If you live in a humid climate, chances are your leather or wood furniture is susceptible to mold and mildew formation. But, is mold on furniture dangerous?
The question that comes before that is this. Are you very recently diagnosed with asthma or wheezing/coughing issues, and you can’t decipher the last time you did something harmful to your lungs? Chances are, molds are already doing their job. Whether or not the mold at your home is dangerous will depend on the following concerns.
Mold and Its Types
Mold is a kind of fungus itself. It may come in white, black, orange, or green, even purple. Not all molds are bad. For example, the ones that decompose dead plants and bodies are definitely the helping kind.
When you’re traveling out, you are very likely exposed to mold spores. But then, what’s the issue? Molds in a small amount are not so harmful. But when you are living with it or when they start to grow indoors, you’re inhaling more than you would like.
Alternaria is the mold type you find in window frames and textile or textile-bound furniture. The spores of it are comparatively large, and it can trigger allergic reactions, residing in the nose or mouth.
Cladosporium is another one that enters the household through HVAC or ventilators and resides on textiles and porous areas (think, your wooden furniture). These trigger the symptoms of hay fever or asthma.
Penicillium is a type that does excellent on wallpapers and triggers all three health issues mentioned above while possessing the ability to be mycotoxic.
Stachybotrys is the deadliest type. This toxic black mold may cause lung bleeding, flu-symptoms, breathing issues, giddiness, and memory loss. This is also mycotoxic.
While it is uncommon for the last type to grow in clean households, it is not unheard of. By now, you should understand that molds can be dangerous overall. So when they are growing in furniture, shouldn’t you straightway prevent growth?
Is mold on furniture dangerous: Signs of mold in your furniture
There are no hard and fast rules regarding listing some criteria, checking for those, and finding molds in your home. You have to be active in finding whether there are molds or not. While some form of mold is acceptable and nothing to panic about, some forms release mycotoxins, as we said above.
Some of the basic warnings of molds could be:
- Visible black, white, grey, or brown spots
- A musty smell.
- Recently washing the area with water or liquids that didn’t dry well
- You or your family members displaying the following symptoms:
- Runny/itchy nose
- Itchy skin and rashes
- Itchy eyes or watery, red eyes
- Continuous or frequent sneezing, coughing or wheezing.
Other issues molds can cause, include:
- Snoring, indicating that something is disturbing the regular sleeping pattern of the member
- Sleep apnea, which can result from nasal congestion, resulting from molds.
- Insomnia from the same congestion or not being able to sleep on your bed for the suffocating, musty feeling.
- Fatigue.
- Asthma or upper respiratory tract issues
What You Can Do
You can try the following activities and determine the frequency of performing them, depending on your household condition and the climate that you live in. They include:
- Cleaning any water or liquid spill properly and drying the area without leaving the water like that for a long time to dry by itself.
- Regularly vacuum and clean your carpets and furniture covers. Get yourself a HEPA filtered vacuum. It will be a great investment if you are allergic to molds, and it keeps growing at your place.
- If you live in a humid area, use a dehumidifier to lessen the amount of humidity in your air.
- Let all the rooms have good airflow. Place the furniture spaced out from each other and the walls to let air flow between and around them.
- Keep your bathroom dry. Mold may start there and spread to your room and, eventually, the furniture.
- Keep your beauty closet and other cosmetic/toiletries bearing closet clean and dry.
- Don’t leave wet towels on furniture, not even wet clothing for a couple of seconds.
- Wipe all furniture regularly to prevent mold formation. To wipe, you could use a hydrogen peroxide solution. This usually gets rid of the bacteria or dirt, so it should be good enough to prevent mold formation before they start. Or, you could use vinegar sprays on your furniture in a less frequent interval and prevent mold formation. Baking soda, tea tree oil, or Borax are good options to kill formed molds, too. Although many suggest bleach, in the long run, it loses its effectiveness, and the mold may return.
For a long-term check, you can have your home ascertained for no faulty plumbing or poor water drainage systems. Keeping your air vents clean is as important as keeping the plumbing line clean. Have your windows and ventilators well-insulated and try to keep your indoors warm in cold winters.
When you repaint or stain your furniture the next time, make sure you are using a mold inhibitor. Of course, stain them only after you are sure it doesn’t have mold already infested in it. If any of your furniture is heavily infested or even medium-infested with mold, we would suggest you get rid of it if you can’t stop the spread. Or call a professional to help you with it.
Conclusion
So, is mold on furniture dangerous? Undoubtedly. But can you get rid of it? You may. Mold and mildew take a bad reputation for ruining furniture, both in value and in look.
It would be best if you always started looking for early signs, find the source of spread, and prevent future spread. Have your ceiling and walls checked while you’re at the plumbing check?
Keep the air flowing, keep the insides of the house warm, and keep an eye on upholstered furniture from time to time. Above all, make sure you don’t lose your health, trying to protect the furniture!
The post A Call for Safety: Is Mold on Furniture Dangerous? appeared first on Water Damage Restoration Services | Water Damage Cleanup | Flood Doctor.
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