Sneaky Places Molds are Hiding in Your Home?

Fungi colonies are persistent and require very little to infest your home.

“Truth is, molds are extremely adaptable and fungi could grow on almost any surface. All you need is moisture and organic matter to support the colony.” – Moldblogger.com

The words nightmare are DISHES

If you stack dishes before they are fully dry, you will ensure that mold has the perfect opportunity to grow – a dark and damp environment is all it needs. What you could do is wiping cabinets with bleach or vinegar once every two or three weeks and of course, properly wipe each dish before you put it away. The ones most vulnerable to molds are those you don’t use on a regular basis and spend more time in a dark environment low on fresh air.

Front-Loading Washing Machines

A silly, yet common mistake people do is to close front-loading washing machines before the gasket fully dries. Add a bit of lint to the equation and you can bet that mold will grow sooner or later. The fresh supply of moisture along with low to minimum airflow will surely cause mold to appear. That’s why you should ALWAYS wipe both gasket and glass before you close a washer. Keeping molds away means you should wipe your washer with a specialized detergent or DIY bleach-based mixture at least once per month. Fungi can be extremely persistent and if you got an infestation once, you should treat the gasket with bleach at least once every 7 days!

Dripping Window Sashes & Seals

While many fail to believe it, even though windows are exposed to both sunlight and fresh air, it’s sashes and seals where mold could prosper, especially if insulation is bad. That’s why we would highly recommend opening your windows after each and every rain. Wipe water away and keep an eye for condensation. If you fail to spot it in time, you will end up in need of replacement, the least.

Dirty clothes! Yes, dirty clothes!

If you leave a damp t-shirt, hoodie or etc. in your “to wash” bin for too long, it could easily develop mold. In most cases, this happens with boys who neglect the importance of regularly emptying the bin.

Old wooden cutting boards.

Although most people use plastic cutting boards nowadays, many still value the sense of cutting on wood. Unfortunately, wooden boards crack over time and that’s where mold can and most-likely will prosper as time passes. Solid wood is known to absorb moisture pretty good and drying off can be a challenge.

The toilet bowl deodorizer

Considering the fact that these products are meant for usage in an environment heavy on moisture, many fail to resist the growth of mold. Unlike the few examples above, there isn’t any other solution than changing your toilet freshener.

Old moisty chimneys

Brick tends to crack over time and cracks gather water, dust and other organic rubbish or even remains. Damaged smokestack caps won’t protect the structure from both snow and rain. This means that your chimney will turn into the perfect environment for fungi colonies to grow. In order to restrict the growth of the many types of mold, you should first repair damaged caps or whatsoever shelter it had. The best way to get rid of fungi is a professional chimney sweep.

Freezer containers that collect dripping water

Dripping pans are extremely vulnerable to fungi colonies. It’s a damp and dark environment which is exactly what molds need to thrive. The only way to prevention is regular cleaning with bleach or any other hydrogen peroxide detergents. Mix it 1:1 with water and wipe the surface upside and down. It is also mandatory to wipe all surrounding surfaces.

Air conditioner filters

Filters are meant to gather dust and pollen and you can imagine the amount of moisture they hold on to. If you fail to run your unit once a day, you risk to set the stage for the exponential growth of molds all over the unit – duct drains, vents and more. Cleaning it is pretty simple. You could either give it a good spray with an antifungal detergent, but if the infestation is severe – hire a mold removal specialist to dismantle and disinfect the unit.

The peculiar fact: Ginger beats Mold

Ginger has a natural antifungal and antibacterial effect. It could be extremely beneficial for tackling the symptoms of mold exposure. Ginger boost our immune system to better process aggressive agents like spores and mycotoxins. The irony is that ginger is resistant to most fungal attacks. However, ginger roots are vulnerable to other types of mold and if not stored appropriately, it could get “heavily contaminated”. I assure you would not want to consume that.

Conclusion and takeaways:

Molds require very little to grow. It all comes down to moisture, organic matter and an environment low on fresh air. That’s why you better take a second look at all the sneaky palces where fungi might grow.