preparing your house for professional cleaners

If you notice black mold growth in your refrigerator, but your next house cleaning service isn't scheduled until the following week, you may wonder if you have the supplies to clean up the mess yourself. There's a simple homemade cleaning solution you can prepare and use at home until your house cleaners arrive. Here's how mold grows in your fridge and what you can do to get rid of it temporarily.

How Did Black Mold Get Inside Your Fridge?

Black mold grows in dark, dank and humid places. It also needs a viable water source to thrive, such as leaky faucet in your kitchen sink or a busted pipeline in your basement. If your refrigerator's lower compartment doesn't get cold enough because of poorly sealed door gaskets, mold can grow in it as well.

Although it's easy to see or find black mold beneath the produce containers and other accessible areas, you may not notice mold growth in the folds between the door's gaskets or seals. As the lower compartment's temperature rises, ice that forms between it and the top freezer melts. The melted ice drips between the gaskets' folds and mold grows.

You can clean the lower compartment and door's gaskets with the right cleaning solution.

What Can You Do to Clean the Mold Temporarily?

To remove the mold, mix 1/2 bottle of white vinegar and 3 cups of tap water together in a large spray bottle. Vinegar doesn't emit bad odors as it cleans away the mold residue. It's also acidic, which means it can breakdown the mold right away once it comes into contact with it.

You also need to wear a pair of latex or utility gloves during the cleaning, as well as a nose mask. You don't want to touch or inhale the mold because it's known to cause irritation in the skin and respiratory system.

Once you have everything in order, follow the steps listed below:

1. Remove every item from the lower compartment, including enclosed containers, to avoid splashing the vinegar and baking soda solution on them. You can wipe them down later before you put them back into the refrigerator.
2. Remove the produce and meat containers from the bottom of the fridge. You need easy access to clean beneath them.
3. Spray the solution on every visible area in the lower compartment, as well as between the folds of the gaskets. Give the solution at least 20 minutes to work on the mold.
4. Use a cleaning towel to wipe down the lower compartment. Pay close attention to the folds of the gaskets.
5. Discard the towel once it becomes visibly soiled with mold and replace it with another one to finish the job.
6. Use fresh water to make sure that the lower compartment and gasket's folds are clean and free of mold.

The vinegar and water should clean the mold and keep it away until your cleaning service contractors arrive to your home later.

The contractors can use more effective and permanent mold removing products to clean your fridge. If you have questions about black mold, contact your household cleaning service right away.