If you are unfortunate enough to uncover mold growth in your home, you will want to get started with a fast and effective mold clean up operation straight away.

But how can you be certain that what you have is mold?

Well, commonly one of the first signs is a unpleasant "earthy" or "musty" odour which is given off by the mold, secondly you will begin to see discolored areas on walls, window sills, fabrics etc. One way to determine whether or not these stains are mold is to wipe them with a cloth containing some common household bleach. (Mold can appear in a variety of colours - black, white, yellow and blue are but a few examples.) If the stain is removed using the bleach the chances are it is mold, if not it might a variety of things such as pollutants entering the house from outside through open windows etc.

Whichever type of mold you find it can most often be attributed to excess moisture in the building due to condensation, water leaks, dampness and so on. It is therefore imperative that these problems are put right before any mold clean up can begin. Investing in ventilation fans and range hoods which are vented to the outside of the building and opening windows will help reduce of moisture in the atmosphere whilst a dehumidifier will help dry out damp rooms quickly and efficiently once any necessary repairs have been completed.

Before beginning any mold clean up it is necessary that you check out the level of mold growth - large areas can often be extremely hazardous and will most certainly require professional attention.

So, when is it safe to take on a mold clean up yourself?

Mold growth can be divided into three categories:

1. Small growth area - this would defined as a patch of mold growth which is no larger than 1 meter squared and there should be no more than three patches (all should be less than 1 meter squared in size.) This you can tackle yourself.

2. Moderate growth area - mold growth can be put in this category if there are more than three areas with all of them less than 1 meter square or one individual big area, but this should be less than 3 meters squared. Again with care you should be able to tackle this amount of mold yourself.

3.Extensive growth area - If you find any patch of mold which covers an area bigger than 3 meters squared, it is time to call in professional help.

Now, of course the pressing question is how to carry out a mold clean up?

Before you begin to remove any type of mold you must protect yourself. So, you will need a minimum of goggles, face mask and rubber gloves, if you are tackling a moderate rather than a small mold growth area you must seal off the whole room with plastic sheeting before you begin. Anyone who already has respiratory problems or allergies and small children should be kept as far away from the work area as possible - probably best if they are not even at home.

OK, so if you are lucky enough to have only a small area of mold to clean up it is quite simply a case of scrubbing it clean using a solution containing a detergent, you may want to using a commercial mold clean up product or some basic household ingredients like baking soda, white vinegar, tea tree oil or grapefruit seed oil all of which will remove mold stains. Once cleaned it is essential that the area is dried out as quickly as possible. A dehumidifier is fantastic for this.

If the area of mold you need to clean up is a bit larger i.e. "moderate" in size it is best to use a vacuum cleaner to remove the surface mold which is often "powdery" in appearance first. However, the vacuum cleaner you use should have a HEPA filter fitted or it should be exhausted outside. Once again scrub the area using a mold clean up solution as described above and dry the area out thoroughly. If you are cleaning up a wood surface and the stain will not be removed in this way it will necessary to use a sander (buy one with an inbuilt vacuum to stop mold spores getting into the atmosphere.)

In both cases, if you have cleaned up the mold and it continues to return it would suggest that there is an undetected problem with moisture or dampness which requires investigation by a professional builder or plumber.

Remember, professional help will also be required if you have large, extensive areas of mold growth. Mold can be very damaging to health so do not be tempted to try such a mold clean up yourself.