How To Remove Mycotoxins

Unlike mold, which is often times very visible, mycotoxins are completely invisible to the naked eye and yet, so much more dangerous to human health than mold can be. So why don’t mold inspectors routinely test for mycotoxins and why don’t remediation companies address the mycotoxins as part of standard remediation?

Simple – because mycotoxins are still very misunderstood and government regulations focus on mycotoxins in relation to food but have not addressed them in homes and other buildings.

What Are Mycotoxins?

I have an entire article dedicated to better understanding mycotoxins. You can read that here. But in short, mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by toxigenic mold species that are capable of causing disease and death in humans, animals and other living things. Some mycotoxins or mycotoxin derivatives are used to create antibiotics, growth promotants, and other drugs. Specific mycotoxins are “the ingredient” in chemical warfare.

Researchers have identified over 400 mycotoxins already and believe that many have yet to be discovered. There could be as many as 300,000! Molds produce mycotoxins as a self-defense mechanism when they feel threatened. What makes them feel threatened? Competition for food sources, competition for space, and competition between species in an area. In addition, mold has a strong desire to grow and flourish so if you try to remove it or it gets disturb even a little, it feels threatened.

Why Should I Remove Mycotoxins?

If you haven’t read my dedicated mycotoxin article, you will want to. The health implications of mycotoxins are shocking. Remediating for mold is never enough! 85% of my clients are STILL SICK after remediation! Why?  Because their homes are full of mycotoxins!

Why Doesn’t Standard Remediation Remove Mycotoxins?

In short – because the standard process isn’t thorough enough. Mycotoxins are very difficult to remove and/or wipe away because they are sticky. Think super glue sticky. Once they get onto a surface, they don’t often budge. At least not easily.

Unlike light weight mold spores that float around in dust, mycotoxins find a home and live there until properly removed. Now that’s not to say they don’t travel around. They have to get somewhere initially after they are released into the air. So yes, they move on the air currents. But again, once they stick a landing, they stick. This is also why you might find mycotoxins EVERYWHERE in your home when the mold issue was just in one specific part of your house. Hence why air scrubbers and a “quick wipe” don’t effectively reduce the mycotoxin load.

Keep in mind that mycotoxins do not replicate on their own. They are only released by active mold. You do not want to remediate for mycotoxins until you have addressed and stopped the active mold growth.

How Do You Remediate Mycotoxins?

Mycotoxins aren’t actually alive like mold spores. When “remediating mycotoxins” it really means breaking them down so they are no longer dangerous to humans. Remember, these are chemicals essentially.

In a moment I will share specific products that have been lab tested and proven to destroy mycotoxins. But first, I would like to share a few important facts.

1. Extreme heat (fire at 500°F for half-hour) can destroy most mycotoxins. But no one is setting fire to their home.
2. Ozone can kill most mycotoxins, but the level needed is not safe for humans. Safe levels have little to no impact and don’t even qualify as a “band-aid” approach.
3. HEPA air filters need to be supplemented with activated carbon filters to capture mycotoxins. (Intellipure is my go-to for air purifiers)
4. Ultraviolet light or freezing temperatures have little effect on many of the most common mycotoxins.
5. Mycotoxins left in a dry environment remain potent for years.

What Products Destroy Mycotoxins

Currently I only recommend products that have science backed testing proving their effectiveness at removing mycotoxins.

• Superstratum
• BioBalance HavenFog
• MicroBalance EC3 ULV Fogging System
• Vital Oxide

Superstratum

A very effective mycotoxin cleaning process has been developed by the professionals at Superstratum. The Whole Home System is Superstratum’s patent-pending cleaning system designed and proven to eliminate and prevent the damaging effects of mycotoxins in water-damaged buildings. Perform the Whole Home System in your home to remove mycotoxins from air and surfaces in three simple phases – clean, gas, & coat. The combination of their three unique chemistries and the process is what delivers Superstratum’s unbeatable performance. 

In January of 2023, Michael Pinto from WonderMakers Environmental contracted with Medical Services Consultation P.A. (MSCPA) and working with Real-Time Laboratories evaluated the general efficacy of the Superstratum Building Cleaner product in removing mycotoxins in a biosafety level 1 laboratory. The straightforward process involved testing the Building Cleaner on an intentionally contaminated piece of oriented strand board (OSB). The results of the testing showed an overall reduction in mycotoxins on the difficult to clean OSB boards of 94% – 95%. I encourage you to read the entire white paper here.

Their process is simple.

Phase 1: Fog and Clean with Superstratum Building Cleaner

Since mycotoxins aren’t living organisms they can’t be killed with disinfectants and traditional cleaners. Superstratum Building Cleaner is the only cleaner that is lab proven to destroy the chemical bonds of mycotoxins. But despite its unrivaled performance in breaking down toxins, it is gentle enough to use in any area of the house. And when it has done its job on mycotoxins, it leaves behind no toxic chemicals.

Phase 2: Gas with Superstratum Deodor Bombs

Mycotoxins can spread through the air. This means they can hide deep in hidden recesses of the home where you can’t see. Superstratum Deodor Bombs are a unique delivery system of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas. ClO2 gas is a powerful oxidizer that breaks down odors, mycotoxins, and VOCs. After fogging and cleaning with Superstratum Building Cleaner, place Superstratum Deodor Bombs around the home. By activating the Superstratum Deodor Bomb’s dry packet with water, ClO2 gas is generated at the perfect amount. After leaving the gas to dwell overnight, simply open the windows and air out the home the next day. You want to be sure that the bombs are correctly formulated for the size of your home and each room! Customer service is always willing to help with this.

Phase 3: Coat with Superstratum Endurance Coating

Superstratum Endurance Coating is a revolutionary type of coating that creates a dry film that is protected from mold growth for years – even when it becomes soaking wet. Apply Superstratum Endurance Coating easily with a pump sprayer, airless sprayer, or backpack sprayer on any surface inside or out. The Superstratum Endurance Coating will remain resistant to the growth of mold on its surface for years and years.

Learn more about Superstratum or purchase products here.

BioBalance HavenFog and the MicroBalance EC3 ULV Fogging System

Both HavenFog and EC3 are citrus seed extract-based products. Citrus seed extracts were found to control the growth of food-borne fungi and to prevent mycotoxin biosynthesis. When mycotoxin biosynthesis is halted, molds become inert and much less of a health threat.

This information spurred testing of citrus seed extracts as possible solutions for the treatment of indoor molds and mycotoxins. Low concentrations of citrus extracts, when applied to the tested molds resulted in changes of the cell structure, inhibiting respiration and changing the permeability of the cell membrane, whereas high concentrations lead to severe membrane damage, loss of homeostasis and cell death.

Science also shows that the fungitoxic effects of citrus seed extracts is a consequence of hydrogen bonds forming between hydroxyl groups of phenolic compounds and active sites of cellular enzymes. The active components cause loss of integrity of the cell wall, and thus the loss of cytoplasmic constituents from the mold hyphae. This is important, because when the hyphae are damaged, the mold cannot take root, spread, reproduce, or release mycotoxins.

While both HavenFog and EC3 are citrus seed based, the mechanism of delivery is different.

BioBalance Havenfog is a thermal fog. Think coastal “pea soup” fog. It can literally get into all kinds of nooks and crannies. Although it is non-toxic, people and pets cannot be inside the home during the fogging process and while the fog is working. First, you won’t be able to see your hands in front of you. Second, it can make it difficult to breathe.

Detailed instructions on how to fog are available on the Biobalance website. You can also reach out to me and I can walk you through your specific situation.  Remember, there is still a small particle cleaning that must take place in order for this to achieve maximum effectiveness on the mycotoxin load.

Learn more about BioBalance Havenfog here. Be sure to ask me for a coupon code for your purchase!

Microbalance EC3 has a similar formulation to HavenFog however it cannot be used in a thermal fogger. It performs well in a ULV fogger. Basically it produces a “mist.” So unlike thermal fogging which is dry, misting is going to get things damp.

Microbalance products have been subjected to independent lab testing, performed by RealTime Laboratories, Inc, against a range of molds and their toxins. The lab concluded that EC3 Mold Solution Concentrate will “eliminate aflatoxins, ochratoxins, and tricothecenes at concentrations of 1000 ppb if the solution is diluted no more than 1:40.” Note: The instructions on the bottle will guide you for proper dilution, so that this won’t be a problem.

In addition to the EC3 Concentrate,  the EC3 Candles whose mechanism is to aerosolize the citrus extracts into the air as they burn, were found to decrease known concentrations of mycotoxins in the air at 500 and 1000 parts per billion by 90% in 3 hours burn time. Mycotoxins in the 250 parts per billion range were completely eliminated in 3 hours. This makes for a good temporary solution to knock down mycotoxins while you wait for remediation. Biobalance Remedy also has a candle that operates in the same way.

You can learn more about the Microbalance product line and purchase products here.

Vital Oxide

Vital Oxide harnesses the power of oxygen – in the form of Chlorine Dioxide (ClO2) – to eliminate molds on a molecular level, neutralizing spores and inhibiting fungal growth without damaging the surfaces treated. Vital Oxide is also tested and proven effective in neutralizing a range of mycotoxins. You can download the entire study here.  

Unlike traditional cleaners and disinfectants that are only effective on hard, non-porous surfaces, Vital Oxide can also penetrate surfaces like carpets, upholstery, drywall, grout, concrete, and wood. It can be fogged using a ULV fogger.

VitalOxide is available on Amazon as well as at hardware stores nationwide.

The Importance Of Small Particle Cleaning (Fine Particulate Cleaning)

Remember earlier when I said that mycotoxins are sticky and adhere themselves tightly to surfaces? This means that a detailed wipe down of every item and surface in your home is critical to making your environment healthy. Fogging or gassing without a detailed cleaning can help knock down mycotoxins to some degree but you really need to invest the time into physically removing any mold spores or mycotoxins that are left behind.

You can learn more about how to properly conduct content cleaning and small particle cleaning here.  

I could probably write a 50 page dissertation on removing mycotoxins and therefore encourage you to reach out with any additional questions you may have! My goal is to always present information in digestible chunks so as to not add to the overwhelm you are likely already dealing with.

If you are looking for a company that can do the mycotoxin removal for you, I highly suggest you reach out to the professional at Hygia! It is the first company of it’s kind and I am thrilled that they are offering services nationwide.