How To Deal With Carpet Mold

Did you know that your carpet could potentially be at risk for mold growth? In high-humidity areas such as Florida, carpet and area rugs can serve as a breeding ground for unhealthy mold. Here's how to recognize and deal with mold in your home.

What Are The Causes?

Mold can cause a wide variety of health risks if not properly taken care of, including allergic reactions and irritations. While not always visible to the naked eye, mold could be growing in your carpets due to a variety of factors, such as:

• Wet or damp carpets and rugs. In some cases, such as water damage or flooding, mold spores formed in the air could eventually make their way onto wet areas of carpet, allowing mold growth to occur within your carpet's fibers.
• Carpet stains or odors. Mold can often be found in carpet stains or pet urine stains that haven't been properly cleaned.
• Carpet mildew. If you notice any abnormal discoloration in your carpet, chances are your carpet contains mildew—a form of fungus. Mildew and mold almost go hand-in-hand, so it's likely that mold is also present if you begin to notice signs of mildew.
• Humidity and condensation. Changes in temperature can cause condensation to occur and eventually bring about mold growth in your carpets.

How To Remove Mold

In many situations, if a good amount of mold has already formed on your carpets, it's likely that the carpet (and the padding beneath the carpet) will need to replaced. Smaller areas of mold growth can sometimes be taken care of by having a professional carpet cleaner come out to inspect and clean your carpets. However, preventative maintenance is the best way to avoid mold growth from occurring in the first place.

Preventative Maintenance

There are several things you can do to prevent mold growth on the carpets in your home:

• Control humidity in your home by using things such as dehumidifiers to maintain humidity levels between 30-60%.
• Don't install carpet in bathrooms or other areas in your home that may be subject to moisture exposure.
• If spills or flooding occurs, be sure to clean and dry your carpets as soon as possible. The longer your carpets remain wet, the higher the chances that mold growth will occur.
• Stick to a cleaning schedule. Vacuum your carpets on a weekly basis and schedule a professional carpet cleaning at least once every year.

Mold in your home? Call Carpet & Tile Solutions at 407-252-7222 or fill out the contact form below for a free carpet cleaning estimate.