iving in a new country can bring many upside and downside challenges. While living in Korea is considered pleasant and convenient for many, one of the main issues one may face is dealing with mold inside your home.
Korea is a place where it can become considerably more humid than where you came from, meaning it is only normal that the struggle with mold in the house will be something that many will automatically have to deal with.
Especially within the Pyeongtaek area is especially prone to wet and humid weather almost any time year-round due to its proximity to the sea and wide-open spaces. Though these weather conditions create a preferable area for farming, it also makes for an excellent breeding ground for mold.
While the beginning of the fall season has arrived, here are a few tips to prevent or eliminate mold that might come your way in your home.
How to Prevent Mold
1. Ventilation – One of the best methods of preventing mold is opening your windows for good ol' ventilation, especially during the rainy season. Airflow allows the mold spores out; however, it's essential to monitor the outdoor air quality before opening your windows to ventilate to know that it is clean and safe. It is recommended to keep your windows open for at least 30 minutes a day. Ventilating areas that hold and create a lot of moisture, like bathrooms and laundry rooms, are critical. If opening a window is something you cannot do, keeping a running fan for a few hours a day can help instead.
2. Dehumidifier – On polluted air days, indoor in-home dehumidifiers and A/C units are the most effective way to combat mold formation. You can find and utilize your air conditioner's dehumidifying setting function, as most air conditioning units in Korea include it. Separate dehumidifers can also help dehumidify and purify the air within your home.
3. Disposable Humidity Absorbers – This is a popularly-used supply you can find almost anywhere and everywhere in Korea. To use this, peel off the top film leaving the filter layer on the tub, and re-attach the plastic ventilated cap back on. Once these disposable humidifiers are full, they should be discarded. Some versions turn the absorbed moisture into a gel, and others just collect the moisture to trap inside. Before recycling the container, dispose of the water or gel from the inside.
How to Clean Mold
1. Vinegar - White distilled vinegar is one of the best and easiest cleaning solutions for mold, penetrating deep into porous surfaces and killing the root of the mold. Pour some undiluted vinegar into a spray bottle to spray the moldy areas and let it sit for about an hour for the mold to absorb. After it has sat for a while, rinse with water, and if the mold has come off from the surface, respraying the area with vinegar and letting it air dry helps ensure all the mold's roots and particles have been completely removed. Do NOT mix vinegar with bleach! Mixing bleach and vinegar creates a toxic chlorine gas that can be lethal to you or your pets. This includes washing the same surfaces with the two cleaners without significant time between applications. Using a powerful surface cleaner like bleach can cause mold to spread, making mold spores seep deeper into the infected area.
2. Hydrogen Peroxide & Baking Soda – Using a self-made baking soda solution to scrub off moldy areas helps work wonders. Pour two cups of water and a teaspoon of baking soda into a spray bottle, shake well to spay the moldy area, scrub with a brush or scouring pad, then rinse. Once all the surface mold is removed and the area has dried, spray vinegar over the place, then allow it to air-dry. This will get to the root of the mold and help prevent mold from re-forming.
3. 'Clean OK' Mold Cleaner – 'Clean OK' is the 'super-man' of mold cleaners specifically used for bathrooms and laundry rooms (use isn't suitable for softer surfaces such as wood, laminate, or wallpaper). This cleaner requires spraying on the infected area, letting the solution sit on the mold-infected area. It's preferable to use on hard-to-reach places such as the wall behind a washer or dryer.
4. Clean Immediately and Thoroughly – Immediately cutting the root of your mold issue is the best option before it spreads any deeper or further within the infected area, as it can become extremely hazardous to your health. If a wall or room has been completely infested by mold, it's best to leave cleaning and removal to professionals. During wet (rainy) seasons, regular check-ups on moisture-prone areas like bathrooms, laundry, and under sinks are essential. Additionally, when cleaning a mold-infected surface, it is crucial to clean the entire surface rather than just the infected spot, as it is possible for the presence of other mold spores that are still not yet visible.
5. Maintain Furniture Off the Walls – Refrain from setting furniture pushed up against walls. If the spacing within your home only allows you to keep your furniture up against the wall, make sure to regularly check behind it (every month) to ensure there is no cultivating mold.
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