Carpet Cleaning Tips - Prevent Mold and Protect Your Investment in Carpets and Furniture

Mold is a microscopic fungus and part of a group of organisms which also includes mushrooms and yeasts. Spores from the fungi are highly adapted to grow and reproduce rapidly. Mold will grow in a moist and damp situation but if things are kept dry it is impossible for mold to grow. This moisture can occur in your home as a result of water coming in from the outside, through the floor, walls, roof or from plumbing leaks. Also moisture produced by the people living in the home, through daily activities like bathing, washing clothes or cooking. Different kinds of molds grow under different conditions. Some molds like an extremely wet environment and other kinds of molds can grow even if it's only in a damp environment. Dampness from deep inside furniture can cause mold to grow.

Health experts indicate that depending on the type of mold present in your home, the type of exposure, and the health conditions of the people living in your home, the effects of mold can range from being insignificant to causing allergic reactions and illness. People living in your home with allergies, asthma or weak immune systems are susceptible to the diseases caused by some types of mold. Inhaling these mold spores can lead to serious health problems such as diarrhea, fever, fatigue, difficulty in breathing, headaches, congestion, joint pain or skin rashes. Mold in nature can be very beneficial, but indoor mold can make life in our homes very dangerous.

Sometimes mold is hidden and cannot be seen and one indicator that mold might be present is if you are getting a musty smell. Even when you don't notice the smell, wet spots dampness or evidence of a water leak are indications of moisture problems and mold may follow. In many cases following a simple cleaning routine can prevent mold from growing in your carpets and furniture. Discoloration on your carpets or furniture is a sign of mold but all discoloration is not due to mold. Discoloration of carpeting near your baseboards, for example, can be stained by outdoor pollution entering the home. Stains or soot may also be caused by the smoke from burning candles or cigarettes. Mold may be any color; black, white, red, orange, yellow, blue or violent. If you dab a drop of household bleach on a suspected spot and the stain loses its color or disappears it could be mold. If there is no change it probably isn't mold.

One very effective way to prevent mold from growing in your carpets and furniture is to vacuum these surfaces frequently with a powerful vacuum with a HEPA filter. Proper vacuuming reduces the amount of mold spores in your carpets and furniture. Using a vacuum with a HEPA filter prevents these mold spores from spreading throughout your home. Furnishings such as mattresses, carpets, sofas or chairs that got wet and have been stored in damp conditions should not be brought into your home. Mold spores will form deep in the carpets or inside the furniture and can not only destroy these items but will spread to surrounding items in your home.

Pull carpets and furnishings away from walls that get wet. Carpets and under pad that suffer from prolonged dampness should be cut away and thrown out. If mold has started to form on these items you should get them professionally cleaned in order to prevent these spores from spreading and causing further damage. Reduce the amount of clothes, paper and furnishings stored in the basement and get rid of any badly damaged materials. Eliminate clutter to improve air circulation and only washable items should be stored.

It is necessary to use a dehumidifier during the warm months to prevent any damage from mold to your carpets and furniture. This is more important in the basement where it is quite common to have a significant amount of dampness. You should keep the humidity levels in your home between 30 and 50% to prevent mold damage. Periodically clean the drain in your basement floor with bleach and keep fresh water in the drain trap. You should also regularly clean and replace your furnace filters which will also collect mold spores.

Following a few simple procedures will greatly improve your indoor air quality and prevent any possible health problems which can be caused from mold or mildew.