No to Kitchen Mold

One of the worst possible issues that can befall your home is a mold infestation. There are more than one hundred thousand different species of mold some of which have the potential to invade your home, posing serious health risks to you and your family. The worst thing about mold is that often the microscopic spores are practically invisible as they float in the air where they can be inhaled, causing health issues. In addition to this, they also cause structural damage in walls and foundations, especially those constructed from wood.

Mold and mildew occur in those areas which have high levels of humidity. This includes bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements and of course kitchens. Kitchens are particularly prone to mold infestation because of the high level of humidity and moisture. Kitchens use a large amount of water and if water sources are not carefully controlled then they can become a haven for mold.

One major problem area in the is under the kitchen sink. As this area is hidden away, it is really easy for us to simply forget all about it. However, leaking pipes and drains cause moisture which will soon spread to the wooden areas of the cabinet and prolonged exposure will cause mold to grow. Another source of mold problems can be leaks from refrigerator drains.

With so much potential for mold in the kitchen, it is important to make sure that you keep the area clean at all times.

Cleaning Smoke Damage

A good friend of mine had something devastating happen in her home last week. There was a fire. Fire is one of those things that is kind of pretty, kind of awe inspiring, but so destructive when it is out of control. Thankfully no-one was hurt, but her kitchen is a goner. We've been helping her out with the aftermath and getting the room prepared for installing her new kitchen.

The guys managed to get all of the old cabinets and stuff out of the way first and then once we finished clearing away all the debris it was time to clean up the smoke damage ready for painting and new flooring. Smoke damage is pretty hard to clean but she was not able to afford a professional company so we had to tackle it ourselves.

Smoke damage tends to cause black marks and discolouration on walls and ceilings. There are two main types, soot damage which is the black residue and charring which occurs when the paint actually burns. Depending on the level of damage you may not be able to clean it and can only prime and repaint. If you are able to clean it then you are going to need a few tools :

• Large sponges
• 2 buckets
• Warm water
• Clean rags
• Goggles
• Heavy duty gloves
• Trisodium Phosphate Cleaner (TSP)

Be aware that TSP is very harsh and that is why we need goggles and gloves for protection.

First you need to fill one bucket with about a gallon of warm water and add in a heaped tablespoon of TSP. With your protective clothing in place, wet the sponge in the solution and wipe the affected area vigorously with the sponge, then rinse with a clean rag dipped in clean water from your second bucket. You should work on small areas at a time and ensure that you do not over saturate your walls. Once complete you can repaint the walls and ceiling.