How to fight mould in the home: practical tips for a healthy home
Discover the most important tips for fighting mould in living spaces and bathrooms. Find out how to remove mould and how to prevent mould in the home.
Avoiding mould in the home - a common problem and how to tackle it
It spreads insidiously through walls. Once it has established itself, the quality of life suffers massively from mould in the home. The problem with mould on the wall is twofold: it eats away at the fabric of the building and endangers health. If you discover it too late, black mould will continue to grow unhindered. You should avoid this when removing mould.

Unfortunately, statistics show just how widespread the problem is. A new survey recently conducted by the tradesmen’s platform MyHammer, for example. In it, fourteen per cent of respondents from German cities stated that they have to deal with it more and more often, remove mould and clean the wall. What is striking is that younger people complained much more frequently about mould on the wall. Only six per cent of respondents over the age of 55 complained of mould infestation. In contrast, 23 per cent of respondents aged 18 to 34 had a problem with black mould in their home.
These age groups also frequently ask for tips on how to remove mould and clean the wall. Do you want to successfully remove mould? Then two things are important: you need to understand how black mould develops on the wall and what the specific causes of the mould on the wall are in your case.
Note these causes of mould on the wall
Mould germs and spores can be found almost everywhere. However, they only settle when walls provide the necessary moisture. Mould therefore typically starts to grow in certain places. Niches near windows and corner areas are affected. Both are places where moisture collects first and mould starts to grow on the wall. Areas where there is condensation, leaking pipes or poor air circulation are also susceptible. This is where moisture and black mould settle. Then you cannot avoid removing mould and cleaning the wall.

These things favour the growth of mould spores:
– persistent moisture in the air and in wall areas
– Room temperatures between 15 and 30 degrees Celsius
– Suitable surfaces such as concrete, wallpaper, plaster, wood, paint or plastic
At first it is just a dark shimmer, then it grows into small spots and finally becomes dense black mould. Mould forms on the wall. Unfortunately, the infestation is usually only noticed when black mould is visible. You should therefore keep an eye out for such changes when inspecting the risk areas mentioned. Not only black mould should be a signal. Also look out for condensation and damp patches if you want to avoid mould on the wall.
Why is mould removal so important?
Black mould can be the result of existing structural damage. If black mould appears, it could be the result of water damage caused by a defective pipe. However, it can also endanger the fabric of the building if you do not remove mould and the wall becomes heavily infested. This is the case when black mould eats its way into wooden beams. In any case, some spores destroy the wood substance. However, removing mould is not only important to protect the house.

Mould infestation endangers the health of residents. It sometimes triggers allergies. It weakens the immune system and can aggravate respiratory problems if you do not remove mould. For good reason, the Federal Ministry for the Environment expressly warns on its website of the health risks posed by mould in the home. It is therefore extremely important that you remove mould and consistently keep the wall free of mould. As mould on the wall poses such risks, mould in the flat is even a reason for a rent reduction.
Prevent mould in your home with these tips
Heat and ventilate properly and black mould will be a thing of the past
Correct heating and ventilation are the two most important measures for preventing mould in the home. Both measures are aimed at preventing the accumulation of moisture in critical areas. Follow these rules when removing mould to protect the wall:
– Heat during the cold season: living rooms to at least 16 degrees and bathrooms to 23 degrees.
– Ventilate rooms regularly: air rooms two to three times a day and air directly after showering and bathing.


Check rooms regularly for moisture
You should carry out regular inspections or use the services of specialists to check for mould in your home. What should you look out for? Black mould is not the only alarm signal. Check walls for water stains. Look for condensation when you remove mould and look over the wall.
Are there places behind furniture where mould has formed on the wall? This does not always indicate damage to a pipe. A thin wall, poor insulation or inadequate heating of a living area can be the cause. Heating measures, repairs and better insulation will help you to prevent mould in your home and remove mould.
Organise your rooms correctly
Another tip that you can use to remove mould and keep the wall clean: The right furnishings. Unfortunately, furniture is often placed in front of cold external walls or covers radiators. Then the room’s heating concept no longer works properly. Room areas remain unheated or poorly ventilated. Rearranging furniture can also prevent mould in the home. Keep this in mind if you want to prevent, remove mould and protect the wall.
How to remove mould and protect the wall
There are various measures for removing mould in the home. Before you remove mould, you should clarify the cause of black mould. Eliminate this when you remove the mould. Otherwise, black mould that you remove will quickly settle back into the wall. You should also consider the size. Different methods are recommended depending on how much mould you need to remove from your home.

If the infestation is less than half a square metre, you can remove the mould yourself. Put on protective gloves and a face mask when removing mould and cleaning the wall. Black mould grows from fungal spores. You should neither inhale these nor spread them around the home. You can use a commercially available mould remover to remove the mould. Effective preparations for removing mould and cleaning walls are based on benzalkonium chloride. This substance destroys the cells of the fungal spores from which black mould grows. Alternatively, high-percentage isopropyl alcohol or methylated spirits work well to remove mould.

Is your black mould on the wall larger than half a square metre? In this case, specialists will help you to remove mould and protect the wall. They will professionally examine the causes and then carry out a comprehensive cleaning to thoroughly clean the building fabric. Above all, they also have technical equipment that can be used to dry damp walls sustainably. In many cases, such cleaning is concluded with an expert report. This document assesses the existing damage and contains recommendations for future prevention or better insulation.
Contact your landlord if you have mould on the wall

These recommendations are then also addressed to the landlord. In principle, the landlord is responsible for remedying mould infestation on the building structure in rented flats. On the other hand, it is the tenant’s responsibility to point out an infestation as soon as black mould is visible. After all, landlords can only remove mould and protect the wall once they are aware of the problem.
How to document mould in the home
– Report the problem to your landlord or the responsible caretaker service.
– Take photos of the mould on the wall.
– Measure the room temperature and make a note of it.
– Create a log and record any changes to the condition in this document with the date.
– Visit the affected room with friends or a neighbour so that you have witnesses.
Who can help with questions about individual cases?
Do you have mould in your home and would like to find out more about what to do in your specific case? There are a number of professional contact points that can help you with various questions:
– the consumer advice centre offers specific advice on problems with mould on the wall
– in some federal states there are special mould advice networks
– tenants‘ associations also offer information on legal issues relating to tenants’ rights in the event of mould infestation and the possibility of a rent reduction
– The Ministry of Health and general practitioners offer information on the health consequences of mould
Conclusion
Black mould in living spaces is generally caused by moisture and a lack of air circulation. Correct ventilation and heating is crucial if you want to remove and prevent mould. In many cases, however, this is not enough. You need to find the cause of the damp and eliminate it.

You can remove small areas of mould with the help of suitable products. Has the mould on the wall spread to more than half a square metre? Then trained specialists will help you to remove the mould. In rooms such as the bathroom, you should also ensure regular cleaning after mould removal. You can find Useful tips for bathroom cleaning on our website.
Sources used for images:
- Photo by master1305 on Freepik
- Photo by Freepik
- Photo by Freepik
- Photo by gpointstudio on Freepik
- Photo by Freepik
- Photo by katemangostar on Freepik
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