Mold Prevention & Control Tips for Residence Halls

Follow the 3 C’s: Cleaning, Climate and Communication

Cleaning:

• At least once a week, bathroom shower stalls, tubs, sinks and floors should be scrubbed cleaned with cleanser and treated with a bathroom disinfectant. If you are living in a residence hall in which your bathroom is a private bath for your room only, you are responsible for cleaning your own bathroom. Custodial Services are only responsible for cleaning community bathrooms.
• If you are residing in one of the residence halls that has a private bath, after showering, leave the bathroom door open and exhaust fan running (if equipped) to allow proper ventilation. Hang wet towels and towel mats on a towel bar to dry quickly. Leave the bathroom light on to prohibit mold growth until everything in the bathroom is dry.
• At least once a month, room surfaces such as desks, shelves, counters, etc. should be wiped down with disinfectant (i.e. Lysol).
• Keep kitchen areas dry and use the stove exhaust ventilation while cooking. Clean up spills immediately. 
• Food preparation and consumption can attract pests and insects. Avoid leaving open food containers out, seal all containers after use and refrigerate perishable foods. Dispose of used food containers and food scraps regularly to prevent attracting pests and insects and promoting the growth of mold.
• Keep refrigerator doors tightly closed. Failure to secure refrigerator doors may result in defrosting of the freezer and may cause leaking onto the floor.
• Remove plants from the area, wet soil/plants and/or containers such as wicker baskets introduce moisture in the air and promotes fungal growth.
• Maintain good housekeeping by not accumulating items which harbor spores/mold such as excessive amounts of old books, journals/magazines, dirty clothing, etc. 
• Empty all trash and recycling regularly. 

Climate:

• When the air-conditioning system is in operation, keep all exterior doors and windows closed. Do not open exterior doors and/or windows because this will introduce higher humidity and moisture. 
• Do not block supply air registers by setting items on top of the register or in front of the register because this may cause some areas to have warmer temperatures and higher humidity.
• For rooms that have heating and ventilation control, set the thermostat between 68 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not turn the unit on a really cool or hot setting and then turn it off once it gets to the setting. Turning units off and on continually prevents proper air flow and stagnant air leads to odors and potential mold growth issues.

Communication:

• When water leaks or intrusions occur indoors- ACT QUICKLY! Mold can begin to grow within 24-48 hours. Notify your Resident Hall Advisor or call Facilities Management immediately.
• Report suspected mold to your Resident Advisor or Facilities Management immediately. Mold can grow rapidly and waiting to report it can make abatement efforts difficult for residents and building services staff.