Taking care of your home can feel overwhelming, especially for a first-time homeowner, but with the right tricks under your belt, it doesn't have to be.
DIY influencer Meg (@grovehousereno), known on Instagram for her home renovation tips, recently shared an easy hack that helps prevent mold growth in your bathroom.
In her video, she demonstrates the "paper test," which checks if your bathroom vent is properly ventilating moisture.
The scoop
Meg explains that you should regularly clean and test your bathroom vents.
To perform the paper test, simply hold a piece of paper up to the vent. If it falls, your vent is not expelling enough air to properly ventilate moisture. Poor ventilation can lead to excess moisture, which allows mold to grow on soggy walls.
"If it can't hold a piece of paper, your bathroom isn't venting moisture, which can lead to soggy walls and mold," Meg writes in the caption.
Regular maintenance, like the paper test, can help homeowners catch issues early and prevent costly repairs down the road.
How it's helping
Poorly ventilated bathrooms allow condensation and moisture to accumulate, providing the perfect damp environment for mold to thrive in hidden crevices.
Mold can cause a range of health issues, especially for children and elderly household members, including but not limited to watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, itching, coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, headache, and fatigue.
Remediating a mold issue also hits hard in the wallet — professional mold removal costs $10–25 per square foot in the US, according to Architectural Digest.
Luckily, the paper test is an easy and free way to stay on top of your bathroom's ventilation. Ensuring your vents work properly keeps the air fresh and your walls dry. This prevents hazardous mold from growing and saves you from paying for expensive repairs later on.
What everyone's saying
The video received an overwhelmingly positive response, with viewers sharing their appreciation for this useful tip.
It's encouraging to see a sustainable hack gaining such widespread support. This test exemplifies the power small, proactive changes have in safeguarding our health and homes. Who knew prevention could be so easy?
"This is genius!!!!! Off to go try it" commented one user.
Another viewer wrote, "Love these helpful tips!"
"I never knew this," commented another.
The next time you clean your bathroom, remember to hold that piece of paper up and take control of mold.
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