Many of you might have seen a powdery substance expanding over the surface of walls, wood, clothes, food, carpets or sofas (made of leather). This downy substance is obviously mildew or black mold.

It is a type of fungi that actually grows on humid and damp surfaces, ideal for its growth and propagation. Whenever you see your jacket with black powdery stains, being hung in the washroom over a week, do not be surprised! It is the same mildew that spoils the things.

The black mold is generally recognized by its color, texture and odor. Its visible signs include stains on walls and ceilings. It also leads to discoloration of the walls. The wall may show greenish, brownish and blackish discoloration.

The texture is only observed when it grows on a visible location. What if when it habitually grows at places far from your sight? There are certain signs which indicate potential black mold problems. The first sign is high-humidity places. It is obvious that molds develop in damp places especially near the leaking pipes, outdoor walls, areas surrounding swimming pools and even washrooms. Humidity contributes to about 55 percent of molds growth in these areas.

Odor is another strong signal for growing molds. The musty odor means there is something wrong with the goods. The odor arises due to emission of volatile organic compounds produced by breaking the compounds of nutrition.

Black mold can be dangerous, if continues to grow for long. It results in both economic as well as health loses. So, this problem has to be recognized and solved as early as possible. The first option is to employ do-it yourself scheme. It has to be done very smartly and carefully.

You may yourself buy any of the famous mold cleaners to remove it. But be careful; do not forget to wear protective gloves and glasses. Avoid bleaches as they only discolor the mold and let it grow silently. It becomes far more dangerous than the originally growing mold.

You may also hire any black mold expert, if your applied cleaners do not work. Once you manage to get rid of molds, it is very important to prevent it from growing again. You may use humidity sensors to monitor the level of humidity. Moreover, you may find several dehumidifiers to control humidity in your home or building. You may also install air-purifiers to purify air-borne pores. This way, you may make your surroundings safe and healthy places to live in.