How and with what to get rid of mold on the walls in an apartment: remove quickly and forever, rules for working with products, preventive measures

Mold on the walls is a microscopic fungus that harms interior items and the health of the occupants of the premises. A room with fungus becomes dangerous to live in due to spores of microorganisms in the air and entering the body when inhaled. There they settle, causing respiratory tract infections. The systematic entry of fungal spores into the body sharply weakens the immune system and contributes to the appearance of signs of asthma, suffocation, and rapid heartbeat. It is not always possible to establish a connection between weak immunity and fungus on the walls, since patients do not attach importance to this, and doctors do not ask such questions. Mold spreads to furniture, clothing, and carpeting. You have to spend money on new things and clean more often.

Fighting fungus is not easy, but the chemical industry offers many products that successfully solve this problem. The choice is preceded by identifying the causes of this phenomenon. The main ones are: high humidity, insufficient ventilation, the presence of voids in the walls, sudden temperature changes inside and outside the room. After identifying the cause, a means is selected to remove blackness from surfaces. To improve ventilation, it is enough to purchase a forced air exchange unit; you can seal the voids with special building materials, but not all causes can be eliminated mechanically. There are chemicals, the best of which are presented below.

There are contraindications. Consult your doctor.

Prevention

Preventive measures:

• Try to ventilate the room more often.
• Open curtains and curtains during the day: ultraviolet light is harmful to fungus.
• Do not place furniture close to walls. This measure will promote better air circulation in the apartment.
• When repairing, use antiseptic impregnations.
• Organize good ventilation in the kitchen and bathroom.
• Install a heated towel rail or heated floor in the bathroom.

Do not underestimate the fungus; it can gradually destroy even concrete walls. Wood fungi destroy frame houses in a matter of years.

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The most inexpensive means for removing and preventing mold

"Abedis 06"

A Polish product with a high level of safety, Abedis 06, is universal and can be used in children’s premises. The main component of the product is guanidine, a strong antiseptic substance. The preparation is suitable for interior and exterior treatment of buildings, as well as small buildings such as a gazebo or greenhouse. Also, using this emulsion you can disinfect garden paths. "Abedis 06" can be used for prevention (the drug can be added to paints and mortars) and to remove fungal plaque.

Before work, the emulsion should be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:2, then treat the contaminated surfaces with the resulting solution. The mixture is left for a day until completely dry, after which it is removed with water. When the treated surface is completely dry, it is recommended to repeat the procedure, but not earlier than after 3 days. Despite the harmless composition, you must use protective equipment when working.

The average cost is 177 rubles.

Abedis 06

Advantages:

• suitable for children's premises;
• the composition does not contain harmful components;
• budget drug;
• excellent result.

Flaws:

• not found.

"Neomid Bio Repair"

An environmentally friendly disinfectant made in Russia. Thanks to its formula containing substances harmless to humans, as well as a reasonable price-quality ratio, it has gained particular popularity. Available in the form of a ready-made solution for treating small rooms, apartments, or a concentrate for cleaning large areas of infection. In addition, Neomid Bio Repair is used during the construction phase as a prophylactic agent to prevent the occurrence of mold.

The drug is sprayed onto the infected area and then left for two hours. After this, remove it using a scraper. The procedure can be repeated if necessary. If the treatment takes place outdoors, it is not recommended to get moisture on the cleaned surface - the humidity should be no higher than 60%, and the temperature should be from 15 to 20 degrees Celsius. If processing is carried out indoors, good ventilation should be ensured. The duration of the effect, according to the manufacturer, reaches 20 years.

The average cost is 289 rubles.

Neomid Bio Repair

Advantages:

• convenient release forms
• price-quality ratio;
• ease of use;
• safe components in the composition;
• does not affect the original color of materials;
• long lasting effect.

Flaws:

• strong chemical smell.

"Biotol-spray"

A powerful Russian antibacterial agent for treating surfaces made of natural stone, wood, concrete and other common materials. The drug does not contain heavy metals, mercury and chlorine. Has a slight chemical odor. "Biotol-spray" demonstrates a wide range of applications - treatment of basement floors, building facades, attics, roofs, balconies, as well as disinfection of architectural monuments, memorial fences, slabs and restoration work.

If the infection is severe, the surface must first be cleaned of mold mechanically using a scraper or brush, carefully removing the layer of contamination, being careful not to spread the fungus to adjacent clean areas.

It is recommended to spray the spray onto the treated area from a distance of 30 cm, then leave the solution for a day or two, after which you can remove the drug along with the fungus and clean the surface with a brush. The solution can be reapplied if the infection is old or advanced.

The average price is 300 rubles.

Biotol spray

Advantages:

• strong drug;
• suitable for most materials;
• without harmful impurities;
• faint smell.

Flaws:

• not detected.

"Belinka"

A widely used drug produced in Slovenia. “Belinka” does not contain a bleaching agent and does not affect the color of the surface being treated, which is why it is used for treating colored surfaces. The substance quickly and successfully eliminates numerous types of fungus, both in dry rooms and in places of high humidity. Suitable for treating concrete and plaster surfaces and used for disinfecting ceilings, walls, floors, attics and basements.

To get started, you need to prepare a solution in a ratio of 1:4, which is applied to the affected surface using a brush or spray. It is recommended to work at temperatures above 5 degrees Celsius and a humidity level not exceeding 80%. After the solution has completely dried, you can remove dirt; it is advisable to do this using hot water and under pressure. It is better to clean large areas affected by fungus again. After drying, you need to apply a primer and then a topcoat.

The average cost is 350 rubles.

Whiten from mold

Advantages:

• does not distort the color of the material;
• for dry and wet rooms;
• wide range of applications;
• affordable price.

Flaws:

• not found.

How to fight fungus?

To destroy mold, you need to clean the room from moisture and dampness, treat it with special antiseptics, which contain aggressive chemicals that effectively remove mold. Such products can be purchased at any store. They are available in the form of liquids, sprays, and concentrates. When working with such powerful tools, you must follow safety precautions: wear work clothes, rubber gloves, a headscarf, and safety glasses. The chemical is applied to the walls and then removed along with the fungus. The best way to remove mold and prevent it from coming back is to scrape it down to the base of the wall and apply an antiseptic primer.

Home remedies can be used as alternative methods to combat mold. It is advisable to combine both substances with a mechanical method of removing fungus. It would also be a good idea to install a forced exhaust ventilation device and eliminate voids in the walls.

How to get rid of fungus on the walls in an apartment

We’ve sorted out the means, now let’s look at a specific example of how you can get rid of fungus on the walls.

Easy way

Several years ago, during a cosmetic renovation, I encountered mold in the corner of a panel house, here is a photo BEFORE and AFTER cleaning and treatment.

What I've done:

1. I cleaned off the top layer of putty with stains with a spatula.
2. I soaked the area with White several times.
3. I putty it again with the addition of some mildew repellent from a hardware store.
4. I primed the wall with a primer containing fungicides.
5. I used Moment wallpaper glue with antifungal properties.
6. I hung wallpaper.

This lasted for 5 years, then I moved out. There were no new stains on the wallpaper.

This photo also shows the result after whitening.

In the video you can see how mold repellents work.

For deep spots

Mold penetrates wallpaper, putty and plaster. In advanced cases, it can even pass through a concrete wall. In the photographs you can see how mold passed through plywood and 7 sheets of hardboard in a few days due to wet plaster.

Start the fight against fungus with a thorough cleaning:

• Remove old wallpaper, paint or other decorative coverings.
• Using a spatula or wire brush, clean the surface from putty and plaster down to the concrete or brick base.
• If the wall has a wooden base, then the areas affected by the fungus will need to be cut down or trimmed, including undamaged areas.
• Remove all visible parts of the mycelium from the wall mechanically using a stiff brush and antiseptic preparations.

Treat the cleaned and dried wall according to the following algorithm:

• Apply antifungal primer to the surface with a roller, brush or spray.
• Plaster the surface and apply putty. Some products can be added to the solution, buy these.
• Before each new stage of finishing, use a primer with fungicidal properties. Choose wallpaper glue based on the same criteria.

If the wall is external, then most likely you should insulate it or check for leaks. When insulating an external concrete or brick wall, do not forget - insulation must begin from the street side!

Ventilation fix

If the room is constantly damp, mold will appear only a matter of time. Properly organized air exchange is a preventative measure for the regrowth of the fungus.

The main causes of poor ventilation and how to eliminate them are given in the table below.

In a panel house

Mold often appears on the walls of a panel house in corner apartments on the first and last floors.
This is a consequence of excess humidity, freezing of walls, faulty ventilation or poor heating. Usually, the problem goes away after:

• Sealing interpanel seams.
• Insulation of the facade along the seam or along the entire wall.

You can call climbers and insulate the wall yourself, but all these problems must be resolved by the management company of the residential building. Notify the housing and communal services service about the problem by calling or writing a statement. In the case of a complaint about freezing, you will have to wait until winter, when employees will come with a thermal imager.

If housing and communal services employees do not respond to your requests, then you should contact the supervisory authorities for help; you can do this through the website of the Russian Housing and Communal Services.

1. To draw up a report on the appearance of mold, you need to call a representative of the management company. If the housing and communal services employee does not appear, then you can take two neighbors as witnesses and draw up a report yourself. Do not forget to leave your signature and the signature of witnesses on the document.
2. After drawing up the act, write an application to the State Housing Inspectorate, Rospotrebnadzor and SES.

In a private house

If mold forms on the external wall of a private house, then you need to find the cause. Most likely the wall is freezing or condensation is accumulating in it. You'll have to :

1. Insulate the wall from the outside.
2. Eliminate external condensation leaks from the facade, cornice, balcony or other elements.
3. Dry the wall.

Only after this can you start finishing the wall from the inside.

Below is a diagram of the construction of external walls using the example of a frame house: a hydro-windproof layer is stretched over the timber treated with drying oil and antiseptics, and a vapor barrier is also made from the inside. The wall is finished with plywood, OSB or plasterboard. The thickness of insulation should be calculated for each region separately.

Calculation of antiseptic consumption

To determine the amount of antiseptic to purchase for walls against mold and mildew, you need to calculate the surface area to be treated. Any packaging with a disinfectant composition has its own data on material consumption per square meter. Most often this is 6 kg per 10 m3 of space.

All that remains is to compare the area that needs to be impregnated and the consumption rate. If the technology requires applying an antiseptic against mold two or more times, appropriate adjustments are made to the calculation.

High-quality surface cleaning and pre-applied primer, which has the quality of a disinfectant, will allow you to reduce consumption.

Popular manufacturers and prices

The most commonly used antiseptics include the following materials:

• Ceresite. There are several versions of this brand, but ST-99 is best suited for treating concrete surfaces. The cost of this impregnation is from 300 to 400 rubles per liter.
• Kapatox. Refers to antiseptics for deep penetration concrete. Supplied in canisters with a capacity of 5 liters at a price of 1200 rubles.
• Northex. The antiseptic solution is supplied in 20-liter canisters at a price of 4,500 rubles.
• Gambit N-5. A special universal concentrate for disinfecting affected surfaces. Dissolves in water. Supplied in 3 kg plastic buckets at a price of 900 rubles.

Why is mold dangerous?

Spores entering the human body and settling there can cause a respiratory tract infection. Constant and regular inhalation of spores can provoke a number of diseases, including:

• weakened immunity;
• tachycardia;
• allergy;
• bronchitis;
• conjunctivitis;
• stomatitis;
• dermatitis;
• thrush;
• bronchial asthma.

To prevent the development of diseases, you need to immediately declare war on the invader, preventing the fungus from causing serious harm.

Do-it-yourself mold treatment

The fungus develops on various surfaces, so different means are used to get rid of it:

• Vinegar or a three percent hydrogen peroxide solution. The liquid is poured into a spray bottle and sprayed onto contaminated surfaces. After 30 – 60 minutes, wash off. The procedure is performed with gloves.
• Bleach has disinfecting properties due to its chlorine content. You need to take 200 grams per 4 liters of water. Apply using a spray bottle or sponge. Leave for 20 minutes. Rinse off. You can use pharmaceutical borax in this proportion.
• Ammonia, diluted with water in equal proportions, is applied to the surface infected with fungus and left for a couple of hours. Washed off.
• Tea tree oil (2 teaspoons per 400 ml of water) is used to disinfect any surfaces. It does not have toxic properties.
• From a flat surface (floor, walls, tiles) the fungus is removed using washing powder. Proportion: 4 liters of water, 200 grams of powder. The surface is cleaned with a sponge or brush soaked in the solution. The solution only cleans the surface, but does not disinfect it. Therefore, after using it you need to use a disinfectant.

Causes of mold

First you need to understand the reasons for the appearance of such an unpleasant and dangerous neighbor as mold. The fungus occurs in warm and constant damp conditions, as well as in old buildings where the insulation of interpanel seams is damaged and the walls get wet during rain and humid weather.

Plastic windows can contribute to the appearance of moisture on the wall surface. Another reason for the spread of mold can be poor insulation of premises. Failure to dry the walls during repairs can also cause the appearance of fungus. Living in such premises is harmful, so you need to start eliminating the fungus as early as possible - the older it is, the more difficult it is to deal with it.