Why does mould keep coming back?

Why does mould keep coming back?

It’s no secret that mould issues are incredibly prevalent across the eastern states of Australia right now. A wetter than usual autumn followed by a chilly start to winter has led to damp homes being warmed up and humidity, and poorer ventilation due to the cold weather, leading to mould.

The available moisture content in homes will be used by mould, fungi and bacteria and cause unwanted outbreaks indoors. The rush on mould removal products and dehumidifiers points to many removing it themselves but has since raised another question – why does it keep coming back?

For many of those who have removed the mould themselves, they often find that it is only a matter of weeks, sometimes days, before the mould returns.

Essentially, mould reproduces via spores regularly to sustain its own life cycle, and those spores become airborne – particularly after vigorous bouts of rubbing or wiping. When water (available humidity) becomes available, those spores will germinate, and mould will grow again.

Where homes have been dried out following a flood, leak or inundation, the likelihood of mould spores being distributed throughout the home is high. Without humidity inside, the mould won’t grow, but when it is warm and damp inside the home, an outbreak is likely to occur.

Items around the home particularly prone to mould are things that are made of leather, like shoes or handbags, because they absorb moisture easily. Additionally, clothing made out of plant-based materials have a higher level of natural fibre for microbes to grow on, and are another item prone to mould.

In terms of larger items, wallpaper and timber, likely found in almost all Australian homes, can be particularly prone to mould, especially if they’re made of composite timber, because they are porous items, and the mould can use the glue in the wood as a food source, while remaining out of reach of surface cleaning.

A good rule of thumb for cleaning furniture of mould is the rougher the surface, the harder it is to remove all traces of spores from the item entirely.

Addressing the humidity in the home is key to ensuring that even if there are spores present, mould is unable to grow. Running a dehumidifier or even an air conditioner on dry setting can assist, in addition to ensuring air flow on dry days.

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