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MCDONOUGH COUNTY, ILL. -- A home is a place to keep you and your family safe.

It can also be home to an unwanted guest like mold.

The McDonough County Health Department has recently taken a lot of calls about mold because it's been a wet spring.

This KHQA Safe Family report shows you what to look for and how to get rid of mold.

Mold can be hard to spot, but it can be dangerous. In fact, mold is everywhere, and what makes it so dangerous isn't the mold itself, it's how you react to it. Some will be fine, but others may have an allergic reaction to it that can make them very ill, especially children, elderly, or those who are immune compromised. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates there are thousands of types of mold.

"With regards to which mold can be more toxic than other molds, there's no guidelines for that. We try to give information out to homeowners, if you see mold, it doesn't matter which type you see, the guidelines for cleanup will be almost the same," says Isidro Herrera, a Sanitarian with the McDonough County Health Department.

If you do have mold in your house, before you clean it up, you need to fix the problem.

"If you have any leaks, if you have any wet areas, basements, bathrooms, and stuff. You want to get those problems fixed. If you have high humidity levels around your house, maybe invest in a dehumidifier," says Herrera.

Isidro Herrera says you should try to keep the humidity in your home to around 30 to 50 percent. Now for cleanup. If it's a small area, say less than three feet by three feet, you can clean it yourself with soap and water.

"You want to wear long sleeves, long pants, gloves, goggles, and a 95 respirator. Once you start cleaning up, you can get spores which is how molds reproduce. Those spores will travel in air giving you more exposure to that mold," says Herrara.

Any area larger than that, you'll want to call a Certified Industrial Hygienist and the Department of Public Health.

You also want to clean up the mold within 48 hours.

That'll keep your chances of it forming more spores.

Once that happens, mold can spread very quickly because you can carry it on your shoes, clothes, even your pets can track it around.

From McDonough County Health Department:

Indoor Mold Control

The McDonough County Health Department is providing information for indoor mold control due to concerns of mold exposure made by homeowners. Some health effects associated with mold can include: allergic reactions; skin and throat irritation; can also trigger asthma reactions; and ingestion of toxins. Populations most at risk are children, elderly, immune-compromised, and individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions.

What is mold? Mold is a type of "Fungi" that is naturally present both outdoors and indoors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that there can be tens of thousands of different species of mold that are able to grow indoors and outdoors. Molds grow by forming spores that are able to withstand extreme temperatures and harsh environments. Once the environment is more favorable spores germinate and mold can begin to grow in your home.

What environment does indoor mold need to grow?

- Mold growth can occur at any temperature between 40° F and 100° F.

- Mold can grow on any surface (carpets, walls, ceiling tiles, and pipes) that provides nutrients.

- Mold is more likely to grow in high humidity rooms such as bathrooms, basements, and carpeted areas.

Control recommendations:

- Fix any leaks, clean-up any damp areas, and discard ceiling tiles or materials that are not cleanable.

- Keep humidity levels at 30%-50%; place a dehumidifier in the basement, bathrooms, or any damp areas.

- Keep air conditioner drip pans clean and the drain lines unobstructed and flowing properly.

- Do not carpet any moist areas such basements, bathrooms, or any where you can have spills.

- Clean-up any mold before painting, carpeting, or remodeling surfaces.

How to Clean-Up Mold:

- Clean up any spills or mold growth within 48 hour hours.

- For small areas (3 ft x 3ft): fix the problem (leaks); throw away any materials that cannot be cleaned properly (ceiling tiles); always use water and detergent to clean mold; do not mix chlorine with any ammonia detergents; wear an N-95 respirator, goggles, gloves, and appropriate clothing.

- Look for a Certified Hygienist to have it professionally cleaned up if: large areas (10ft x10ft) of mold to be removed; mold inside your HVAC system; mold damage was caused sewage or other contaminated water; suspect hidden mold and have health concerns.