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Preventing Indoor Mold and Mildew During Winter

By Wet & Forget
preventing mold

The holiday season is a time for gift-giving. But if you’re not careful, you may end up with a present even worse than a lump of coal. That’s right, we’re talking indoor mold and mildew.

A man sneezing into the crook of his elbow.

This infamously pesky duo can be an issue throughout the calendar year, but they can get especially pernicious in the winter months. To make sure you’re season is free of indoor mold and mildew, use Wet & Forget!

Why is Indoor Mold and Mildew a Concern in Winter?

Winters tend to be dryer and colder than other seasons. Considering mold and mildew need heat and moisture to survive, how is it possible that these potentially harmful organic growths can thrive inside your home during these wintery months?

The answer becomes clear once you remember what we do to keep our homes comfortable as temperatures drop: crank up the heat and boost the humidity. We also tend to keep our windows closed during these months. That limits airflow and ventilation, allowing humidity and heat to accumulate in certain parts of your home, creating the perfect environment for the spread and growth of mold and mildew.

A woman wears a mask to clear particles from air.

Closing windows also means you’ll likely spend more time around thriving mold and mildew spores. Without an influx of fresh air or improved ventilation, you, your family, or guests in your home may experience potential health issues. Per the CDC, those issues may include:

  • Burning eyes
  • Coughing
  • Skin rash
  • Sore throat
  • Stuffy nose
  • Wheezing

Immunocompromised people or those with respiratory issues, such as asthma, may experience especially pronounced symptoms when exposed to indoor mold and mildew.

Because these symptoms are similar to other illnesses experienced during winter, such as colds or flu, you may think the germ-spreading perpetrator is someone outside of your home. However, there’s a good chance that the coughing is coming from inside your house due to exposure to indoor mold and mildew.

Where are the Mold and Mildew Indoor Problem Spots?

Indoor mold and mildew aren’t likely an issue everywhere in your home during these winter months. Due to the colder temperatures and dryer air, mold, and mildew growth will likely start in a corner of your home that’s humid and warm. However, with central heat, spores can spread quickly throughout your house.

Before we jump to worst-case scenarios, though, let’s tackle some typical indoor mold and mildew starting points.

A man wears a gas mask while showering.

First on our list is the bathroom. Bathrooms, with their luxurious showers and warm baths, are an ideal place for mold and mildew to drop an anchor in your home, especially if your bathroom lacks proper ventilation.

Kitchens are another place where mold and mildew begin their indoor exploration. With access to plenty of water and warm surfaces and the presence of potential catalysts like fruit or veggies, your kitchen is another likely beginning spot for indoor mold and mildew.

Basements and laundry rooms are other places to examine. These rooms are often poorly ventilated, darker, and damper than other spaces in your home.

Another area to consider is window and door seals. They can trap moisture. So, when they are also exposed to heat, they become an ideal environment for indoor mold and mildew to thrive.

Finally, we need to consider an especially concerning area: your HVAC unit and ducts. Your home’s ductwork is dark, and warm, and connects almost every room in your house. That makes your ducts an area of concern, as once mold or mildew establishes its foothold there, it won’t be like until it spreads to every room with HVAC vents.

How Can Wet & Forget Prevent Indoor Mold and Mildew this Winter?

So what is someone concerned about indoor mold and mildew to do? First, you do want to make any structural changes to your home. Resealing windows and doors, adding ventilation, and even deploying an air purifier can help.

However, you still need a tool that will help you vanquish mold and mildew. That tool is Wet & Forget Indoor. Our all-purpose disinfectant, sanitizer, and deodorizer can help you tackle indoor mold and mildew, keep it from coming back, and eliminate that musty odor spores tossed into the air.

 

The formula is gentle yet powerful. It contains no bleach or irritating fumes and is safe to use on virtually all indoor surfaces:

  • Appliances and cabinets.
  • Bathroom surfaces, such as bathtubs, fixtures, sinks, and showers.
  • Children and pet items, such as highchairs, pet bedding, and toys.
  • Containers, such as garbage cans, gym bags, and hampers.
  • Furniture and upholstery, such as chairs, couches, and tables.
  • Structures, such as countertops, doors, handles, and walls.
  • That is, Wet & Forget Indoor is safe to use on practically any indoor surface that could come in contact with mold and mildew.

Using Wet & Forget Indoor is simple and straightforward. There’s no need to scrub. In most applications, you simply spray and walk away or wipe dry.

To unleash the full power of Wet & Forget Indoor, apply to surfaces and allow them to stay visibly wet for 10 minutes. For soft surfaces, hold the bottle six to eight inches from the surface and spray until the fabric is wet. Allow it to remain visibly wet for five minutes, then allow to air dry

To control mold and mildew growth, repeat treatment every seven days. You can increase your frequency if you notice any new mold or mildew growth

We’ve also designed our Wet & Forget Indoor bottle to make it easy to reach far corners and other spots that are typically difficult to clean. The remote spray trigger helps the spray reach distances up to 10 feet away, and the sprayer works even when positioned upside down. So, you’ll be able to reach ceiling vents, dark basement corners, and every nook and cranny of your tub

During these winter months, using Wet & Forget Indoor in the problem areas listed in the previous section can inhibit mold and mildew growth while also sanitizing and deodorizing. It’s the perfect tool for getting through the season without inviting everyone’s least favorite unwelcome guests: indoor mold and mildew

What About Stains Caused By Indoor Mold and Mildew

Of course, there are issues beyond our health concerns when it comes to mold and mildew. These organic growths can also cause unsightly stains, especially in bathrooms. When you see these gross spots, it’s hard to feel clean, even after a refreshing shower.

Bathroom humidity can cause it to be a mold breeding ground.

In these cases, we recommend Wet & Forget Shower. Our weekly shower spray follows a simple spray-and-walk-away application process. Spray down surfaces after your last shower of the day, then rinse off those surfaces with water before the first shower the next day. Repeat weekly to keep mold and mildew stains at bay.

Wet & Forget Shower is non-abrasive and contains no bleach, ammonia, or irritating fumes. That means it’s safe to use on virtually any bathroom surface, except for natural marble. So, use it on shower tiles, shower doors and liners, sinks, bathtubs, countertops, and even washing machines. (You can also use Wet & Forget Indoor on your front-loading washing machine, too.)

Prevent Indoor Mold and Mildew This Winter with Wet & Forget

A man claps dusts into the air.

Don’t allow uninvited guests like mold and mildew to take control of your home this winter. Instead, use Wet & Forget to inhibit indoor mold and mildew growth. Buy a bottle or two today online or at your local retailer!