Tips for Preventing Mold Exposure to Children
Mold exposure to children can lead to illnesses and development issues. It’s important to minimize your children’s exposure to any mold. Mold can grow in places you may not think about, and you should make a point to clean regularly. Here are some tips to prevent your children from being exposed to mold.
Clean Often
Cleaning is important to the overall health and wellness of your household in general—but it’s necessary to catch and fix mold issues. When you’re cleaning, pay special attention to these places for mold development signs:
- Baseboards: These can get really dirty and even develop mold—especially in the warmer and more humid months. Don’t ignore these during your cleaning routine
- Toilet: Even though you may clean the inside and seat of your toilet regularly, ignoring the base or the underneath of the handle can allow mold to grow and spread
- Bathtub: Your child most likely spends a good amount of time in the bathtub. Check regularly around the faucet and drain cover for signs of mold development
- Windows: Water condensation and signs of wear on windows are all beginning signs that mold either is or may begin to grow. Clean your windows and windowsills regularly and replace your windows as they age
Pay Attention to Your Fridge
The inside of your refrigerator could be covered in mold. Regularly wash your shelves and clear out your crisper drawers. Mold can also develop from the food inside. Don’t keep any food too long, and eat or toss it by the expiration date. There are few worse feelings when making food for your children than realizing your cheese went south. Before giving your child dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt, or other quickly expiring products, be sure to take a minute to reread the use-by dates.
Bonus Tip: Label your leftovers with a dry erase marker to keep track of the age, and keep a calendar near your fridge to easily determine your foods’ safety.
Monitor Your Child’s Toys
Your child’s toys can get wet and dirty—especially toys meant for outdoor play. Regularly check outdoor play items for signs of mold. Wipe down balls after your children play with them, wash out the chalk container regularly, and disinfect all jump rope handles. There are so many small nooks and crannies in children’s toys that are perfect environments for mold to prosper in; simply keeping a keen eye out for those can prevent mold exposure in your children.
