Recent Cleaning Posts

Mold Myth Busting 101

3/23/2022 (Permalink)

Its name evokes images of green rot. Mold is a menacing pollutant existing naturally in the environment. But it's the last thing you want growing in your home. 

Like most people, you probably know that indoor mold ruins homes and threatens health. And you might agree that the first step to eliminating mold is locating its sources. But do you know where to look for mold? Or even that using a popular disinfectant to clean it can do more harm than good. Chances are, you've been duped by these mold myths that should be laid to rest: 

A Clean Home is Mold-Free. 

A dirt-free home is no guarantee against mold infestation. Mold thrives in closets, dark corners, and drywall, a common construction material in homes today. Its microscopic spores sail through the air, so you can't see them or know where they land. 

Your home has no moldy odors. 

It's true that gasses produced by mold give off a musty odor. But it's false to assume that having no odor means your home isn't infested. Not all molds produce smells. And if mold is lurking in a basement, its smell doesn't enter the air you normally breathe. It's there, and you never knew it. 

Your home's basement never floods. 

Wet basements are a major source of mold. But they're just one of many in your home. Other mainsprings for mold are humidifiers, leaky pipes, dryers that vent indoors, bathrooms and cooking areas that aren't ventilated, even carpets in a basement. 

Bleach can remove mold. 

A powerful disinfectant, bleach wipes away mold on glass, metal, or plastic surfaces. But while its chlorine component doesn't penetrate to the sources of mold in drywall and wood, the water contained in bleach does. And--you guessed it--that water lingers beneath the surfaces, providing more than enough food for mold to grow. 

SERVPRO of Watsonville/Hollister specializes in the cleanup and restoration of residential and commercial property after a fire, smoke, or water damage event. Our staff is highly trained in property damage restoration and we are an IICRC Certified Firm. We believe in continuous training: from initial and ongoing training at SERVPRO’s corporate training facility to regular IICRC-industry certification, rest assured our staff is equipped with the knowledge to restore your property. Our management team has over 35 years of combined experience in the restoration industry.

The Truth About Bleach

3/23/2022 (Permalink)

For many households, chlorine bleach is generally seen as your “go-to” cleaner for tough jobs. While bleach is well-known for its disinfecting properties that doesn't mean it's the best choice for mold - it has distinct drawbacks when cleaning flood impacted buildings. It is a convenient cleaner and stain remover for hard, non-porous surfaces. Bleach is not made to “soak in”, therefore, its disinfecting properties are limited to a hard surface like tile or glass. If used on porous materials, such as wood and drywall, bleach will stay above the surface and only kill the mold on the surface, while the water is absorbed in. The surface mold looks gone, but the fact is, if the mold is not removed from the material, it will most likely return and make your mold problem worse in the long run. Mold remediation requires a cleaner to reach deep down into wood and other porous building materials. Further, its effectiveness in killing bacteria and mold is significantly reduced when it comes in contact with residual dirt, which is often present in flooded homes. If bleach water comes into contact with electrical components and other metal parts of mechanical systems, it can cause corrosion. Bleach water can also compromise the effectiveness of termite treatments in the soil surrounding the building. Many types of bleach are not EPA-registered as a disinfectant and may also be hazardous to your health.