For many of us living on the Sunshine Coast or the East Coast of Australia, we have been inundated by flooding rains since the start of 2022.  Coupled with a lack of sunlight to help dry everything out.  This has resulted in mould flourishing in my house like never before which listening to the news and the socials seems to be a problem for most of us.  So, what do we need to consider before attacking the dreaded mould?  To keep ourselves safe from mould spores.

Firstly, it is widely known that mould spores do nasty things to your lungs so wearing a face mask with particle filtering is essential.  Finally, we have something we can use those extra face masks that we have had laying the house, now that wearing them isn’t mandatory.

Secondly and most importantly to me we need to protect our eyes.  Why? You might ask.  Well, there are a few very good reasons that eye safety should be considered, when choosing our PPE for attacking the mould.  The primary one is that mould spores can create toxic reactions on contact that can lead to ulcers on the front surface (cornea) of your eye, which can impact your visual clarity.  Also, should mould contact with your eye it can easily enter your bloodstream.

Some common symptoms of eye damage from mould include:

Red eyes

Blurry vision

Burning sensation in the eye

Eye damage

Eye inflammation

Light sensitivity amongst other problems.

So how do we avoid any of these problems occurring?  The easy answer would be to avoid exposure to mould.  But with the weather it has been lately and the fact that it isn’t as warm outside, mould has been a real problem for much of Australia.  So how do we get rid of the mould without endangering our health?  Simply we need to protect our airways, eyes, and skin.  So, you need to wear a decent mask, safety goggles or glasses at least, and gloves.

As I have been fighting the mould at my home, I have been very interested in the different ways to get rid of the stuff.  I have found that vinegar mixed with water works well to remove the black mould and prevent it from returning.  I also try and keep the doors and windows open on fine days so that there is airflow, as mould likes damp dark places with poor airflow.