The Complete Guide on How to Get Rid of Mold in House

Last Updated on December 18, 2020 by Justin Williams

It is possible that you have that perfect dream house. To keep the dream you need to keep mold from ruining the ideal. Prevention is better than lots of cures. But not everyone is fortunate enough to stop mold from entering their domain.

When mold appears, take the problem seriously as household mold can cause allergic reactions and harm yours and your family’s overall health, including your pets.

To do this right, you need to learn how to test for mold then get professional help, if you do not want to use the following information to do it yourself.

Stopping mold from ruining your dream is serious work.

How to Test for Mold

This is not an easy solution as sometimes dirt may look like mold. The way to identify the stain as old, you need to mix about 1 part bleach to 16 parts water and rub a test area. You can use a clean cloth or a cotton swab like a Q-tip. Wear rubber gloves before rubbing the mixture on the test area.

If the area lightens almost right away, then you can conclude it is mold and you can either do a test or wash the area with your solution.

How to Test for Mold

#1. How to Test for Black Mold

Black mold is divided into two categories, toxic black mold and non-toxic black mold. The best way to conduct this test is let a professional do it. They know what black mold looks like and they have the right equipment to make the test and a determination.

Barring that you need to buy a mold test kit and then send the sample off to the lab to get an accurate reading.

#2. How to Test for Mold in Walls

The cheapest and best way to do this test is get your screwdriver. It does not matter if it is a flat edge, a Phillips or a Star-shaped. Just rub the area you suspect mold is at and if the wood or drywall crumbles easily or is soft then you have rot and a mold problem

#3. How to Test for Mold in Air

This is a very hard task to do as it is difficult to get enough mold spores into a specimen jar and off to the lab. Results are not very good and you may be wasting your money if you try this method.

To make sure you get accurate tests, you should invest in a top-rated mold test kit. These kits have everything you need to get the right mold sample. Plus, they link you to a lab who conduct the analysis for you.

How to Get Rid of Mold in House

Mold can grow anywhere in your house, including the kitchen, bathrooms or the basement. To prevent mold from growing, the first step you need to do is improve your house ventilation, like installing exhaust fans in these rooms.

The good news is that you do not have to go out and buy expensive chemicals to rid your dream house of its mold problem. Household items will handle the job and they do that task quite well.

The bad news is that if the mold problem is severe, in your carpets, behind your walls, and other major areas of your home, you are going to have to do a lot of work to rid your home of the mold invasion.

  • Mold in carpet - this is a dirty job and you need to work in a well-ventilated area while sealing off entrances to your home. Once that is done, cut your carpet into smaller pieces but not too small and roll those pieces up wrapping them in plastic when you do so. After you remove the carpet, mix bleach with water in a spray bottle then spray the bleach solution over the moldy portions of your floor and then wipe up the mold. Spray again and let dry so that there are no mold spores left. Replace the carpet with new flooring material.
  • Mold in the walls - in this situation you need to remove the old drywall where you see the mold is and then all the insulation that has mold on it. The mold may extend underneath clean looking drywall so you should remove that as well as the insulation under it. Put all the mold filled pieces in a plastic bag and throw away. If the wood studs have gotten moldy and started to rot, you will have to replace those items as well. Make sure to spray bleach or a mold remover on the area before replacing the old with the new materials.
  • Light mold areas - when you spot mold in different area s of your house, and they are not serious, you can use a bleach and water mixture to wash the areas to rid your home of mold.

How to Get Rid of Black Mold in Basement

how to get rid of mold and mildew in basement

This is not a difficult task to do but you should wear protective clothing when you do this job. Whenever you clean up mold, you should protect yourself with masks, goggles, clothes and even an extra layer of clothing.

Black mold removal is like removing other kinds of mold. The first thing to do is move all unaffected possessions away from the area filled with mold. Then mix 1 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water and wash the area clean.

If the black mold has gone into the walls, on the drywall and in ceiling tiles, replacement is your only option

How to Get Rid of Mold and Mildew in Basement

There is no real trick to getting rid of mold and mildew in your basement. You can use the bleach and water method after brushing the bacteria into a dustpan. Or you can use one of the many top products that are designed for mold and mildew removal.

The key to stopping mold and mildew from returning is to either buy a good dehumidifier and regulate the moisture, or you can seal up any sources of excess moisture like leaks

Keeping moisture from creating a welcoming environment for mold and mildew is key to preventing their growth

If you do not want to use bleach or do not have any around then you can use one of the best mold and mildew removers. These products are designed to get rid of mold fast and effectively.

Please note that: all the remedies we mentioned above can help you get rid of visible mold, not the hidden mold (the root cause). Here are our recommendations to help you remove mold from your home completely:

  • Buy an air purifier - a good air purifier which is designed specially for mold remediation is a go-to choice
  • Use mold foggers - using a mold fogger for preventing mold regrowth is an essential part of mold remediation
  • Hire professionals - this is the best way to get rid of mold in your house if these above suggestions couldn't help.
  • Install a dehumidifier - last but not least, high humidity environment supports mold growth. Keep your indoor humidity at an ideal level with the help of a dehumidifier is the most effective and safest way to keep mold & mildew at bay.

Final Thoughts


When you see mold you need to take action. You can use the home tests and removers mentioned above and do it yourself. Or you call in a professional.

Either way you go you should invest in a good dehumidifier to make sure your moisture levels do not get too extreme.

Getting rid of mold in your basement or your whole home is not a big deal when you do it the right way.

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My name is Justin Williams. I am the founder and blogger at TheDehumidifierExperts.com (read more about us). I was an allergy sufferer and that is also the reason why I began my trek to finding the best dehumidifier for my own personal health issues. All of the dehumidifier top picks on the site were put through their paces by Lance Perez - our dehumidifier researcher. He put each one through a series of tests to see how well they performed. Then, our editorial team compiled the insights into articles and published them.

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