Here are some Tips to Avoid Moving Mold with You to Your New Home!

Moulds are fungi that can occur both indoors and outdoors. Most moulds are spread by spores, which are carried in the air. These spores can survive harsh conditions and will begin growing in a particular surface only when the environment is favourable to them. If you find them in your house, they’re bad news. Moulds are linked to many health problems, such as respiratory issues, skin and eye irritation, or headaches. It is very important to avoid moving mold into your new home. Many movers in BC can attest to the fact that mould is a big issue in many homes. The climate in BC is naturally damp, so moisture is always present.

Moulds are Able to Thrive and Grow as Long as they are Given Moisture, Food, and Time

When a house is wet, from a pipe leakage, or constant moisture (such as a bathroom without ventilation that is used frequently for showers), we know that mould can be present. This is the first key component in the growth of mould, and it is not always obvious.

Secondly, mould spores need nutrients. Most mould feed off of cellulose. Conveniently for them and inconveniently for us, many building materials such as wood, parts of drywall, fabrics, and many others are cellulose-based.

Third, since most spores are small, by the time we notice mould in our homes, they have already begun growing.

The best way to deal with mould is clearly to prevent it. If you are moving it is pertinent to not bring the spores with you – they spread very easily. Before moving out of your old house, you need to do everything in your power to make sure you don’t bring mould with you to your new home! Here is how to avoid moving mold.

Clean, clean, and clean to prevent mold!

First and foremost, you need to clean everything! Moulds are relatively easy to clean: just wipe with water and a little bit of dish detergent. It is not necessary to use bleach. Launder everything that can be laundered. Since that is a lot to launder, it will be easiest for you to bring your fabric items to your local laundromat. Everything that cannot be laundered should be brought to the dry cleaners if possible.

Furniture, décor, and everything else should be wiped down. Do be careful about how you clean items such as leather furniture and wood surfaces, because there is a chance you can damage the material. Electronics, books on the shelf, and others can be vacuumed. Get a good vacuum cleaner. It is preferable to rent or buy a vacuum cleaner that uses a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter. This kind of vacuum is able to suck away all the airborne particles in your home. Clean everything; your plastic storage units, that small candle holder, the canned food in your pantry; they all need to be cleaned. Yes, this is going to be a great deal of work.

This is too much work!

Just remember it always feels good to purge yourself of excessive belongings during a move. It is important to remember that it is easy to spot already grown mould, and we know not to take that. But it is hard to spot spores, and these are the ones that will likely hitch a ride with us during the move to our new home, which is what we want to prevent.

To be honest, the only guaranteed way to not contaminate your new home is to not bring anything from your old home when you move. But that’s not practical at all. What is practical is to know that you should probably throw away many items that you can live without, and that are most likely to harbour mould spores.

Mould spores are ubiquitous and are likely a component of the dust in our homes. So where dust can get trapped in and gather, spores are likely also there. Porous items are best to be thrown out. Some examples include fluffy rugs, old mattress, spongy pillows, or old electronic items with many nooks and crannies. All the small spaces in these items can trap spores and are difficult to completely clean.

To get more tips about moving when you have a mould issue, and to get started on your Vancouver move, call Ferguson Moving at 604-922-2212 or contact us online today!