My house was covered in mold from damp, but a 10 cent hack saved me
As the weather gets colder and wetter, homes with poor insulation or no heating will start to feel damp.
With energy prices rising and the cost of living rising, many Britons are doing their best to keep their homes warm without having to rely on expensive electricity.
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However, this often leads to common problems such as mold, which thrives in damp conditions.
According to recent reports from Citizens adviceAround one in two people in the UK are affected by some form of mold or damp in their home.
And this problem has become even worse due to rising energy costs and colder, wetter weather. Research shows that around 25 percent of British homes suffer from mold or damp-related problems.
One mother struggles with exactly this problem and tackled it Mothernet to share what she experienced and how she managed to get around the problem without spending a fortune.
The mother, who remained anonymous, explained that she had an “excessive condensation problem” in her bungalow.
She explained that buying a dehumidifier from Aldi helped, but “understands” that the Meaco range “is the best” and “not expensive to run”, while also recommending “buying the largest you can afford ‘.
The mother also urged people suffering from mold in their home to check the gutters and see if there could be “a leak from the wall outside”.
She also writes: “I had to have all the floors removed here and weeks later mold grew on the baseboard.
“White vinegar kills some mold completely, try that instead of bleach.
“I leave the windows open all the time so that air circulates through the bungalow, and use the extractor hood over the oven on the rare occasions I cook something.”
The mother also suggested to those who suffer from these problems to post on the website Money saving expert website.
She continued: “There is a DIY forum and people regularly post about damp there.”
Someone else joined in on the same Mumsnet topic and also suggested: “Initially get some of the plastic dehumidifiers with sodium crystals, Amazon etc will have them, they do help with damp.”
For a longer term solution, they also suggested installing an ‘exhaust fan outside the wall’.
We previously revealed the top ten cities in Britain most affected by mold.
Birmingham tops the list for mold-related searches, with an average of 710 monthly searches such as ‘how to get rid of mold’ and ‘removing mold’ combined.
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When it comes to buying property, mold and damp are Birmingham’s second biggest concerns. 47% of residents say they are put off by a property affected by these problems.
Bristol and Manchester follow closely, with 370 and 330 monthly searches respectively.
Both cities also rank mold and damp as their biggest property dealbreakers, with 52% of people in Bristol and 50% in Manchester saying they would not make an offer on a house with these issues.
Leeds comes in fourth place with 320 searches per month, while Liverpool follows with 260.
Edinburgh has 250 searches and Glasgow is in seventh place with 230.
Sheffield and Newcastle complete the top ten with 220 and 180 searches respectively, while Coventry sees 160 searches.
What is mold and how do you get rid of it?
Mold is likely to grow during the winter months.
Olivia Young, product development scientist at Amaze revealed exactly why this is.
“Unfortunately, mold is a common problem that many people face in the winter. Mold thrives in warm and moist conditions, so your bathroom is probably the most affected area.
“That said, most rooms in your home can be vulnerable to mold growth during the colder months.
“This is mainly due to condensation that builds up on your windows when you have radiators on.
“If you think about it, if the windows and doors are closed, there isn’t much chance for the air to circulate and for the moisture to come out quickly.
“This buildup is the cause of the dreaded mold, especially in bathrooms, as it creates a warm and wet environment that is a breeding ground for mold.
“If left untreated, it is not only unsightly, but can also pose a serious risk to your health, so it is very important that you treat it.
“The key to tackling mold is to act quickly.
“Try to come into contact with it as little as possible. So grab your gloves, tie your hair and get to work removing any signs of mold as soon as you notice them.
“To keep mold at bay, there are some simple solutions you can apply throughout your home.
“The first is to keep the bathroom ventilated. Yes, even in the cold winter months, try leaving your bathroom window open for at least 10 to 15 minutes after showering or bathing. This will quickly remove excess moisture and prevent mold from forming.
“If you have repeated problems with mold in a particular room, it may be that the humidity is too high. You can purchase a dehumidifier which will keep levels down and reduce the risk of mold returning.
“The golden rule to remember when dealing with mold is: the sooner you can treat it, the better. Leaving it alone will only make it worse, so never ignore it!
“To successfully get rid of mold every time, I recommend opting for the UK’s number 1 mold and mildew removerthat effectively removes mold and mildew stains almost immediately, without scrubbing.”
