How to get rid of mold in the garage: causes and methods of control

Ways to combat mold in the garage

It is necessary to start fighting the fungus when characteristic signs are detected, including the appearance of dark spots on the walls and a pronounced unpleasant smell of rot. Depending on the season, mold growth can occur at a rapid rate, destroying any surface. Mold can be removed in a variety of ways, including the use of chemicals and folk remedies.

Bleaching

Treatment with bleach allows you to destroy pathogenic microorganisms on any surface. Bleach is a disinfectant and is suitable for use on small moldy areas.

The substance is applied to the affected areas using a spray bottle or brush. It is recommended to spray not only the area with the fungus itself, but also a small area around it. After waiting 5-10 minutes, clean with a spatula or a stiff brush.

Copper sulfate and lime solution

To spray surfaces affected by fungus, you can use a solution of 1 kg of slaked lime, 100 g of copper sulfate and 2 buckets of water. Processing is carried out as follows:

Moldy areas are cleaned with sandpaper or a spatula, and then wiped with soapy water.
Using a sponge or sprayer, apply the solution.
After waiting for the solution to dry, carry out secondary processing. The number of sprays ranges from 2 to 5 depending on the degree of fungal damage.

Lemon acid

The use of citric acid is suitable for treating any surfaces and materials. One tablespoon of acid is diluted in a glass of liquid and applied using a spray bottle or a thick rag. For preventive purposes, citric acid is used again a week after the first treatment.

Sulfur smoke bomb

The sulfur block is used for complex processing of the garage. During the combustion process, the checker emits substances that destroy pathogenic microflora. The principle of operation of the checker is to intensely heat the atmosphere and release toxic smoke. Using this method helps not only get rid of the current problem, but also prevent the development of fungus in the future. As a result of exposure to a smoke bomb, the mold softens and becomes rotten, which makes it possible to clean it off with a brush.

Blowtorch

If the garage is made of fireproof material, you can use the blowtorch firing method for processing. The efficiency of using a soldering iron is high, but during the processing process it will be necessary to ensure constant air exchange, since oxygen is consumed for combustion. For safety reasons, it is recommended to wear a hose gas mask to avoid suffocation when the oxygen level in the air is low.

Hydrochloric acid

Exposure to a 10% hydrochloric acid solution effectively destroys the fungus. Simply soak a cloth in the solution and wipe the affected areas with it. After repeating the procedure several times, it is necessary to apply an antifungal coating on top for additional protection.

Reasons for appearance and brief description

Mold

Generally speaking, mold is the name given to colonies of mold fungi. There is simply a huge number of its varieties, but one thing is for sure - this neighborhood does not bring good things. Mold spores cause harm to the structure itself, destroying the interior wall coverings, furniture and other elements. Therefore, fungal colonies need to be combated.

Note! Mold spores can cause quite serious diseases in humans, such as bronchial asthma.

Speaking about the reasons for its occurrence, it is worth noting that mold in the garage, and in other buildings, occurs, in principle, for the same reasons.

High humidity.
Poor ventilation.
Bad light.
Uneven temperature conditions.

If we look at the particular case of mold occurring in a garage, we must say that since constantly heated garages are quite rare, the main reason for the appearance of fungal colonies in these rooms is humidity, which, in turn, is caused by temperature changes inside the room.

Note! The cause of mold may be poor waterproofing of the floor of the room. This is especially true if you don’t want mold to appear in the inspection hole, which is extremely difficult to get rid of.

So, if there are signs of fungal infection in the garage: dark spots on the walls, a characteristic smell, then this means that it is necessary to immediately begin the fight against mold, since delay will only aggravate the situation. Depending on the season, the fungus can multiply at tremendous speed, consuming more and more surfaces. And in the old days, if mold took too deep root in any building, it was simply burned, because it was simply not possible to remove a colony of fungus of such a scale.

Harm from mold

The presence of mold in the garage negatively affects human health and the condition of the interior space. Only timely treatment reduces negative consequences.

For man

During the development of the fungus, a large number of spores are released, which remain in the atmosphere and can penetrate into the lungs, onto the surface of the mucous membrane and onto the skin. Mold affects humans in the following ways:

The spores act as an allergen for the body. Penetrating to the internal organs, the spores provoke the development of pharyngitis, bronchitis, rhinitis and asthma attacks.
Regular exposure to an allergen lowers immunity.
Harmful spores land on the skin, causing various diseases. Most often, symptoms of dermatitis and inflammatory processes appear due to mold.
Once inside the body, mold particles cause toxic tissue necrosis. Subsequently, damage to the bronchi and lungs occurs.
Mold may contain poisons that provoke poisoning, cardiovascular pathology and the development of cancer.

For building materials and structures

Contact of mold with building materials and structural elements of the garage leads to their partial or complete destruction. Developing on the ceiling and walls, the fungus leaves indelible dark spots on their surface, softens the structure and emits an unpleasant odor.

How to get rid of mold in the cellar

Fighting mold is not that difficult if everything is done in a timely manner. If the condition is neglected, then getting rid of it on your own is not always possible; the help of specialists and major repairs of the cellar may be required. But if there is not much white mold on the walls, then you can get rid of it using improvised means, as well as specialized preparations.

Fighting fungus includes many different methods. Everyone can choose exactly the one that is optimal in their case. But first, the territory of the premises must be prepared accordingly:

Empty the cellar. You need to remove everything that is stored there from the room: racks, boxes, food. Thus, it will be possible to reach the farthest corners in the basement, where manifestations of fungal activity are found, and also preserve food;
Clear items. If there are stairs or stools in the basement, then they must be inspected, as well as shelving, and the detected fungus must be removed;
The walls and ceiling in the cellar must be thoroughly cleaned of white mold. If the fungus has penetrated inside the surface, you will have to remove all layers of building material affected by it until the surface is completely clean;
Treat the floor. If the floor in the basement is earthen, then for safety it is necessary to remove its top layer, 10-15 centimeters thick, and then fill it with new soil.

After completing the work, it is necessary to ventilate the room well and let it dry. And after this you can begin to directly combat mold.

There are a wide variety of methods and means to remove white mold in the cellar.

But the foci of its manifestation on the walls are only the consequences of the fact that all conditions for its active reproduction have been created in the basement.

You can get rid of fungus once and for all only by establishing a high-quality ventilation system. This will prevent the creation of an optimal environment for fungal growth.

See also: How to remove mold from wooden surfaces?

Prevention of occurrence

To prevent the formation of mold, it is necessary to create favorable conditions inside the garage. In particular, you should maintain optimal temperature conditions, avoid excessive humidity, and regularly ventilate the room during the warm season. If possible, it is recommended to equip the garage with ventilation.

If there are cracks in the walls, floor or ceiling, they must be eliminated so that the fungus does not grow inside and destroy the base. As an additional method of prevention, all surfaces should be periodically treated with antifungal agents.

Why do fungi and mold form?

Mold never grows in the basement without a reason. Here are some typical reasons:

Missing or clogged ventilation systems. If there is not enough fresh air entering the basement, it encourages mold to form.
Increased air humidity, condensation. This factor is a consequence of the first reason.
Poor air circulation in the cellar.
Rotten vegetables, fruits and other products. Spoiled foods are the source of this scourge. Spores quickly spread in the basement along the walls, floors and ceilings.
The presence of wooden products infected with fungus.

Prevention: how to prevent mold from appearing in the basement?

Preventing mold from appearing in the basement is much easier than removing it later.

You need to follow some rules for storing contents and operating rules for the room itself:

The main rule is good ventilation. It is necessary to ensure both the influx of fresh air and the outflow of air masses. The air in the room should not stagnate.
Things and products should not be stored in bulk directly on the floor. They need to be laid out in such a way that air can fully circulate between them. To do this, you need to install shelving (preferably an open type, with lattice shelves) and not place anything close to the walls.
Do not allow room humidity to increase. If condensation has formed in the basement, the room urgently needs to be dried and warmed up, and then the cause of the dampness must be eliminated.
To monitor the temperature and humidity in the basement, you can hang a thermometer and hygrometer.

For those who are just building a basement or cellar, it is worth remembering the following construction rules:

Take care of good hydro- and thermal insulation of underground buildings.
Try to make at least one window on the south side to allow maximum sunlight into the basement.
Try to arrange at least minimal heating. It doesn’t have to be turned on all the time, but the basement needs to be warmed up periodically. It is not necessary to run a water heating line here: you can do this with any heater.
Arrange supply and exhaust ventilation. If there is a window, then the inflow can be carried out through it. Air removal can be achieved either through a ventilation shaft or through an exhaust fan in the wall.

Remember: prevention is always cheaper than treatment. Don't neglect basic tips during the construction phase, and you won't have to spend a lot of time, effort and money fighting mold in the basement.