn't have to be a contiguous stain, says Stefan Betz, first chairman of the Federal Association for Mold Remediation, according to a report by the German Press Agency (dpa).

Even if there are several small patches of mold in a total area of ​​half a square meter, experts should be consulted, the report states.

This also applies to an infestation that is visually very noticeable, for example if fluff has formed on the spots.

If you are unsure where the mold in your home is coming from, you should ask a specialist anyway.

In addition, it is not enough to remove the smaller stains - if you want to solve the problem permanently, you have to work on the causes.

How do you remove mould-infested wallpaper?

Joints and wallpaper should also be removed and replaced.

Here, too, it is better to ask an expert.

What do you have to consider?

In order to keep the health risk low, the affected wallpaper should first be moistened and then removed, according to the advice of the consumer advice centre.

In order to bind spores and bacteria, the wallpaper should first be wiped off with a cloth soaked in dishwater, for example, or moistened with a paste brush.

And then dispose of the cloth or brush.

After removing the wallpaper, the wall should be wiped down with high-proof alcohol of 70 to 80 percent and left to dry well, according to the advice from the consumer advice center, and very important: air the room well afterwards.

Why is mold dangerous, especially for health? 

Mold in the apartment is generally not to be trifled with.

According to the dpa report, mold can cause allergic reactions and intensify diseases, especially those of the respiratory tract.

According to the consumer advice center NRW, people with health problems and immunocompromised people should avoid rooms with mold.

Mold also damages the building fabric, the report goes on to say.

In the worst case, it could lead to the destruction of supporting wooden beams or the roof truss of the house and the building becoming uninhabitable.

So it's better to ask an expert right away.

"As a rule, depending on the size and extent of the damage, it will be necessary to completely or partially remove the affected component and the affected materials," explains the consumer advice center.

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