Laundry rooms, or utility closets, are one of the biggest hotspots for mold growth in your home. These rooms end up being filled with condensation, steam, and warm air from washing and drying clothes. This creates the perfect breeding ground for mildew and mold growth. .
Mold presents several potential issues that can badly affect your home and family. From weakened structural supports to spreading respiratory conditions, mold is a substance you do not want taking root in your laundry area. It can be a hassle to remove, and often, the surface growths only represent a small portion of the overall problem.
For this article, we asked our Layton and Ogden mold cleanup specialists to identify the causes of mold growth in laundry rooms and share ways to prevent it.
Obvious Signs of Mold in The Laundry Room
- Musty smells – mold tends to have a distinct, musty smell that accompanies it. If the usually pleasant odor of your laundry room begins to smell a little sour and lingers long after use, you may be dealing with mold.
- Coughing and tickly throat/eyes – If you have begun to cough or wheeze after spending time in your laundry room, or find your eyes or nose feeling itchy or sensitive, then there may be mold spores in the air.
- Air-dry clothes are taking longer to dry – if your air-dried clothes are remaining damp far beyond their usual time, this could be a sign that the air in your laundry room is too humid. This humidity could indicate that mold is growing, so it’s a good idea to check.
Some other occurrences that might lead to mold include plumbing leaks and ventilation malfunctions. If these occur, make sure you take the time to check all over the room for any signs of mold. If you should find any, it is time to remove it or call in a Utah mold clean up professional.
Steps to Prevent Laundry Room Mold Growth
Like all aspects of life, the best way to deal with problems is to stop them from happening in the first place. Mold growth is no exception to this rule, and there are many ways you can prevent it from growing in your laundry room.
1. Run a dehumidifier
As previously stated, mold grows when the conditions are right. While it’s difficult to prevent the laundry room from getting warm, you can control the moisture level to mitigate mold growth. Installing a dehumidifier will drastically reduce the moisture in the air and prevent mold from developing. To make it even more of a sure thing, find yourself one that has an output hose attachment that you can connect to your drains. This way, it can run 24/7 without your needing to empty it.
2. Check and fix your appliances
Standing water in the laundry room can also result in the formation of mildew and mold. Therefore, it’s crucial to check your appliances to ensure there are no leaks. Regularly check all the pipes leading into the room and the appliances, and ensure there are no blockages or tears in dryer vents. If anything looks damaged, you can fix it quickly to reduce the chances of mold growth.
3. Make sure your laundry room is well-ventilated.
Proper ventilation is the best way to prevent moisture buildup and keep the air clear. Working in tandem with a dehumidifier, you can double down on keeping mold spores away by eliminating their ideal environment.
4. Do not leave damp clothes in there too long
Laundry is a wet activity, and while we may be reluctant to finish it, leaving damp clothes around creates an open invitation to mold. When doing laundry, make sure you clear it out and put it away as soon as possible to prevent it from increasing the moisture in the room and stop mold from forming.
5. Regularly clean all surfaces and walls.
It stands to reason that the simplest way to stop mold outbreaks is regular cleaning. Using antifungal cleaning products in your regular cleaning routine can cleanse surfaces and prevent mold from taking root. This can also be achieved with high-alcohol content spirits like vodka diluted in water. When cleaning, don’t forget to check the back of your appliances and clean all pipes to clear out the most likely breeding grounds.*
6. Use desiccants
Desiccants are packets filled with silica gel, typically found in any items intended to be kept free of moisture. These can be bought in small quantities and put into drawers and small spaces that might be prone to mold growth. The silica will draw out the moisture from the air and keep those spaces clean. Be warned, however, that silica gel is highly toxic. If you have small children and pets, they should be kept safely out of reach to prevent severe sickness.
The takeaway…
The laundry room is one of the areas most prone to mold growth. But with a little work and attention, you can keep your laundry room clean and safe from different types of molds. Follow the above tips to keep your home and your clothes free of fungal growth.
