Mold/Mildew Odor Removal with Ozone

Most people can notice the smell of mold and describe the odor as musty or stale. Mold is produced by mold spores that are incredibly small and cannot be seen by the naked eye. For mold to grow and become visible, the mold spores come to contact with a surface that is typically wet. This is why mold can commonly become present after a flood. The smell of mold will also continue to grow stronger and more foul as time goes on with it left untreated. Mold is commonly found in damp or wet environments, which often means it is found in areas like bathrooms, laundry rooms, or basements following water damage.  

Where Mold Odors are Commonly Present:

As stated above, mold is typically found in damp environments. Condensation by vents or windows, leaks, and floods can all increase the odds of mold forming. Mold spores will sprout on any surfaces that they find suitable for living (which overwhelmingly tends to be on wet surfaces), you should remember that mold can form on virtually all surfaces. Whether it be drywall, carpets, cabinetry, and even concrete, mold does have the capacity to live and grow there. 

How to Remove Mold/Mildew Odors:

You have to remember that to completely get rid of the mold odor, you need to eliminate the source of the odor. There is a common misconception that ozone can be used to get rid of the mold odor and the mold itself. Ozone will eliminate the odor, and it will kill/stop the mold spores from sprouting, but it is not a viable option for getting rid of all of the mold. To completely get rid of the problem, you’ll need to first clean/take out any surface where the mold is present and then use ozone. By using ozone after the surface has been cleaned, you will kill all of the spores that are not visible but still present and could allow for the mold to regrow. Using ozone will also completely get rid of the smell that was left behind. 

As we’ve discussed, mold can be a difficult odor to get rid of. It is also tough to precisely determine how long it will take to complete the process. How strong the odor is, and how large of an area the mold is present in will determine how long it takes to eliminate the malodor. When it comes to mold, you can expect that it will take at least 4 days to remove the odor, but it may take up to 2 weeks in extreme circumstances. 

Cautions:

It is extremely important to note that ozone, while indoors, at high levels, can become harmful to breathe in. It is also probable that to properly get rid of an odor with ozone (in smaller spaces) you are going to need ozone levels above the safety concentration (according to OSHA: workers should not be exposed to an average concentration of more than 0.10 ppm of ozone for 8 hours). Because of this, please make sure that there are no people or animals in an area where high concentrations of ozone are going to be present. For tracking ozone concentrations while you eliminate mold and mildew odors, we recommend using a handheld ozone monitor which you can find here. 

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