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A month has slipped past and I'm quite late posting about smells. Between trade shows, four articles and three projects, time got the upper hand on me just like mold and mildew sneaks in under your nose. So what about those moldy smells?

First up: find the cause of the mold. Unless you find the source of the mold, it will only return after treatment. Mold only grows when moisture is available. It may mean crawling under the house, pulling up carpet or even calling in a janitorial remediation team to find the source of the odor, but it must be found. It is just as important to try to determine whether the mold can be self-treated or whether you need the help of professionals.

Some molds are toxic and can cause grave illnesses. If you have been suffering unusual headaches, sinus infections, loss of energy or long term health issues that are out of character or the doctor cannot find a cause for your problems, you may be dealing with a toxic mold. Call your insurance company then a janitorial company who specializes in mold remediation. This is not a do-it-yourself project.

Normally mold can be self-treated. Are there bushes or shrubs next to the outside walls of the home? If so, cut them back as they are holding moisture against the house and causing mold problems. If the cause is from humidity or an over abundance of rain then dehumidifier in each room or a whole house dehumidifies is necessary to prevent the return of the mold once it has been irridicated.

Talk to your local janitorial supply company for organic, human and pet friendly remediation products to treat mold. It will be necessary to pull up affected carpet, treat the flooring, seal it and treat the carpet and the padding or possibly replace it or it may be necessary to crawl under the home. If at any time headaches or any reaction to the mold occurs, get treatment immediately and call a remediation team to finish the job.

If the mold is in a closet, launder all the clothing, remove all boxes, shoes etc and treat them then replace the carpet in the closet with a hard floor surface. It is rare for mold to be growing in the wallboard but it does happen. It is best to call a janitorial company and have them test the wallboard and do the necessary treatments.

This article may only be rewritten giving credit to Mary Findley and her website www.goclean.com. All rights reserved world wide.