Smita Shastri
When it is the turn of counting days to Diwali, cleaning has started in most of the houses. The hardest part of this cleaning job is removing the moss that has built up in the damp areas of the house. After the rainy season most of the house walls, furniture and bathroom are affected by dampness due to water moisture. When this dampness persists for a long time, fungi and algae begin to grow in the walls. Sometimes the walls turn green or black due to this fungus and algae. According to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, more than 50 million people in India visit a doctor after being affected by fungal diseases caused by these algae and fungi. This can cause problems like constant runny nose, allergies, asthma, sneezing and body itching. For this reason no dampness, moss or fungus should be allowed to grow in any part of the house. These algae and fungi contain thousands of invisible viruses which are extremely harmful to health, so cleaning is necessary, but some things should be taken care of while cleaning. Do not attempt to sweep the area affected by the fungus with a broom as this will cause the spores in the fungus to become airborne and infect the household. First, gently rub the fungus with a damp cloth, this will reduce the blackness of the area to a great extent. Throw these clothes in the dustbin. Wipe the affected area with a cloth dipped in phenyl or vinegar. This will disinfect the area. Do not attempt to reuse these fabrics. Spray the vinegar well on the mossy area and leave it for half an hour, then scrub it with a brush. Remove the algae debris and rinse it with clean water. Doing this will make the floor and walls shine. After this paint as required. Nowadays there are fungus removers and bleaches available in the market, you can use them, read the instructions written on them before using them. Clean any moss or fungus that has accumulated on the bathroom floor with a harpic or floor cleaner. Be careful not to get the cleaner or harpic on the faucet or jets at this point. Because the acid present in all these turns the faucets and jets black which does not look good later. You can use Dettol solution to clean the fungus. For this, prepare a solution by mixing 1 tablespoon of Dettol with 5 tablespoons of water. After cleaning the fungus and moss, if any marks are visible on the wall, have the area painted. Prepare a solution by mixing 4 teaspoons of borax powder and 2 teaspoons of lime in 2 liters of water. Now apply this solution on the affected area and leave it for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes scrub it off with a brush. When removing algae or fungus, cover your mouth with a cloth or wear a mask to prevent the virus from entering your body. Be sure to wear socks when using bleach and acid. Do not allow water to accumulate anywhere in the house. If there is too much moisture, do waterproofing so that the next rain does not get wet.
Clarification : In the October 15, 2022 issue of 'Madhurima', on page 6-7, the name of the author of the 'Savdhani' column was mistakenly printed as Anoop Kumar Gaur. The article was written by Rajeev Pathak.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
