In this article, I’ll be showing you how to get rid of mold mites.
Environments that are dark and moist usually have mold growing over their surfaces. Some creatures depend on the mold to survive, and they are called mold mites.
You may not know this, but even a small patch of mold is enough to feed thousands of mold mites.
If you have a mite infestation and don’t know what to do about it, then keep reading.
Facts About Mold Mites
These tiny creatures were first discovered in 1781 by scientists in Austria. These almost microscopic insects are characterized by their hairy bodies and their habit of eating up mold.
These insects are so small, you can barely be seen using only the human eye.
It is easy to confuse mold mites with other insects that have the same looks, but the major difference between mold mites and other tiny mites is their major diet, which is a mold of course.
For example, there are cheese mites (which feed on cheese), flour mites (which feed on flour), and grain mites (which feed on raw grains).
If you find mold mites or any other mites on your foodstuff, then you should throw them away, as they have been contaminated.
Mold mites may be irritating pests, but they are not biters like bed bugs or mosquitoes. In the real sense of it, they pose no danger to humans, at least not intentionally.
One of the biggest inconveniences mold mites can cause a person is an allergic reaction. Remember, they have long, hairy bodies, and the hair falls off regularly and is carried by air and spread around your home.
The flying mold mite hair might make contact with your nose or mouth and cause you to sneeze or cough. It could also cause you a sore throat, so getting rid of them can help spare you from such symptoms.
Practical Ways To Get Rid Of Mold Mites
There are simple steps you can take to eradicate your home of mold mites.
I will list those steps below.
Identify them
Mold mites are very tiny insects and could be easily mistaken for something else. This is why the very first step to getting rid of them upon suspicion of an infestation is to identify them.
Using your naked eyes to try and identify them is pretty much a waste of time since they are so small. Nonetheless, finding patches of mold in your home could be a pointer to heavy mold mite activity in your home.
A single mold mite cannot be seen with the naked eyes, but when they are clustered by the thousands, you can spot them. Though the image would still look like a discolored patch to you, an HD camera will give you a clearer, more zoomed-in picture.
When you are sure that the patches you are seeing are the mold mites, you can take the next step and make plans to disinfect your home.
Scrub Off The Mold
Since the only thing that attracts the mold mites to your home is the mold itself, then you can do yourself a favor by removing the mold, which of course is their food source.
It is common knowledge that every living organism will move away from an environment or die if that particular environment can no longer provide them with food.
The same goes for the mold mites, remove their source of food and they will be gone. You can do this by simply scrubbing the mold away.
For small patches of mold, you can use simple water and liquid soap combination to scrub it away.
Pour some water in a bucket and add some liquid soap to it. Shake it thoroughly with your hand until it foams. Take the bucket filled with foaming water to the areas where the mold is and dip the brush into the water and scrub the mold away.
The good thing here is, the mold mites will also be scrubbed away with the mold. If there are any mold mites left after the scrubbing, then it will only be a matter of time before they die.
Remove Humidity
Dark and moist areas are a recipe for the development of mold. If there are several spots like that around your home, then there will be a high occurrence of mold mites.
There are several causes of humidity in the home, it could be the area where you live, weather conditions, or something as silly as a leaking pipe. The 3rd reason is the most common one, being that there are many homeowners who many times are nonchalant about fixing up little leakages here and there.
The bad news is, these leakages will lead to moist surfaces, which will in turn lead to the growth of mold around the damp areas.
The simple solution here is to fix all leakages and causes of dampness around the home. Call on the services of a plumber to help you tighten up all loose pipes.
After the pipes have been tightened, there will be no more moisture in those areas, which are typically the kitchen and bathroom area.
Another way to remove humidity is by installing a dehumidifier in your home. You can also remove dampness and moisture by allowing a proper flow of air around your home.
Keeping your windows open is a great way to let air in and circulate all around the home. The more ventilation there is, the less moisture there will be.
When there is no moisture, the mold cannot grow, and the mold mites will have absolutely nothing to feed on.
Use Vinegar Spray
Vinegar is a good substance when it comes to household cleaning, but it can also be used to kill mold mites. You can make a homemade vinegar spray and use it against the mites.
A lot you have to do is go to a store and buy some white vinegar. The next step is to mix it with water in equal parts then pour it into a spray bottle.
Visit the surfaces where the mold mites are active and spray directly on them.
Keep in mind that some surfaces are affected when they make contact with vinegar, so be sure of the surface you are spraying the vinegar solution and do some research to find out how vinegar will affect that particular surface.
Keep Your Moist Food Tightly Sealed And Stored
Mold doesn’t just grow on moist surfaces, they can also grow on foods and fruits that contain a lot of moisture. These include watermelons, tomatoes, and oranges. This is not to say it can’t grow on foods with less moisture, because it can.
For this reason, you need to keep your food tightly sealed and stored under the right temperatures to keep mold from growing on them. When they are free of mold, there would be no mold mites bothering your fruits.
Use plastic containers that have tight seals to store your fruits and foods and don’t leave them uneaten for too long, especially the ones with a high level of moisture.
Use Bleach
Bleach is also a substance that can be used in the fight against mold mites.
All you need to do is mix one cup of bleach with a gallon of water to create a lethal solution against the mold mites. The mixture can be used to wipe off solid surfaces where the mold mites are active.
You have to remember to use the bleach solution only on non-porous surfaces. These include stainless steel.
Do not apply the bleach solution on porous materials like plastic, wood, and drywall. If you do, then the bleach will soak in and remain there, and this could be hazardous to you, members of your household, and pets
Use Borax
If you have a mold infestation on your drywall, then you can use Borax to get rid of them. This works well over painted drywalls with mold damage.
All you need to do is mix a cup of borax with some water (about a gallon).
Shake the gallon thoroughly so that the borax will be dissolved. The next step is to pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray directly on the mold.
This will kill the mold mites in a matter of minutes.
If the wall you are spraying with the borax solution has paint that may be damaged, then you can first spray on a small part of the wall that isn’t too obvious, just to see the effects the spray will have on your paint.
Conclusion
Mold mite control is not difficult, but only if you do the right thing. Generally, these mites are attracted to mold, which means anywhere you have mold in your home, then the mites will be there.
The best means of keeping your home free of mold mites is to keep your home free of mold in the first place.
I trust this article on how to get rid of mold mites has been helpful.