A frustrated tenant turned to Reddit for advice after their landlord failed to successfully remove apartment mold.
The image shows a mold-covered petri dish, and the caption reads, "A mold test kit from my apartment after my landlord told me they 'cleaned' the mold by putting bleach on the spots."
In the comments section, the tenant shared, "There is mold that broke through the ceiling and cracked it."
Redditors who saw the photo suggested solutions for treating the mold.
"If you have mold going through your walls or ceilings that will require a mold remediation service," responded one Redditor. "Have you identified the source of the water/humidity? There are sensors that you can stick into the wall that will give you a good measure on the % humidity stuck in the material. Depending on how extensive the water damage is, it might be in your best interest to move out."
Mold can be difficult to remove. An untreated mold problem in your home can be harmful to your health. Severe mold growth can cause respiratory problems, especially in people with underlying conditions.
If you are trying to remove mold in your home, there are safe and effective solutions for killing mold with natural ingredients.
Vinegar is nontoxic and kills up to 82% of mold species. Though cleaning vinegar is the best type of vinegar for removing mold, you can also apply white vinegar to mold-contaminated areas.
When compared to bleach, vinegar is more effective at removing mold. Bleach removes only surface-level mold on nonporous materials. It does not remove mold on porous materials, such as wood and drywall. Using vinegar to kill mold is also a safer and cheaper alternative to the harsh chemicals in traditional cleaning agents.
For more serious cases of mold, tenants may have to discuss potential solutions with their landlords.
Across the U.S., landlords have been caught mishandling necessary repairs and preventing tenants from applying cheaper, eco-friendly lifestyle changes. If you're struggling to resolve an issue in your apartment, you can revise established rules that prevent environmentally conscious improvements.
Redditors also discussed how to handle an uncooperative landlord.
"It is an expensive repair (so your landlord may drag their feet) and will require cutting out and replacing the damaged parts of your walls/ceiling," wrote one user. "You can use that as an argument to break your lease if that's a possibility for you."
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
