What items can be transferred and how to clean them depends on the surface of the item in question. 

Surface types include:

• Porous: liquid absorbs into them, such as clothing, lampshades, and carpet
• Non-porous: liquid pools on top of them, such as finished wood, sealed countertops, and glass
• Semi-porous: some liquid pools on top and some seeps into it, such as unsealed wood, leather furniture, and some plastic

Non-Porous

Non-porous items such as metal, plastic, or glass are safe to clean. Particles aren’t able to travel deep into the surface, so using the right products and techniques can pull them from the surface and eliminate them entirely. It’s important to note that all of the contaminants, even dead mold and mycotoxins, must be removed in order for exposure to stop. Anything left behind can continue to trigger adverse health reactions. 

Steps for cleaning include:

• Vacuum the entire surface using the HEPA vacuum.
• Spray the surface with an EPA-approved cleaning product like Benefect Decon 30.
• Allow the cleaning product to sit for at least 10 seconds before wiping away with the microfiber towel.
• Allow the surface to dry completely.

Repeat three times to completely eliminate any hard-to-remove particles.

Semi-Porous

Semi-porous items like wood require more diligence but can be cleaned as well. These contents are more difficult to deal with because the roots of mold can grow slightly into the surface and small particles like mycotoxins can get trapped inside. This ability means that the remediation process takes more effort. 

The cleaning process should include: 

• HEPA vacuuming
• Applying 8% hydrogen peroxide and allowing this to dry
• Sanding the surface 
• HEPA vacuuming 
• Applying Benefect Decon 30 and letting it sit for 30 seconds
• Wiping the surface with a microfiber towel and allowing it to dry
• Sealing the surface

Porous 

Porous items are tricky. For these, the best thing to start with is to determine what you have to keep and what can be discarded. Particles can get caught deep within the fibers of the item and be nearly impossible to remove. Getting rid of as much as possible will help decrease the amount of continued exposure to these contaminated items. 

For items that you decide to keep, use EPA-approved cleaning products like EC3 Laundry Additive for anything machine washable. For items that cannot go into a washing machine, treat them with a HEPA vacuum cleaner and then borax and EC3. Reintroducing these products one by one can help determine if they’re clean or if they retrigger adverse health symptoms.

For more information on cleaning your belongings, read this blog post.

To purchase your cleaning products now, visit My Online Store by clicking here. 

For a Contents Cleaning Kit packed full of everything you’ll need to get started, click here. 

For more information on HEPA vacuum cleaners, click here.