Tag Archives: mold

Mildew Be Gone

Are you sick and tired of dealing with mold and mildew? If you have a poorly ventilated bathroom that has become the prefect breeding ground for the smelly living organisms, then you might feel as though you are fighting a losing battle. Fortunately, there is hope for a clean lavatory that doesn’t require detoxing every week. The following mold and mildew removers have served me well in the past: Remedex Mold and Mildew Remover: I used this when I was living in a tiny one bedroom apartment in Hawaii where mold and mildew came to party. The product is safe … Continue reading →

Protecting Your Home’s Air – Part 2

Yesterday, I talked about how to detect carbon monoxide and radon in your home. I also touched on the point that you shouldn’t let anyone smoke in your home to keep the air quality at its best. After all, on average, we spend more time indoors than out. After you take care of the harmful gases, what else can you do to improve the air quality inside your home? Ventilating the home is very important. Open your windows whenever possible and if you have exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom, use them. Even if you have pollutants in the … Continue reading →

A Healthy (and Sanitary) Bedroom and Bathroom

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Where and how you store your stuff can make a big difference in how clean and healthy your bathroom and bedroom are. Here are some tips to keep things sanitary — and help keep you and your family healthy. For a clean and healthy bathroom: Move your toothbrush away from the sink. The best place to keep your toothbrush is in a cabinet, behind closed doors. Why? Even the cleanest toilet is full of microbes that can become airborne when you flush. Do you want toilet water landing on your toothbrush? (I don’t. I’m moving mine into a cabinet today.) … Continue reading →

An Unexpected Reaction

I discovered mold underneath the sink in my bathroom last week. Living in a very high humidity area like the Pacific Northwest — that’s not a big surprise. I did some research on how to clean it up and prepared myself to tackle the growth. One important thing to note here: I’m allergic to mold in all forms. If I take penicillin (or any mold-based medication), I break out in hives. If I eat bleu cheese, my mouth burns. Knowing this, I protected myself with a face mask and rubber gloves. I figured I was in danger of ending up … Continue reading →

Mold Basics

I’m allergic to mold. Allergic enough that I can’t take penicillin when I’m sick — I break out in hives. I can’t even eat bleu cheese — it makes my mouth burn. Fall is one of my big allergy seasons thanks to leaf mold. Mold is a definite health problem for certain people. You may be more sensitive to mold if you: Have allergies Have asthma Have another lung or breathing condition Have HIV Are a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy Have received an organ transplant Have any other immune system suppression or issue Exposure to mold can cause a number … Continue reading →

Damp, Mold, and Mental Health

A recent study from the Brown University School of Medicine looked at a possible link between damp, moldy homes and emotional problems like depression. Researchers looked at living conditions and health conditions in several cities around Europe, including Bonn, Germany, Budapest, Hungary, and Geneva Switzerland. Their data came from World Health Organization surveys performed in 2002 and 2003. Nearly six thousand men and women from households around Europe were asked about their health, including any diagnosis of depression in the last year. Participants were chosen at random, divided equally between men and women, and ranged in age from 18 to … Continue reading →

Is Your Home Office Making You Sick?

Home office. Corporate office. Any office. In my opinion they are all environments that can compromise our mental health (slave driver boss, mandated overtime, etc.), but what about our physical health? In a previous blog Aimee detailed research that found some laser printers emit what is considered as “dangerous” levels of ultra-fine toner particles into the air. The study went on to say that people exposed to high levels of these particles are at risk of suffering respiratory irritation, severe cardiovascular problems, even cancer. Unfortunately, even if you don’t work near one of these types of laser printers there are … Continue reading →

Home and Garden Question: Washing Machine Odor

I recently received the following question: Does your washer ever have an odor? Mine does. The smell isn’t real strong but it is unpleasant and like musty. What can I do to to get rid of it and keep it from smelling? Any ideas? The good news is that this problem is usually easy to resolve. First, try leaving the lid to the washing machine open after washing a load of clothes. Letting the drum air out after each load instead of closing the lid will help prevent odors. Another thing to consider is that washing machines do get dirty. … Continue reading →

Does Your Home have Mold?

Okay, I know what you’re thinking: Yuck! I agree. Unfortunately, hot humid weather can be problematic for homes and other structures that are prone to mold. If you’ve ever had a mold problem, you may be confident that it’s been cleared up. It’s important to continue checking often to ensure that mold does not return. The sooner it’s found, the better chance you have of getting rid of it. It also helps to treat suspect areas before mold begins to grow. If mildew is a problem, treat those areas regularly as well. Bleach and bleach based products are your friend. … Continue reading →

Tip of the Day- Clean your window sills

Ok, I admit it. I’m not exactly a neat freak. I wear multiple hats, including mother to young children, and the last thing I want to do each day is clean my house. The basics get done (most of the time) and the rest just sort of sits there until there is a compelling enough reason for me to care about taking care of them. One of those things that I never get around to is my window sills. This is partly because I have designated my 6 and 8 year old boys as the window washers in the family. … Continue reading →