Post-Mold Remediation: Don’t Forget Small Particle Cleaning!

What is small particle cleaning?

It is essentially the post mold remediation meticulous deep cleaning to remove all the microscopic (can’t see with the human eye) particulates that can linger (and still make you mold sick even if the original mold source was remediated).

Let’s say your basement had mold and you had remediation or treatment of the moldy areas in that part of your home. Maybe some contracting work had to be done to deal with the leak and new dry wall was put up, as one hypothetical example. That’s good & necessary; but that is the bare minimum. The whole home still needs this deep, small particle cleaning performed because the mold spores didn’t magically stay confined to the basement. Mold spores off put mycotoxins which can travel through walls and through the HVAC system too; this has been circulating through the whole home since whenever the mold first showed up and most don’t realize this. If the basement had the water damage and then mold growth, it’s likely the most concentrated place of mold spores, but the whole home needs fully small particle cleaned.

Reasons that post mold remediation small particle cleaning is a non-negotiable:

• Despite best efforts for proper mold containment, mold covered materials (even if you can’t see it) inevitably have migrated around other rooms in the home.
• Prior to mold remediation, the mycotoxins from the original source are likely still all over the home (likely in smaller amounts but still present)
• You may not ever fully recover from mold illness or CIRS if small particle cleaning is not performed WELL. Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker advises that the ERMI score gets to less than a 2 for those with CIRS to get better and successfully get their MSH hormone to rise (there is some nuance to this).
• A deep clean never hurt anyone and it may help give you some “mold closure” psychologically speaking.

Pre Small Particle Cleaning: Here is checklist on how to handle belongings in your home before the deep clean

It’s not just the home and walls itself that may be coated by mold and mycotoxins. Your belongings (like furniture, books, and clothing) can also harbor mold and mycotoxins. Ideally, these things below are dealt with prior to remediation and small particle cleaning, but wanted to speak to them now as many miss this step in the process.

• Furniture: Upholstered furniture is a common place residual mycotoxins can linger. Best case scenario is to remove all contaminated furniture from the home – either to get rid of especially if mold was growing on it, or the second tier option to deep clean before bringing back inside after remediation as to not contaminate the home. However, I understand this is a best case scenario. Many might not be able to afford to replace all large upholstered furniture. Before deciding to keep furniture or not if financially you are struggling, you can perform a test using EC3 plates to help you decide what to do with upholstered furniture. If mold grows on the plates, you will need to deep clean the furniture and retest or dispose of furniture. Remember: after all that work of remediation, you don’t want these large items reinfecting you and continuing to harm your health after you went to all the work and cost of remediation.
• Mattresses: Remove mattresses and box springs from the home and deep clean if unable to throw away and then bring back into home post remediation. Some people use ozone, some use compressed air duster, some set the mattress outside in the sunshine. Some will vacuum the mattress. Truth be told, there isn’t a good way to get mycotoxins out of mattresses when deeply imbedded. It’s not like you can throw the mattress is the wash and then the dryer. This is something many people end up replacing and get air mattresses in the meantime.
• Books/Paper: These porous items needs to be removed or contained elsewhere. Store them away from home; many will keep in bins in a storage unit if they are sentimental items and unable to throw away. Throw away all papers that you don’t want/need and keep the sentimental stuff boxed up. Another option is to laminate paper that you need to save and Dr. Shoemaker speaks to this being an adequate option. We personally disposed of many books that did not have sentimental value.
• Clothes: All clothing, sheets, bedding, drapes in the home should be washed using the EC3 laundry detergent, Branch Basics Detergent, or CitriSafe or as three effective options. They can be dried or dried outside in the sunshine on a clothes line. We used EC3 laundry additive – it is truly the best deodorizer in my opinion! I would remove the items from the home and clean elsewhere if possible and then bring back in clean after the remediation. If not possible due to cost, just keep washing at the home and wash again one final time in the special additives after the small particle clean.
• Electronics, trinkets and toys: wipe down if you can with disposable microfiber cloths with water and a few drops of branch basics.

After you have dealt with all the items in your home, next you want to ensure the HVAC system and ducts are cleaned to remove any accumulated dust and particles. This is usually a service that is professionally hired out. It is generally recommended to have this done every 3 to 5 years anyways, but necessary to do after mold remediation BEFORE the small particle clean. Make sure you hiring a NADCA or ACCA certified company to clean your system.

Once you have dealt with removing then cleaning the items in your home and had your HVAC system clean and filter changed, it is time to embark on a small particle clean.

I do want to preface what I am saying in this blog is a realistic, condensed take on the endeavor. There are stricter, more detailed interpretations. Also note that small particle cleaning is a professional service that can be performed by a IEP (Indoor Environmental Professional). Around the area I live in, you will commonly see quotes of $20k-$40k depending on many factors like the size of the home. Many people cannot afford the strictest interpretation or for this to be professionally done. I think all things considered it is more important to have the professionals do remediation/removal of the mold and any contracting work. This is much easier to “screw up” whereas small particle cleaning not done “perfectly” usually won’t make the situation any worse off. It’s one of those things that can only “go up from here” – whereas with mold remediation, things can be botched.

Small Particle Cleaning: Short & Sweet Principles & Steps to Follow

1. HEPA Vacuuming: 

• Use a HEPA vacuum with a sealed system to remove large particles, dust, and debris.
• Vacuum slowly in an “S” pattern, overlapping each pass to ensure thorough coverage.
• Begin by cleaning the highest surfaces first, such as ceilings and ceiling fans, and work your way down to walls, then floors.
• Start at the back of the room and move towards the exit to minimize the chance of re-contaminating cleaned areas.
  
  2. Non-Toxic Wiping: 
  • Use microfiber cloths and a non-toxic cleaning solution (like water with a few drops of dish soap like Branch Basics).
  • Spray the solution onto the cloth, not the surface, to control overspray.
  • Wipe surfaces using an “S” pattern, folding the cloth to expose a clean side periodically.
• 3. Dry wiping all surfaces one last time with disposable microfibers cloths.
  

Post-remediation small particle cleaning is a critical (hopefully) final step in ensuring that your living space is safe and free from the harmful effects of mold contamination and then doing an ERMI dust test to check that the levels are now safe. “There are no established thresholds determining whether “X” amount of a certain mold will cause negative health effects, while “Y” amount will not.” Given this regardless of the type of mold or “how much mold,” deep cleaning of the whole home and all items is the top recommendation.

I would argue the final, final step is periodic evalation of your home and putting preventative measures in place so that the mold doesn’t ever grow back, or if water damage happens again, you capture it much faster. Some preventative measures include but are not limited to:

• Sensors underneath sinks that go off if a leak is detected
• Humidity thermometer to monitor humidity in home. Short answer: you want to keep at 50% or less.
• Dehumidifer in your basement that can handle the square footage
• QUALITY Air purifiers (like the Air Doctor – sale linked here) in the bedrooms at a bare minimum and also ideally in living spaces

By following a comprehensive small particulate cleaning process (more detail process listed here on the Surviving Mold website) after addressing contaminated belongings, you can restore your home to healthy environment for you and your family. The success to your health improving is often in these tiny details. Finish this big step of doing a deep clean and keep pushing forward with your health! Need all the dots connected when it comes to navigating toxic indoor mold? Register for Healing from Mold – my online, on demand evidenced based program.

If you are a renter and your landlord refuses to do proper inspection & remediation, click here for more info on steps to take.

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