11 Unexpected Places Mold May Be Hiding in Your Home

When Dana Chianese noticed a musty smell coming from her son’s Sophie the Giraffe teether, she decided to cut it open. Inside the popular baby toy, she discovered a “science experiment”: The latex figurine was lined with “smelly, ugly” mold, Chianese, a pediatric dentist, recently told GoodHousekeeping.com—even though she had always cleaned it according to the instructions (with hot, soapy water and a damp sponge) and never submerged it.

She’s not the only mom to make that disconcerting discovery: Last February an Amazon customer posted a photo of the inside of her child’s Sophie, also covered in mold. Yikes.

But allergist Janna Tuck, MD, a spokesperson for the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, isn’t surprised by these reports: “Teething infants drool a lot and I think it would be impossible to keep the inside of a well-loved Sophie completely dry,” she told Health via email. “Mold can grow on almost any surface if there is enough moisture.”

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The good news is that a moldy chew toy isn’t as risky as it sounds: “While disgusting, the amount of mold in a toy would not likely cause significant harm unless the child has an immune deficiency or a mold allergy,” says Dr. Tuck, who runs a private practice in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

The not-so-good news? Toys aren’t the only unexpected objects that can harbor fungi (mold is a type of fungus). Mold may be lurking in your washing machine, dishwasher, blender, or refrigerator, says Dr. Tuck. It can be found in the soil of potted plants, on ceiling fans, and in window AC units. In your bathroom, it might be growing in your toilet, sink—even in the bristles of your toothbrush, or inside your electric toothbrush. 

When mold grows in hidden places, it can cause real problems for people who are allergic. “They can suffer with allergic rhinitis symptoms,” Dr. Tuck says, such as itchy eyes, congestion, runny nose, and sneezing. Or the mold may worsen their asthma symptoms.

RELATED: 31 Everyday Things You Didn’t Know You Could Be Allergic To

So what can you do to keep your home fungi-free?

To reduce the growth of mold in your washing machine and dishwasher, you can regularly run the “clean cycle” with diluted bleach. Most manufacturers recommend monthly cleanings, or whenever the machine begins to smell musty, says Dr. Tuck. Check the owner’s manuals to see exactly how much to dilute the bleach before using. “Vinegar is a very good substitute,” she adds. “I personally run vinegar in my dishwasher.”

When you’re taking a bath or shower, always use the vent in the bathroom. Also be sure to turn on the vent in the kitchen whenever you’re cooking and washing dishes, says Dr. Tuck, “to reduce spikes in ambient humidity.”

After you use any food prep vessel (like your blender), clean it promptly and dry it fully, so no moisture is left sitting inside. And replace your toothbrush every three months, says Dr. Tuck.

Another place mold likes to hide: “cold” spots in your home. If you have rooms or closets that seem cooler than the rest of the house, leave the doors open to improve air circulation, and help prevent condensation. Leaving the fan in your central heating/cooling unit on at all times can help as well. ”Mold needs water to grow. Anything you can do in your home to reduce humidity, condensation, or pooling of water goes a long way in reducing mold growth,” says Dr. Tuck.

11 Unexpected Places Mold May Be Hiding in Your Home

17 Signs You Have Mold Toxicity and How to Treat it

17 Signs You Have Mold Toxicity and How to Treat it

21 Signs That You Have Mold Illness; How to Treat it Naturally?

What Is Mold?

Molds are small organisms found almost everywhere. They can be black, white, orange, green, or purple. Mold Exposure is perhaps the single most misdiagnosed illness in the United States. Exposure to Molds can and does affect people differently. It can enter into the human body through different pathways. People are exposed to Mold by eating contaminated foods; mold spores can enter into a person’s sinuses and lungs through normal respiration.

Most mold symptoms are caused by mold allergies. When you breathe in mold spores your immune systems responds by creating allergic reactions. These reactions are the immune system’s defense against foreign particles entering the body. Molds have the ability to produce various symptoms, such as skin rashes, respiratory distress, various types of inflammation,  cognitive issues, neurological symptoms, and immune suppression.

21 Signs That Tell You Have Mold Illness

->Muscle cramping, aches and pains, joint pain, persistent nerve pain
->Brain Fog, Memory Problems, Trouble Focusing, Headaches
->Light sensitivity, red eyes, and/or blurred vision
->Digestive Issues like Diarrhea, Nausea, Abdominal Pain
->Temperature Regulation or Night Sweats
->Excessive Thirst and Increased Urination
->Cough or Shortness of Breath
->Itchy eyes, nose and throat
->Numbness and Tingling
->Tremors and Vertigo
->Persistent nerve pain
->Metallic taste
->Weight fluctuation
->Fatigue, weakness
->Sensitivity to light
->Auto-immune issues
->Headache
->Excessive thirst
->Increased urination
->Static “shocks”
->Sneezing
->Dry, scaly skin

Natural Way to Recover from Toxic Mold Exposure

Take the Moisture Out

Make your home less mold-friendly. The key is to control the amount of moisture in the air. Dehumidifiers and air conditioners will help. The humidity needs to be below 60%. Between 35% and 50% is even better.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is a mild, white mineral powder, that can be used to kill mold in your home, plus it is safe for your family and pets. In addition to killing mold, it will absorb moisture to help keep molds away.

Hydrogen Peroxide Mixture

Mix one teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide with one cup of water, put in a spray bottle or wet cloth with it and wipe on mold. Keep it for ten minutes or so. Wipe off with more hydrogen peroxide then use baking soda mixture to kill any remaining molds and help prevent more from returning.

Foods

Yogurt containing live cultures fights off yeast in the body, which the mold feeds on. Oranges and tomatoes, as well as other foods containing large quantities of vitamin C, also help the body to fight off mold, as well as limit the symptoms.

Sources & Reference:

davidwolfe.com, wisemindhealthybody.com, maids.com, jillcarnahan.com

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21 Signs That You Have Mold Illness; How to Treat it Naturally?

Six things you need to know about mold inspection

Mold is a fungus that thrives in favorable conditions like moist areas and areas free from direct sunlight. Mold also sometimes acts as a parasite, growing on cellulose. Therefore, checking a house or property for mold infestation is important. Generally, it is advisable to schedule mold inspection annually. This is particularly recommended for areas prone to flooding and constant leaks and homes with a basement. Older homes are also very predisposed to mold growth.

Although mold might degrade wood, fabric or other house building materials, most molds are basically harmless to people. However, there is a particular type of mold that affects humans negatively, it is called the black mold. It is one of the reasons why mold testing is necessary because this type of mold produces toxins. These toxins could be released in the air and cause allergies when inhaled. A mold inspection protects the health and wellbeing of people living in the property. Beside black mold’s influence on health, it affects the integrity of its host (medium of growth). In this article, we have identified 6 things that are important to note about mold inspection.

1. 
   

   Only Qualified Experts Should Do Mold Inspection

   
   

There are people specifically trained to search for signs of molds. Such experts are skilled at locating possible colonized areas and areas in the house that could increase the risk of mold growth. After inspection, only qualified experts are able to send useful samples to the lab for analysis. Irrespective of the conditions of your home, it is advisable to employ only the services of trained and qualified mold expert.

2. 
   

   Both Past and present Mold Growth should be Tested

   
   

Mold inspection should not target the visible growth only. This is why the service of an expert is vital. A qualified mold inspector should be able to search for the previous infestation. Although the priority is live mold, signs of previous colonies should also be checked. This is because the death of the colony might be a camouflage. Mold has the capacity to resurrect from their left remnant in fabric or woods. This calls for proper disposition of materials previously infested with mold.

3. 
   

   A Thorough Search is Necessary

   
   

Generally, molds prefer a dark and moist area, and areas not readily accessible to light or dry breeze. Thus, mold inspector should search inside walls, between walls, inaccessible pipe leaks, under floor boards and other places favorable to mold growth. Some mold types might be visible to light provided there is moisture. Mold testing via a trusted facility should be able to determine the type of mold present.

4. 
   

   Some Mold Growth Are Normal

   
   

Lumber yard mold (Ceratosystis and Ophiostoma) are perfectly normal molds that grow frequently on structural framings in the building. Just like ant other types of mold, they require moisture to thrive, thus could seize to exist once the wood is dried. Although it could decolorize the wood, it does not affect the structural integrity. A mold inspector could send any black stain on wood to the lab to determine if it’s one of this type.  Be careful of a mold inspector that ignores any type of mold. He/she should be meticulous enough to send the sample for testing.

5. 
   

   Sources of Moisture and Humility

   
   

Having it in mind that mold thrives with moisture, inspectors should try and locate possible sources of moisture. Without a source of water, the possibility of mold growth is limited. Removing the mold without attending to the source of moisture is a complete waste of effort as re-growth is possible.

6. 
   

   Watch out For Allergies

   
   

Have you started noticing an allergic reaction when you enter a specific room/section of your home, then you want to call for mold inspection ASAP. Allergies could be watery eyes, sneezing etc. These are all symptoms of reactions to mold spores. On noticing this type of reactions, a reliable mold removal agent should be contacted. A chronic respiratory issue could arise from ignoring these allergies.

A careful study of the above will indicate the need for a trained mold removal agent. It is important to be sensitive to reactions in the various rooms of the home. A qualified agent should be able to guide you through all necessary details in getting your home free of mold.

Read more about Mold Testing and Inspection here

Six things you need to know about mold inspection