Hidden mold might seem like not a big deal; it’s not nice, but how bad can it be, really? Actually, it’s more of a concern than you could imagine! In this article, a professional mold inspection and mold removal company reveals the truth about whether mold is dangerous, and some of the sneakiest places mold hides.
👉 This is Part 2 of this series! Open Part 1 here in a new tab to catch up and not miss anything!
Table of Contents
⟶ #5: Furniture and Items Made of Organic Materials
First of All: Is Mold Dangerous?
The short answer is, yes! Mold can unfortunately be very dangerous. Here are the main risks mold creates when it grows in your home:
1: Mold Sickness. You may have hidden mold in your house if you or some of your loved ones are regularly getting headaches, runny noses, sneezing, or itchy or watery eyes. These are all common symptoms of mold sickness, and are a strong sign that mold may be hiding in your home somewhere. Mold sickness symptoms look very similar to cold symptoms, and right now, in the middle of cold season, it can be really hard to guess which one it might be! Read more here to learn how to decipher whether you or a loved one has a cold, or mold sickness.
2: An Unsafe Home. Mold roots deep into whatever material it grows on, and feeds on organic material, like wood and drywall. That means that hidden mold that is left undiscovered for a long time will eat away at the structure and building materials of your home, which can make it unsafe to live in! And the places mold hides are often perfect places for weakening your home.
3: Food Contamination. If you have hidden mold in your fridge or anywhere you store or serve food, it can contaminate it! Knowing the places mold hides so you can check them is vital to keeping your home — and you! — uncontaminated.
Next, let’s uncover some sneaky places mold hides, AND how you can clean them!
Top 5 Places Mold Hides – the Most Common, AND the Sneakiest
#5: Furniture and Items Made of Organic Fiber
We love a nice wicker chair or a woven jute basket as much as anyone… but did you know they can harbor MOLD?? As was explained earlier in this article, mold roots in and feeds on organic material. In fact, I have a story about this exact thing happening to me. I recently moved across the country, and when I packed my woven jute placemats, I didn’t know a couple had some food splatters on them. By the time I unpacked them, they had mold growing on them! Luckily, I work for a professional mold removal company, so I knew just how to clean it (which I’ll explain later in the article).
#4: Houseplants
Did you know that houseplants can grow mold? It’s because not only are they organic matter, but they also get watered regularly — and mold loves moisture. Overwatering is what typically leads to mold in houseplants. When the plant is being watered just the right amount, it absorbs all the water quickly, leaving no extra moisture for the mold to grow in. But if the plant is overwatered, there’s extra standing water in the soil, which is a prime place for mold to plant itself.
#3: Your Crawlspace
When was the last time you crawled around in the space under your house? Probably not for a long time — maybe never. Who wants to go down there where it’s dark and gross and dirty? But it’s because it’s dark, dirty, and moist, that mold often grows down there! As a professional mold inspection and mold removal company, we see it all the time. And if going down there sounds too gross to you, a company like us is just the person you should hire to check it out for you!
#2: Your Attic
Above is a picture of an attic we cleaned that was filled with mold; before and after Cleaner Guys came in! That’s a lot of mold. And you would not believe how common it is. This is especially true of rainier states, like Washington State, where Cleaner Guys is located.
Most attics have some amount of mold in them — and if it’s left unattended for years, it can grow to cover everything. Just like that picture above. The solution, as with crawlspaces, is to hire a good mold inspection company to come check it out for you.
#1: Inside the Walls
Above is another picture from an actual Cleaner Guys job site. This is what can happen if you have a minor flood in a room (like if a toilet overflows), or any other kind of water damage. Too often, no one considers that the water may have soaked up into the walls. But it usually does. And once there is water inside the walls, a prime spot for mold growth is created. This is the sneakiest — and one of the most common — places we find mold. You can’t know that there’s mold in your walls without a professional coming and checking.
Cleaner Guys’ Final Recommendations
Given these points: yes, mold can be dangerous if not dealt with, and there are many places it can hide. However, if you keep up with Cleaner Guys’ recommendations for where to check and what to do about mold in your house, you’ll always be prepared!
And if you’re worried about hidden mold in your house, and you live in Western Washington State, give Cleaner Guys a call! We’re the most popular and well-loved mold experts in the area, and we have award-winning customer service. Let us help you keep your home safe.
Below are some more helpful resources to check out next! Save them for when you might need them, and share them with anyone else who might need this information!
⟶ Everything You Need to Know if You Find Mold in Your House
⟶ The Ultimate Guide to Dealing With Mold in an Apartment
⟶ How to Find and Choose a Mold Inspection or Removal Company You Can Trust
⟶ What Should You Know About Cleaning Mold Yourself?
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.
