If you live in a wet climate, you have to be more careful of mold than you would if you live somewhere that’s very dry. Like most living things, mold needs moisture to grow and thrive. That sounds like common sense, but a lot of people don’t realize it. They think that, because they have a home with a good plumbing system and an air conditioner, that they don’t have to worry about any kind of mold growth. When you live in a wet area of the country, though, your home can harbor a lot of moisture that you don’t really think about, especially if you have carpet.  

Does Your Carpet Soak Up Water? 

How many times have you walked across that carpet with wet shoes because it was raining outside? Or the grass was wet? Or the leaves that you raked were wet? Most people don’t take their shoes off at the door, and if they have pets or small children there have certainly been instances where wet shoes (or paws) have been tracked along the carpet. These things generally don’t do any harm and they dry on their own, but in very wet climates they may stay damp for a long time, giving the carpet or the underlayment (padding and/or wooden floors) a chance to cultivate mold growth. 

When that mold grows under the carpet you don’t see it but you may get a musty smell in your home that you have a hard time pinpointing. You may also find that your allergies are bothering you or that your family gets sick more often than they did in the past. You don’t have to move to the desert, but some testing for mold may be necessary. You can also have the carpets treated with shampoos and cleaners that inhibit mold growth, but be aware that most of these will wet the carpet even more, so drying them adequately is vital.  

What Can You DO About It? 

If you live in a very wet climate and you’re always having problems with mold you might want to think about trading in your carpet for hardwood floors or – preferably – tile. Some people worry that tile can get slick when it’s wet, but it won’t encourage mold growth like carpet and it will dry better, faster, and more easily. There are various kinds of floor tile that are well-designed to keep people from sliding, and they aren’t all that expensive.  

Should You Get Better Flooring? 

What kind of flooring you ultimately want in your home has to be up to you, but where wet and rainy climates are concerned you sometimes have to make some concessions to keep your family safe and healthy. It can also make for easier cleaning for many homes, but floors aren’t the only areas that can be a problem in damper climates. You’ll also want to look carefully around your home and consider things like soft furniture versus leather, the ventilation in your bath and shower area, and the number of pillows and soft toys you have around.  

There’s no need to get rid of all these things and live in a sterile environment. The key is simply to be aware of the possibilities for mold growth so that you can take action to prevent it before it becomes a problem.     
 

The MoldBlogger Team

Have you ever picked up your dish sponge or dish cloth and realized that it had an odd, musty smell to it? That’s mold. A lot of people don’t think about it. They just assume it’s a normal part of using a sponge or cloth, and they don’t realize that they might be putting their family’s health at risk because they’re using something that could be harboring dangerous mold. More and more people are using dishwashers so that they don’t have to worry so much about the cleanliness of their dishes, but for those who don’t want to use a dishwasher or just don’t have one, keeping dish cloths and sponges clean should be a top priority.  

If dish washing sponges are contaminated with mold, what can I do about it? 

Each time you use your dish sponge or dish cloth you should wring it out thoroughly and let it dry completely. You should also make sure that there aren’t any food particles stuck in the material, because they can help mold and other unpleasant substances start growing. If you want to make sure your sponge is even cleaner you should get it thoroughly wet and put it in the microwave for one to two minutes, or allow it to run through a full wash and dry cycle in your dishwasher.  

Two full minutes of microwaving a wet sponge or one dishwasher cycle can kill ninety-nine percent of the living organisms in it, and that includes mold spores. Make sure that you let the sponge cool before you remove it from a microwave because it will be very hot, and never microwave a dry sponge because it could catch fire. Not everyone has a microwave, either, and if you’re one of the people who doesn’t you can make up a bleach and water solution and soak sponges and dish clothes in it. However, it won’t do as good of a job as the microwave or dishwasher when it comes to killing mold.  

Is my family in danger? 

Most people don’t get sick from washing dishes with sponges or dish cloths that smell musty, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t happen to you, and getting sick from mold is very unpleasant. Even if you don’t encounter major problems from it, you and your family will still have an increased chance of allergies and other common sicknesses because you’re being exposed to mold spores each day. Taking the time to make sure that sponges and dish cloths, as well as other dish items like bottle brushes, dry thoroughly is an important step toward keeping your family healthy.  

Any time there are items in your home that stay damp for any length of time mold growth is encouraged, so add bathroom towels and clothing to the list of items that you’ll need to keep dry. Kitchens and bathrooms are the worst places in a home for acquiring mold because they are the places where water is most often used and where the humidity is the highest. While you can’t possibly keep everything in your home completely dry all the time, ensuring that any damp or wet items can dry quickly and thoroughly is the key to preventing mold growth.  

 The MoldBlogger Team

• Mold spores are everywhere, and we breathe them in all the time. Most of them are harmless, but there are some that can cause serious problems, especially for people who have lung problems already. These can even lead to mold growth in the lungs.

• Most mold problems come from Stachybotrys chartarum, which is greenish-black and associated with a lot of heavy water damage like flooding or leaking pipes. Most of the health effects from it are similar to other molds, but there have been more adverse and serious effects reported, as well.

• You shouldn’t let any mold grow and multiply indoors. That little bit of mold on your shower curtain might not hurt you, but the longer it lingers the higher the chance that it will continue to spread leading to odors and possible sickness.

• If you see or smell mold in a home or business you must first find the source of the moisture problem and correct it, then clean up the existing mold, then dry the area thoroughly. Where a lot of people go wrong is in treating the mold only, which is a symptom of a more serious problem (water damage from flooding, leaking pipes, or other problems).

 
It’s easy to see that there’s a lot to learn about mold growth and how to properly remove it from your home. However, that doesn’t mean that you should simply ignore the issue because it seems too complicated or you aren’t interested in learning.  

Mold can be a very serious hazard to your health and it can certainly damage your property. If you’re trying to sell your home, for example, mold growth or evidence of past mold growth can kill a sale because prospective buyers will be automatically concerned about what caused the mold growth in the first place. They might walk away before they even see all the great features that your house has to offer. 

For the sake of your property value – not to mention the sake of your health – clean mold thoroughly and make sure that you remove all traces of it. If you’re not sure how to do it right, if it’s a big area, or if your health is compromised, hire a professional who can fix the moisture problem, eradicate the mold growth, and make the area look new again. This can often include replacing sheetrock, so expect that it will be relatively expensive. Shop around to get the best deal and pick someone that you feel comfortable with. Your health and property values will thank you.

The MoldBlogger Team

According to Michael Pugliese, author of “The Homeowner’s Guide to Mold,” there are three main necessities that mold spores need to grow and thrive :

• Moisture

Mold spores need moist or damp areas to grow and reproduce. Watch for flooding, leaky pipes or windows, etc.

Also excess moisture in the bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms are prime areas for mold growth.

• Food

Mold spores need food – in the literal sense as well as other materials ie cotton, leather, wood, paper products and others. The most dangerous materials mold loves to grow on, are porous materials (beds, couches etc).

Its often impossible to remove mold growth from these items.

• Optimum Temperatures

Mold spores thrive in temperatures 32 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures from about 70 – 90 degrees are the most conducive for mold growth.

Chances of mold growth are heightened greatly between those temperatures.

You may be wondering why mold can grow in your freezer. Mold doesn’t die when temperatures drop below 32 degrees, they lay dormant until temperatures raise, or they are set out to warm up.

Favorable Conditions for Mold

Michael Pugliese, author of the same book previously mentioned, also offers 5 tips describing favorable or unfavorable conditions for mold growth :

• A relative Humidity of roughly 50% or higher

A good preventative measure would be to purchase a hygrometer to measure humidity levels in your home.

• Damp or Dusty Conditions

Avoid developing piles of rags, clothing or other mold food sources.

• Stagnant air

This explains why overly “tight” homes designed for energy efficiency can have mold problems.

Unfavorable Conditions for Mold

• Ventilation

Good circulation throughout the home is important to eliminate dampness or potential moisture; especially in attics, basements, crawlspaces, laundry rooms.

• Dry Air Indoors

Make sure to keep your home’s relative humidity down below 50%.

Further Recommended Reading :

• 10 Most Commonly Asked Questions About Mold
• Moisture & The Conditions for Mold Growth

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team

Source: Pugliese, Michael. “The Homeowner’s Guide to Mold.” 4-5.

Why not? Skin is made of biodegradable material just like couches, carpet, or sheet rock – so why then would skin be immune to mold growth?

However, mold growth on skin is considerably more dangerous than dealing with mold contamination on last night’s dinner or on your shower tile.

Causes of Mold on Skin

There can be many causes for mold growth on the skin. What makes dealing with mold on the skin so difficult, is that because of the variety of causes, treatment then varies. There are 3 main causes for mold growth on the skin:

• 1. Excess moisture from humidity or improper drying procedures.
• 2. Diet; too much yeast, etc.
• 3. Skin reaction from infection or other outside source.

Skin Moisture Prevention

Because mold needs moisture, warmth, and fuel to reproduce and grow, the human body is one of the most optimum places.

Our body temperatures are high and warm, our skin is made of biodegradable material that mold spores love to attach onto. That leaves moisture!

If you aren’t drying immediately and properly, or if the humidity levels are high, and your skin remains moist constantly without being able to dry out, it would only make sense that mold spores would begin to reproduce.

In order to prevent mold growth on the skin from causes of moisture, be sure keep the humidity levels atleast in your home, as low and as dry as you possibly can.

Be sure after bathing, that all areas especially the warmer places like armpits, are completely dried.

A good tip to remember when preventing break out is to use baby powder which keeps the area dry and comfortable.

High Yeast Diets Increase Chances of Mold

Skin is the largest organ in/on the human body. It also tends to be the last place that body shows signs of inner problems.

Because the skin is a kind of opening for the body’s waste’s to get out (ie. sweat glands/pores etc) there are often times when an over abundance of certain consumed items can seep out of the skin.

Many times, when too much yeast containing products are consumed, there is an over abundance of yeast in the blood which can result in yeast infections, or in an outbreak of mold on the skin.

Treatment for Mold Growth on the Skin

Depending upon what the causes of mold growth are, there are several treatment ideas.

Because I am not yet a doctor, I can neither diagnose nor prescribe treatment, therefore the following treatments are merely suggestions from different individuals who have attempted to deal with mold growth on the skin.

External Treatments

There are a number of different things that have been suggested for topical use on mold growth or fungal breakouts on the skin. I’ve put together an easy to read list of ideas for semi fast relief :

• Dandruff shampoos
• Athlete’s foot creams
• Daily vinegar baths or apply packs soaked in vinegar water for 15 minutes.

** Special note : Clothing also, like with poison oak, can hold fungus or mold infection. Be sure to wash clothing in hot water after each wearing and also wash bedding as often as possible. If sheets are not being washed daily in hot water, atleast wear clothing over the infected area to prevent re transmitting the fungus each night at bed time.

• Daily apply geranium essential oil in an olive oil base.
• Apply a black walnut tincture daily with cotton.
• Yeast infection medication cream like Monostat that can be found at most local drug stores.
• Lavender oil
• Coconut oil
• Selsun Blue
• Tea tree oil
• Wash everyday with extra strength neem soap and an exfoliant.
• Scrub with crushed Bayer aspirin. (salicylic acid kills fungus)
• Apply coptis powder mixed with Pau D’Arco tincture as a paste over the effected area.
• Clay Poultice – Purchase clay in powder form from a local healthfood store, soak in water in a glass container for 2 hours, then apply directly to the skin or in a poultice.

Advice from a Poster on Tribe.com

Internal Treatments

In many cases, topical mixtures just will not permanently rid your skin of mold growth. In these cases it is entirely possible that the growth is more than just a “fungal infection on the skin.” Extreme measures may need to be taken.

• A diet life style change may be the best option.
• Eliminating completely yeast, sugar, and wheat.
• Trying a yeast cleanse while stopping from eating any more yeasts.
• Consuming a Pau D’Arco tincture daily
• Drinking a glass of cranberry juice a day.

Sum it Up

• Mold CAN grow on skin
• 3 causes of mold growth on the skin:

1. Excess moisture from humidity or improper drying procedures.
2. Diet; too much yeast, etc.
3. Skin reaction from infection or other outside source.

• It is very important to prevent excess moisture on the skin.

** Baby powder may be used to prevent moisture and keep the skin dry.

• The skin is the largest organ in the body as well as its last filter.
• There is both external treatments for skin mold growth as well as internal.
• In many cases, eliminating yeasts from your diet can prevent and treat mold growth on the skin.

Further Recommended Reading :

• Top 3 Things Mold Needs to Grow
• 12 Tips to Prevent Moisture & Mold
• Impact of Mold on Thoughts, Emotions, & Personality

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger team

Source: How to get rid of skin fungus?

We know that mold affects health. Mold exposure can cause sickness, allergy symptoms, blurred vision, nausea, etc etc.

But did you know, that by being exposed to mold, your emotional and cognitive sides are also affected?

According to James Schaller, M.D., CMR and Gary Rosen, PhD, CIE, in there book Mold Illness and Mold Remediation Made Simple, Mold chemicals can affect cognition, emotions, and personality!

They’ve made a list of all the different affects mold can have :

Mold Affects Emotions, Cognition, & Personality

• mood swings
• mania
• irritability
• impulsivity
• increased risk taking
• decreased speech smoothness
• poor stress coping
• increased verbal fighting
• lateness
• poor empathy
• poor boundary awareness
• immaturity
• spacey
• rigidity
• poor insight
• decreased productivity
• unable to process trauma or pain
• increased narcissism
• forgetfulness
• poorly or obsessively organized
• dead creativity
• depression
• anxiety
• panic attacks
• decreased attention
• eccentric personality
• delay in child develpment
• increased drug or alcohol consumption

Mold Illness

Of course mold is not the only cause of these mental issues, but it can be a direct source as well as worsen the prognosis further.

Further Recommended Reading :

• Symptoms of Household Mold Exposure
• Symptoms of Mold Exposure & Who is at Risk

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team

Source: Schaller, James and Rosen, Gary. “Mold Illness and Mold Remediation Made Simple.” 30.

Sometimes mold can be very sneaky.

Generally though, not including physical ailments, mold gives obvious warning signs in your home, to if and where it is growing.

Vicki Lankarge, in her book “What Every Home Owner Needs to Know About Mold & What to Do About It”, gives us 7 warning signs for mold contamination.

7 Warning Signs

• Sunken areas in baseboards or trim. These indentations appear when mold has consumed the wood behind the paint. The paint itself is often cracked and peeling.
• Separation of the baseboard from the wall or floor
• Whitish mats under carpet, linoleum, in cabinets, or even behind furniture.
• “Fruiting bodies,” or mushroomlike growths on rotten wood on the underside of flooring or a cabinet. Fruiting bodies are flat, up to a half-inch thick, and a pale olive, gray, brown, or black.
• Staining, swelling, or crumbling of plaster or sheetrock.
• Discoloration (blackish staining) around air conditioning vents.
• Vinelike branches from the soil to the foundation, framing, or underside of flooring. Vines are typically white, brown, or black and are called rhizomorphs. The fungus forms these vines that connect the soil to the wood.

Further Recommended Reading :

• Symptoms of Mold Exposure & Who is at Risk
• 8 Most Common Places to Look for Mold

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team

Mold affects different types of people in many different ways. Every person comes into contact with some type of mold spore daily, however a majority of people don’t suffer severe side affects.

Mold symptoms generally resemble hay fever – rash, fatigue, as well as severe to mild headaches have been reported.

Generally speaking, and according to Vicki Lankarge, there are 5 main symptoms that anyone who comes into contact with mold may experience:

5 Symptoms of Exposure to Mold

• Nasal and Sinus Congestion
• Coughing
• Wheezing or difficulty breathing
• Skin and/or eye irritation
• Upper respiratory infection including sinus

Mycotoxins

If everyone comes into contact with mold spores daily, why does it only affect some people?

In most cases, its not that mold isn’t affecting that individual, its that the mold the individual is taking in, does not carry mycotoxins.

Mycotoxins are what cause these symptoms and what are so poisonous to humans.

Who is Most at Risk for Symptoms of Mold Exposure?

Because mold can harm anyone no matter how healthy they are, this is a harder question to answer.

According to Vicki Lankarge, there are three ‘types’ of people that are more susceptible to mold exposure problems :

• Individuals with a respiratory disorder such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Individuals who have an immune system already weakened by cancer or HIV
• Individuals that are either very old, or very young

Remember, these problems are not limited to these people, because anyone who comes in contact with mold can be harmfully affected.

Do You have Children, specifically Babies?

Young children, especially babies are more susceptible to severe mold problems. Their immune systems are still developing and especially in babies, their lungs are still growing stronger.

According to Lankarge, there have been 45 cases since the incident in Ohio.

16 of these infants have died. When, small infants breathe in the mycotoxins, the blood vessels in their lungs are weakened.

Repeated exposure to these mycotoxins, causes severe pulmonary hemorrhaging, or bleeding in the lungs.

Further Recommended Reading :

• Symptoms of Household Mold Exposure
• What do I do if I Have the Symptoms of Mold Exposure?
• Asthma and Mold in Children

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team

Source: What Every Homeowner Needs to Know About Mold (And What to Do About It)
by Vicki Lankarge, Pages 28-31.

This is probably the simplest question of all but the most important. By asking this question we are able understand how to deal with molds. To answer this question:

Mold and fungi are terms generally used to describe a distinct group of organisms that are fuzzy or powdery in appearance.

Fungus was once considered a part of the plant kingdom, they are now regarded as a distinct kingdom of organisms. Fungi tend to absorb nutrients from dead or living organic matter in order for them to grow and survive.

At least 100,000 living species of fungus have been identified, some of which are beneficial to mankind.

Mycologists (scientists that specialize in botany that deals with fungi) have estimated that another 200,000 types of fungi may probably exist that have not yet been identified.

How Can We Be Exposed to Mold?

Exposure to molds is possible through several ways. First is by skin contact with molds. People with high allergic reactions to molds may develop rashes where the mold has made contact on the skin.

Inhalation of spores from mold may cause allergic reactions or asthma as it passes through the nose and the lungs.

Mold exposure can also occur when someone accidentally ingests food or materials contaminated with molds.

How Does Mold Affect Our Health?

Molds are probably the leading cause of airborne allergies.

Some of the most common symptoms of those that are sensitive to molds include nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, cold and flu-like symptoms, rashes, conjunctivitis, inability to concentrate, and fatigue.

Exposure to molds has also been associated with the onset of asthma.

How Do I Deal with Molds in My Home?

The most common way of treatment is to spray disinfectants in areas were fungi is present, wait a few seconds to let the disinfectant penetrate, and then wipe the area clean.

To remove fungus and its stains, commercial products that are labeled “mildew removers” can be used. But keep in mind that these products, along with disinfectants, may be dangerous if not handled properly.

How Do I Decrease Indoor Molds?

Ideally, you not only want to avoid molds indoors but rather prevent them from ever growing.

By knowing the factors on how molds thrive you can easily decrease or even prevent mold from even growing in your home.

So the best way to prevent mold growth in your home, humidity and liquid water must be eliminated vigilantly through appropriate cleanup.

How Do I Locate Molds in My Home?

There are signs to watch for if you want to find out if there is mold growth in your house. Sometimes you can see and smell mold cells that are growing on surfaces.

Its is possible that there is mold growth wherever there are water stains, standing water, or moist surfaces. Walls, ceilings, carpets, window sills, drain pans, duct work, vents, bathrooms, and wallboard should all be thoroughly inspected.

Look for possible stains and streaks on walls, on ceilings, and floors. You should also look for bubbles in paint and plaster and in loose wallpaper.

How to Get Rid of Mold

Molds can be effectively cleaned with a mold solution such as Lysol, Clorox, or X-14.

Places that are being cleaned with these solutions should be properly ventilated. If you react to molds, you should wear a tight-fitting mask that securely covers your mouth and nose to prevent any allergic reactions that may prove dangerous.

What does Mold need to Thrive?

First and foremost, like all living things, molds need food to survive. The fact that molds can feed on almost any organic material makes their food easy to find.

Next molds depend on their fungal spores to multiply. Another factor for molds to thrive and multiply is liquid water.

This is the reason why it is strongly advised to fix water leaks immediately.

And the last factor needed for molds to thrive is warm temperature and excessive humidity. Molds will typically thrive at temperatures from as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit up to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Where does Mold Grow?

Mold can grow anywhere, be it indoors or outdoors, as long as there is enough surface moisture to keep them alive.

Fungi can be found in every type of climate and also in every social and economic condition. They live where moisture, oxygen, and other chemicals that they need are present.

They can be found on the surfaces of objects, within pores, and inside deteriorated materials.

Further Recommended Reading :

• 10 Things You Should Know about Mold
• 7 Tips for Preventing Mold in Your Home

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team

Mycotoxins are produced on the surface of mold spores. Uniquely, they remain toxic even after the spore itself is dead. Mycotoxins are what cause the sicknesses in people and animals. The good news is that not all molds produce mycotoxins.

Molds are split into two genres. Toxigenic and Non-toxigenic. Molds that produce mycotoxins are considered to be toxigenic. Those that don’t are non-toxigenic.

What Types of Mycotoxins Are There?

There are 5 main strands of mycotoxins: Aflatoxins, Ochratoxin A, Fumonisins, certain Trichothecenes and Zearalenone.

What do Mycotoxins Do?

Mycotoxins can cause the more serious issues that occur i.e. breathing problems, lung inflammation, fever, burning sensations etc. They can also be responsible for acute and chronic sicknesses as serious as cancer, fibromyalgia, heart problems, lupus, and even mental deficiencies.

Two of the most common mold types that produce these mycotoxins are stachybotrys chartarum or chaetomium. Most symptoms can be treated with medication and diet though there has been no head way towards the more serious consequences like brain damage and loss of eye sight.

Further Recommended Reading :

• Mycotoxins and the Effects of Black Mold
• Black Mold Sickness

Joslyn from the MoldBlogger Team