Whether you’re using the chemical-based or a simple homemade mold and mildew removal, it is imperative to start off the cleaning process by wearing the appropriate protective gear. This includes goggles, mask, gloves, and protective clothing. Self-protection should still be your utmost priority.

The solution for removing mold and mildew can vary from one material to another. The following are the most common solutions in getting rid of these pesky microorganisms:

For Fabric
You can remove mildew from fabric by brushing it off. You can also wash it using laundry soap before drying it under the sun as the latter can kill the microscopic spores. If the stain is still visible, you can make use of non-chlorine bleach that is safe for all kinds of fabric or a lemon juice and salt solution. If, however, the mildew is on the carpet, you can just simply vacuum it; just make sure that you clean and disinfect properly your vacuum cleaner thereafter.

For Bathroom Walls, Tiles, and Bath Tubs
Chlorine bleach and water solution is an effective remedy for mold growth on these areas. Simply scrub the mixture of ½-1 cup of chlorine bleach in 1 gallon of water unto these areas and allow it dry completely.

For Upholstery, Mattresses, and Rugs
For upholstery, mattresses, and rugs, you can make use of an upholstery/rug shampoo. It would also be best to use just a little amount of water when cleaning these materials. Dry them under the sun after cleaning and to prevent future contamination, finish it off by spraying some fungicide on them.

For Carpeting

You really cannot remove mold from carpeting.  If a carpet in your house becomes wet the best option is drying carpet after water damage immediately.  The quicker you can dry the carpet the less likely you are to get those smells and discoloration associated with mold and mildew.

For Luggage and Leather Shoes
Control mildew growth on your luggage and leather shoes before it can cause extensive damage by using the mixture of 1 cup of denatured alcohol to a cup of water. Dip a cloth in it and use it to rub the mildew spots gently. Dry it well before storing.

Other than the aforementioned substances, you can also take advantage of the following materials (which can be found in your home) to zap out mold and mildew:

Vinegar
Vinegar is said to be among the most effective remedy in removing mold and mildew. Simply mix it with water and use the mixture in areas where there are mold and mildew.

Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is a bit expensive than the rest but it would never fail you in removing mold and mildew. In a spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil to 2 cups of water. Use this whenever you spot any thin layer of green or black growth on your house (typical appearance of mold and mildew).

Pink mold is also very common in hospitals, fitness facilities and other places were there are a lot of showers and such.

To rid your shower of pink mold the best thing you can do is clean the shower more frequently, since it is a shower you cannot eliminate the humidity or dampness, but you can eliminate the mold food.  In this case the mold food is the soap scum and residue the forms from shampoo and bath and body soaps.

Bleach based cleaners work best, if that does not work you can create a borax based paste from some laundry detergents.  Since some of these laundry detergents are harder to find it is recommended to try the bleach based cleaner first.  Bleach will usually clean the mold issues as pink mold usually covers only a relatively small area.  If you have a rather large coverage area skip the bleach and move directly to the borax based paste.

If the pink mold returns it is recommended to call a professional mold removal company to come out and analyze your mold issue, run a series of tests and come in and clean up the mold issue after properly identifying it.

If you do decide to clean up the mold yourself take the proper safety precautions or you may have to seek out hospitalization or treatment for mold exposure issues.  Get the appropriate safety gear, at a minimal a disposable suit, eye protection and breathing protection.  Without these basic items it is surely to cause you some mold allergies.

A home mold test kit will allow the user to test the mold at home. This allows the user a cost effective way of reducing harmful mold without having to call in the professionals. The kits are very easy to use and often use the same methodology that the professionals do.

The hardest part of using a mold test is to figure out whether there is actually any mold in the home. People often have trouble knowing where to look for mold as they often cannot see or smell it. Luckily there are many types of mold tests and there is one that caters to this problem. This test will come with a testing dish and all the user will need to do is place the dish and the disk that comes with it in a room that one suspects mold to be in. It will sit there for about two hours and then take forty eight hours to incubate. If there is mold it will need to be tested to see if it is black mold.

A mold testing kit designed for home use is a wise idea for homeowners. This will potentially save hundreds of dollars as the cost of a professional is high. This kit will do the same job as a professional at a lower cost.

If you do not find any mold in your basement look in your attic and everywhere else in the house. Look for discoloration on drywall, it could be mold or signs of water damage.  One square foot of drywall can contain more than a 1/4 million mold spores.  Usually where there is water damage if it was not fixed timely there is likely a mold problem behind it.

During the summer months basement mold is quite common as humidity levels are usually high and ventilation in the basement is usually poor. This can be remedied by having a dehumidifier that is of decent quality and emptying the collection bucket frequently.

Another great feeding surface for mold is a carpet that got moist, again usually in the basement or a house that is build on a concrete slap.

Once you find mold you can start putting together a plan on how to kill the mold depending on how large of a problem it is.

Once you find mold you should complete a test to ensure it is mold, a simple mold test kit can be bought online or at a local store and costs as little as $15.  Once you confirm it is infact mold you will want to kill the mold, this can be done with Borate or certain fungicides.  Bleach can kill mold but it does not work that well in a diluted form.  Mold spores usually penetrate into the surface it is growing on and the bleach will only clean the surface mold, which will likely allow the mold to grow back.

For small infestations of mold you can likely get rid of the mold yourself.  A small infestation is considered to be less than ten square feet and it is mostly aesthetic in nature.  I would recommend using a borate or borax solution or paste, this will kill mold in roughly 15 to 30 minutes.  Make sure you wear at minimum plastic gloves and a N95 or better rated mask. It is also recommended to wear old clothing that can be disposed of after getting rid of the mold.

For infestations that are larger that 10 square feet you should call in a professional to conduct a mold test, construct a remediation plan and if needed organize the mold cleanup tasks.

While you can try to clean the mold that is not ideal because drywall is a porous surface, these surfaces it is best to remove the material if possible. Since drywall is fairly easy to replace this is the best method.

The first step is to determine if you still have a water problem. Is your basement walls leaking, are any basement pipes or drains leaking?  Check to make sure water or snow is not leaking in around your basement windows. Once you have confirmed that there is no additional water coming into your basement you are now able to remediate the mold issue.

Next you need to gather all the proper tools and materials you need.  A good sharp utility knife or reciprocating saw to cut the drywall, a large contractor trash bag , some tape to tape off the top of the bag.

I would also recommend the following safety equipment:

1)    Gloves
2)    Dust Mask
3)    A Tyvek Suit
4)    Safety Glasses

Put on all your safety gear, and slowly being careful not to disturb the mold cut away the drywall about 4 or 5 inches above the mold.  It is best to use a utility knife as you want to avoid making dust and particles going into the air.  Carefully but the cut out drywall into the contractor trash bag (a heavy duty version of a normal trash bag) and once the bag is somewhat full (without puncturing), take the bag and dispose of it into the trash.  Continue this process until all moldy drywall is gone.

Replace the drywall ideally with green board which is mold, moisture and mildew resistant.