Health / Article 14
Mold Cleanup PPE: What to Wear Before You Touch the Mess
Cleanup can disturb mold, dust, and contaminated material.
Situation snapshot
The problem in plain English.
Cleanup can disturb mold, dust, and contaminated material.
Start with safety and source control. Then work through what can dry, what needs removal, what should be documented, and where professional mitigation or remediation should take over.
Action order
Move through it in the right sequence.
- 01Wear at least a NIOSH-approved N95 respirator for small cleanup.
- 02Use gloves and goggles without vent holes.
- 03Cover skin and wash contaminated clothing separately.
- 04Keep sensitive occupants away from cleanup areas.
Risk check
What changes the seriousness.
Watch for
Large areas, demolition, sewage, floodwater, or health-sensitive occupants.
What the pros look for
Workplace jobs may require OSHA-compliant respiratory protection and trained personnel.
Source backed
