Mold In The Laundry Room: Causes, Signs, And How To Remove
Mold can infest any part of the house, and one of the most common spaces where it can find a place to creep and thrive is the laundry room. Here is everything you need to know about mold removal from the laundry room along with the usual signs and causes.
Causes Of Mold In The Laundry Room
You need to know the causes of mold growth in the laundry room which will help you prevent it in the future. Here are some of them.
No Ventilation
A laundry room is a pretty small space and usually, there isn’t a lot of room in it for a window or even ventilation. Well, this is enough reason for mold to grow and thrive in a place like this. So, if you have zero ventilation in the laundry room and the region where you live is already quite humid or it rains or snows a lot, then mold won’t be far away.
This is a recipe for disaster and if you don’t want your laundry room, bathroom, and attic to be infested with mold, then you need to do everything you can in order to improve ventilation in the house and in the laundry room, since there is a lot of water usage in the laundry room.
Leaky Washing Machine
Speaking of water usage, a laundry room has a washing machine too. Well, this very appliance that makes your life easier can cause mold problems.
If there is an issue with your washing machine like its overflowing or leaking water and leaving water on the floor, and there is no ventilation in the room on top of it all, then this is also a cause of mold and it is only a matter of time before you start to see and smell the obvious signs of mold, which are musty smell and green and yellow spots on surfaces. That is not good at all.
Wet Clothes In The Room
The laundry room is where you wash all your clothes. Well, there is a reason why it is not recommended to leave wet clothes in the washing chamber or even the laundry bag. What is the reason, you ask? Well, this very habit can lead to mold.
You want to keep the laundry room as dry as possible, because wet clothes can lead to moisture and that’ll ultimately lead to mold infestation.
Signs Of Mold In The Laundry Room
While you’re at it, you also want to figure out the possible signs of mold. Here are some that you should never ignore.
Musty Smell
This is a really common and alarming sign of mold and for this, you need to keep your nasal senses on high alert. When you step into the laundry room and smell something that is really sweet, musty, and heavy, then you should know that it is more than your dirty clothes or socks.
This is probably mold and you need to inspect the laundry room to spot the mold or possible infestation. This is a sign that will give mold away.
Mold Spores
This might be another very obvious sign, but you need to keep an eye out for any weird dark spots and deposits on the walls and even the floors. Along with this, you want to keep an eye out for any damp spots, paint chipping, and even spongy or sweaty walls or floors.
This is basically a very alarming sign of mold, but the laundry room can still be saved, given that you act quickly. So, don’t ever ignore this sign and you will save your laundry room from a big disaster – yes, mold can be that dangerous.
Breathing Issues
When the laundry room is infested with mold, you will feel that the air is thicker in that space. It is hard to explain, but when you go ahead and take a lungful of air in, you will feel the air to be thick, heavy, damp, and dank-smelling.
This will ultimately lead to respiratory issues and if you happen to be allergic to mold or have a compromised immune system, then it can lead to tons of respiratory problems like coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath being some of them.
Removing Mold From The Laundry Room
This is the most crucial step and that is to actually remove the mold. Here are some effective ways to do so.
Use A HEPA Vacuum Cleaner
A high-efficiency particulate air vacuum or HEPA vacuum is what you want to reach for when you are dealing with mold in your laundry room or anywhere in the house, really. A HEPA vacuum sucks in almost 99.7% of mold sports that a normal vacuum either won’t or throw out.
It can clean particles as small as 0.3 microns, which is usually the size of mold spores. So, you can trust this gadget to help keep the laundry room mold-free for a long time to come. You can buy or rent a HEPA vacuum.
Remove Everything
If you have inspected mold in your laundry room and it is still in the early stages, what you want to do immediately is to get everything out of the room and make it safe. If anything is infested, then you can leave them, but things like carpets, any clothes, or appliances that might be in close vicinity of this pesky blackish green spore growth need to be removed ASAP.
This will make mold removal a lot easier and this will also prevent the chance of further infestation, which is always a pain in the neck.
Call A Professional
Removing mold by yourself can be really tricky. It is recommended that you never deal with mold that covers more than two square feet of any surface. This is the job for a mold removal team because they know exactly what to do, how to safely and efficiently remove mold without causing another infestation. See, when you try to scrub off mold with a brush and bleach, it can cause the spores to spread like crazy.
Even though you might not notice it, it might still pose a threat. So, before putting on your DIY crown, make sure that you are weighing the consequences of your actions.
Keep An Eye Out For Signs
This is more of a preventive tip than anything, but you want to keep an eye out for the signs of mold growth or infestation. You already know what they are, so all you have to do is be vigilant and ensure that you spot any weird sightings before they grow into mold and ruin your walls and anything else that comes in contact with them.
Remember that keeping an eye out for the signs of mold is half the battle, because once you spot mold in the preliminary phases of infestation, you can easily get rid of it. It is always hard to get rid of mold once it penetrates deep into the walls or even the floor.
Conclusion
The laundry room can be overlooked when you’re inspecting for mold. But it shouldn’t be because it’s one of the most mold-prone rooms of the house. So, inspect for mold and if there is mold growth, try DIY methods or hire a mold remediation Potomac team.
