We’ve been working as a professional mold removal company in Washington State for over 20 years, and throughout all those years, we see people believing the same widespread myths about mold again and again! And sadly, those myths can cause harm to you, your loved ones, your business, and your home. Even worse, many of these myths are mainly spread on the internet — often by large publications that people trust! These publications, like home decor magazines and cleaning blogs, may simply not know any better. Nevertheless, we consider it our job as mold experts to correct the record and dispel these top 10 myths about mold. We want you to be safe and healthy!
Myth 1: Mold is harmless, especially if it’s only a small amount
Many people see mold, especially if it’s a small patch, and think “Well, it’s just a plant, it’s not that bad, I don’t have to get rid of it urgently.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. Firstly, mold is a fungus, not a plant, which means its means of reproduction is releasing tiny spores into the air. They land on everything and can start spreading and populating anywhere there is moisture. That means your mold infestation can go from tiny to giant very quickly.
Second, mold eats into the drywall, wood, and other materials of your home, which weakens it over time. And third, any mold species can cause mold sickness in those exposed to it. It can even cause severe reactions in some!
Truth: Mold should always be taken seriously and removed as soon as possible.
Myth 2: Bleach is an effective mold cleaner
Bleach is one of the most common “DIY remedies” touted by other publications on the internet as an effective mold killer. We’ve already fully debunked this belief in detail elsewhere, which you can see in our article on “Does bleach kill mold?”. To keep it brief here, using bleach on mold has 2 problems. First, although it is a strong chemical, it cannot penetrate deeply enough into most materials to thoroughly wipe out mold at the root. Second, it is so toxic and unsafe to inhale bleach fumes or touch bleach, that it’s not worth using to try to clean mold. There are much better methods for what kills mold 100%.
Truth: Bleach is not only mostly ineffective on mold, but it’s also more toxic than people realize, and we do not recommend its use.
Myth 3: Only dirty homes get mold
Many people believe that there’s no chance that their home can get mold, because they keep it very clean. While it is true that dirtier, more cluttered homes can attract more mold, it’s not for the reason you think. Mold is attracted to moisture, not dirt, which means any home with water intrusion or excess moisture can have mold. Dirtier and more cluttered homes may be slightly more likely to attract dampness or hide water intrusion… but it can easily happen to anyone.
Truth: Mold usually springs from water intrusion or excess moisture, such as from a leaking pipe or roof. Any home can have a leaking pipe or roof, not just “dirtier” homes. Mold can easily happen to anyone.
Myth 4: If you clean mold completely off the surface, it’s taken care of
One of the most commonly held beliefs of the top 10 myths about mold is that mold just grows on the surface. Most people believe this! Unfortunately, it’s far from true. Even if you scrub every last bit of mold off your drywall or carpet, it’s very likely still there, and will come back. That’s because mold likes to root and spread deep into whatever material it’s growing on, especially drywall. You should always get mold inspected by a professional mold remediation company, because there’s a good chance that they will find that the mold has spread far behind the drywall, inside the wall cavity! It happens all the time.
Truth: Mold spreads and roots deep under the surface, often spreading much further inside the wall, where you can’t see it. Cleaning it off the surface will likely not take care of it all, because you can’t reach the mold inside the wall.
Myth 5: ALL mold is toxic
While many people believe mold isn’t harmful and may just go away on its own (which is not true), others conversely believe that all mold is extremely toxic! They may have a phobia of mold, or panic if they see mold, and be worried they’re going to get terribly sick and die from it. This opposite extreme is also not true. While there are some species of toxic mold, not all species of mold are. Most common species of mold will only cause mild allergic reactions and mold sickness symptoms, if anything at all!
Again, we must caution that no kind of mold is good for you, and it should always be taken care of right away! But it’s not true that all species of mold are highly toxic.
Truth: While some mold is highly toxic and dangerous, not all mold is highly toxic and dangerous. However, no type of mold is good for you, and all mold should still be dealt with swiftly.
Myth 6: Painting over mold makes it go away
Many people hope that if they just paint over mold, it will “suffocate” the mold, and it will go away! We wish it was that easy, but unfortunately, this does not work. The mold will continue to spread underneath the new coat of paint, and inside the drywall. Only now, you won’t be able to see it for a while until it resurfaces, which means it can be easy to ignore the problem for a few more months. This is a detrimental choice, however, because the longer you take to deal with the mold and get it removed, the more expensive it will be to remove later. You’re costing yourself potentially thousands of dollars more by painting over the mold and ignoring it!
Truth: Painting over mold will not kill it or stop it in any way. Furthermore, it will likely make getting rid of it far more expensive later, because you can forget about the mold behind the paint, and it will continue to spread.
Myth 7: Mold is only a problem in humid climates
Some people know that mold only grows where there is excess moisture… but they take that to mean that mold must only be a “problem” in humid regions, where there is excess moisture in the air! This is not true. While humid places tend to have more mold than colder and less humid places, the colder places still suffer plenty of mold.
As an example, let’s consider Washington State, the state where Cleaner Guys is! Washington State is pretty low on the list of states with the most mold. The states at the top of the list are states like Florida and Texas, which as more humid. However, we here at Cleaner Guys are still constantly removing mold from homes in Washington! It’s still very common here. That’s because it’s very wet here, because of all the rain, and water intrusion and leaking rooves are very common. It also freezes much more in Washington than in Florida or Texas, and freezes cause burst pipes, which cause water damage, which causes mold.
Truth: While humid states do usually have more mold, colder and less humid states still get plenty of mold, for different reasons!
Myth 8: Black mold is the only dangerous type
Most people have heard of “toxic black mold” (formally known as Stachybotrys Chartarum). However, many don’t realize that many types and colors of mold can also be toxic! Toxic mold should be taken very seriously, which is why this myth makes it onto our list of the top 10 myths about mold. Take this as just another reason to get any amount of mold taken care of right away! You don’t want to be exposed for a long time to toxic mold. Toxic mold exposure symptoms are not pretty.
Truth: “Toxic black mold”, or Stachybotrys Chartarum, is the most common type of toxic mold, but many different types and colors of mold can be toxic! It’s not just black mold!
Myth 9: You can permanently get rid of ALL mold spores
Unfortunately, while it is important to get rid of mold infestations that root and spread on drywall, wood, carpet, and the like… it is not possible to rid your entire house of every single mold spore. Not even with air purifiers! This is because microscopic mold spores are always floating around in the air, all around us, indoors and outdoors, just like dust and bacteria. They’re always there — but they don’t land on surfaces and start spreading without excess moisture to feed on. Keep your home clean and dry, and check for signs of water damage regularly, and you should never have to worry about those mold spores causing an infestation in your home.
(Note: this is also why we do not recommend using DIY at-home mold tests to try to determine if your home has mold. At-home mold tests are imprecise enough that they will often pick up on the random mold spores floating around your home, and not tell you anything about any actual mold infestation, let alone its location. You need a professional mold inspection for that!)
Truth: Some microscopic mold spores are always floating around in the air, like dust. You can’t get rid of all of them. So even though you should clean up any actual mold infestations, you shouldn’t worry about getting rid of every single little mold spore in the air.
Myth 10: You don’t need professional help to get rid of mold
This is probably the most common belief of all of these top 10 myths about mold. Most people want to be able to deal with things themselves, and not have to hire someone else to do it. We totally understand that no one wants to have to spend money to get mold infestations professionally removed! However, it is very very unwise to try to do it yourself.
First of all, as we’ve already mentioned in this article, mold often spreads mostly inside wall cavities and on the back of drywall, where you can’t see it. It takes trained mold experts with the right equipment to find it all and remove it all! Second, removing mold stirs up and releases tons of mold spores, which can make you sick. It really should only be handled by trained and insured professionals, who have the right Personal Protective Equipment to not be harmed. And third, mold can easily come back and reinfest the area if it’s not taken care of and sealed out thoroughly the first time. Professional mold remediation companies have the equipment, chemicals, and expertise to do that. If you don’t want the mold to come back, you really should leave it to them!
Truth: most mold infestations require the help of professional mold removers in order to be removed successfully, completely, and permanently. Even the most experienced DIYer simply does not have the training and equipment to accomplisht the same feat successfully!
More Insider Information About Mold (and More!)
We hope you enjoyed our list of the top 10 myths about mold! Want even more information on mold and more? Check out some of our other popular articles below, or visit our full mold blog here!
Top 6 Signs of Mold in a House ➜
How to Clean Mold in the Shower in 3 Easy Steps! ➜
Top 5 Spots That People Miss When Cleaning That Cause Mold ➜
If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of needing a professional mold removal company in Western Washington State, consider Cleaner Guys as a high-quality, well-trusted option. We’re proud to boast award-winning customer service, lower prices than others, and top-notch workmanship! Contact us today through the menu at the top of your screen, or by calling us now at (360)757-4300.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. No part of this article is medical or legal advice, and may not be used as such. For all serious medical matters, consult your doctor. For all serious legal matters, consult your legal advisor. This article contains Cleaner Guys’ experience and opinions only.
