Mold lives in biofilm. Bio what? Biofilm. What the heck is Biofilm and what does that have to do with mold? Mold is a fungus that grows on varies organic and inorganic substrates. Where does Biofilm fit into all this? What Is Biofilm? You may have not heard the term Biofilm, but it’s something that you encounter every day. The plaque on your teeth and the slimy gunk that clogs your drains are two examples of biofilm. Biofilm is produced in 5 stages and is any group of ... continue reading...
The Best Mold Removal Spray + DIY Mold Spray
At least once in your life you will find yourself dealing with mold growth in your home. It’s inevitable as leaks happen to even the most diligent of us. On top of that, most people fail to practice proper mold prevention and end up with small amounts of bathroom mold, especially shower mold and toilet mold. When you practice proper mold prevention you likely will not end up with a mold situation. If you catch the leak in time, you may not end up with mold growth either. But what happens if ... continue reading...
Endurance BioBarrier Cleaner Prep and Endurance BioBarrier Review
In my quest to discover mold removal products that work, I stumbled on Endurance BioBarrier. Intrigued, I spent quite a bit of time on their website, on the phone with customer service, and snooping around the internet for additional insight. Honestly, the Endurance BioBarrier seemed a little too good to be true. It really did. I mean, how is it possible that there is a product that can prevent mold for 25 years??? But before we get to that, we have to chat about the ... continue reading...
PureBiotics Mist and Chrisal Review
Before I dive into the PureBiotics review I need you to please read my post on Biofilm and Mold. It will help you understand this whole PureBiotics line of products so much better! When it comes to cleaning throwing the good microbes out with the bad is not the best approach. Your home is a living organism of sorts and you want to encourage healthy microbes to do their work. Probiotics are live microorganisms, long incorporated into certain foods and dietary supplements, that are ... continue reading...
Vital Oxide Review
Vital Oxide is an interesting product in that it utilizes oxidation to disrupt and prevent mold formation. I spent quite a bit of time looking into the technology to get a better understanding on whether or not this would really remove mold. How Vital Oxide Works Vital Oxide kills germs in two primary ways. With bacteria it alters certain amino acids and the RNA of the bacteria to cause a breakdown of the cell wall and eventual death of the organism. When it comes to viruses, ... continue reading...
Concrobium Mold Control Review
Almost everyone has heard Concrobium mentioned when it comes to mold remover products. It is one of the most widely used on the market. Concrobium Mold Control claims to effectively eliminate existing mold, prevent mold re-growth and eliminate musty odors with no harmful chemicals. This is marketed as a no-scrub product. How Does Concrobium Work? You see, the active ingredients in Concrobium create a tri-salt polymer that is very alkaline. Mold does NOT like an environment ... continue reading...
Benefect Review
In nature, plants produce germ-killing essential oils to protect themselves from invading microbes, similar to how our bodies produce antibodies for our protection. Benefect is a revolutionary blend of these antimicrobial extracts particularly from thyme oil. They formulate with whole essential plant oils, not synthesized copies of the chemicals found within the oils. Thymol, the resulting compound, achieves remarkable efficacy and safety profiles without using any traditional ... continue reading...
Wet and Forget Review
The Wet and Forget line of products is designed with mold in mind. They have two staple products for removing mold. The original Wet and Forget Moss, Mold, Mildew and Algae Stain Remover and the Wet and Forget Moss, Mold, Mildew and Algae Stain Remover Indoor. The Wet and Forget Moss, Mold, Mildew and Algae Stain Remover uses a unique combination of biodegradable selective surfactants to treat and remove mold. Whether you are using it on indoor mold or outdoor mold, Wet and Forget ... continue reading...
Mold Monster Review
I love this company! They have a really fun spin on all their products and their customer service agents all have a great sense of humor. (Yes, I speak with the companies of all the products I am reviewing. Bad customer service gets you a stink eye from me). If you read their story it actually starts with cookies and bacon. I mean there is no way a company like this could put out a bad product right? Let’s take a look! Mold Monster products are non-toxic, antimicrobial and environmentally ... continue reading...
Total Solutions Lemocide Review
It wasn’t until I was researching another product by this same company that I learned about Total Solutions Lemocide. I thought I had seen a similar bottle at a neighbor’s house when I was pet sitting so I asked and sure enough she had a gallon of this. What Is Total Solutions Lemocide? I tried to learn more about the parent company Total Solutions. I was taken to some oddball website but Lemocide wasn’t listed. After doing some digging, I learned that the parent company is ... continue reading...
Moldex Review
The word killer always puts me on the defensive. I immediately feel like this product is going to claim to kill mold on contact without the need to actually remove the mold as well. Moldex Mold Killer is an EPA registered 3-in-1 cleaner designed to kill, clean and inhibit the growth of mold and mildew. It destroys and neutralizes mold, mildew and their odors at their source. It is not a masking agent or general purpose stain remover. It’s bleach-free, phosphate free, non-abrasive ... continue reading...
RMR-86 Review
RMR-86 Mold and Mildew Stain Remover is one of the products I did NOT personally use. Why? It’s bleach based. Bleach does not kill mold and in fact can make the situation worse. Please read my post on Does Bleach Kill Mold for more information. Having said that, I do want to give you sound information on the RMR-86 product in the event that you have already purchased it and were planning on using it. What is RMR-86? RMR-86 Mold and Mildew Stain Remover is not a EPA ... continue reading...
The Best Thermal Imaging Camera For Moisture and Mold Detection
Thermography camera, infrared camera, thermal imaging camera… are these the same thing? What are the best thermal imaging cameras and can they detect mold? Let’s dive in shall we? Detecting moisture intrusion problems is an excellent application for thermal imaging or infrared cameras. While leaks and moisture intrusion may be identified by obvious visual signs, such as water staining or mold growth, by the time visible evidence has presented itself significant damage may have already ... continue reading...
Outdoor Mold Prevention and Removal
Outdoor mold is literally everywhere. Mold plays a huge role in our ecosystem and has since the beginning of time. It isn’t going anywhere. No one wants a moldy patio, mold on their patio furniture, or mold on their deck. Not only does it look bad but you are tracking those mold spores into your home. Not good. Afterall, you want to prevent mold in your home not invite it in! What Causes Outdoor Mold? Mold thrives all year round thanks to its ability to find suitable conditions to ... continue reading...
The Best Mold Resistant Building Materials To Mold Proof A Home
Mold growth on any structure can pose a serious problem. Being the invasive fungus that it is, mold will grow on any building material from the floor to the ceiling. If conditions are right, mold will even make a home on the basement floors and walls. Preventing and reducing moisture inside the home is key. Preventing leaks, using humidity monitors, and running dehumidifiers are all part of a solid mold prevention strategy. But what about the building materials themselves? My father owned ... continue reading...
The Top 7 Moisture Meters For Drywall, Concrete, and Wood
A moisture meter is a device designed to measure the percent of moisture content of various building materials, such as roofing, siding, insulation, drywall, plaster, wood, tile, fiberglass and concrete. Structural and safety hazards, such as mold, rot and decay are all potential consequences of elevated moisture levels in these materials. All homeowners should own a quality moisture meter since they can easily use it to locate moisture that would not otherwise be apparent. In addition to ... continue reading...
The Top 7 Humidity Meters For Any Size Home
Indoor mold is a direct result of a moisture problem. While I have discussed various ways to remove mold and prevent mold, controlling moisture (including preventing leaks) will always have a direct impact on whether or not your home has a mold problem. Most people have no idea what the humidity and moisture levels are indoors. During the summer humidity should fall below 60%. During the winter months humidity should fall below 40%. The lower the better as lower indoor relative humidity ... continue reading...
The Best Mold and Mildew Resistant Bath Mats For Any Budget
If you have spent more than 2 minutes on Mold Help For You, you know that I am a huge advocate for mold prevention. This means that I am always on the hunt for quality products that can help reduce the likelihood of mold growth. Bathrooms are one of the most likely areas of your home to have a mold problem of some sort. Bathroom mold is preventable but even I struggle with things like shower mold and toilet mold sometimes. As such, using mold resistant products in the bathroom plays a ... continue reading...
Mold Remediation – What Every Homeowner Needs To Know Before Hiring A Remediation Company
Chances are you have found this article because you have a mold situation and need to know what to do. Should you hire a mold remediation company or should you attempt to DIY the area in question? If you do hire a company how do you know what to look for? Let's take a look at mold remediation in general and then discuss where you go from there. What Is Mold Remediation? The term mold remediation is defined as “the removal, cleaning, sanitizing, demolition, or other treatment, including ... continue reading...
What Is An ERMI Mold Test?
ERMI stands for Environmental Relative Moldiness Index. An ERMI mold test is a standardized objective test used to quantify the indoor mold burden on a building. It is the mold test to start with if you are unsure if you have mold or have had a leak and want to confirm or dispute the presence of mold in a particular room. ERMI is a DNA based method of testing that will identify and quantify molds. The sample is analyzed using mold-specific quantitative polymerase chain ... continue reading...
