Mold, a threat to your home –– and health

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According to the EPA, mold on hard surfaces, such as plastic or stainless steel, can be cleaned with a 10 percent bleach solution. Mold on soft surfaces, such as fabric or drywall, should be discarded in double plastic contractors’ bags. Large-scale mold problems should be treated by an experienced environmental remediation expert, the EPA states. Check references before hiring one.

When removing molded items from your home, you should wear an N-95 respirator, according to the EPA. Some of these respirators resemble paper dust masks, with a nozzle on the front; others are made of plastic or rubber and have removable cartridges that trap most mold spores. You should also wear rubber gloves and protective eye gear, and consider discarding your clothing rather than washing it.

Siegel Rubin said she is trying to stay positive, noting that she and her two children are healthy. “Of all the bad that came out of this storm, there was so much good,” she said, noting that neighbors helped one another get through Sandy’s terrible aftermath. She feels fortunate, she added, “to live in a community where people care about each other.”

Realizing that the journey to recovery is a multifaceted story with no end in sight, the Heralds are chronicling all aspects of the rebuilding effort in a series of weekly articles with a common theme, South Shore Rising.

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