How to Remove Mold from Carpeting
Have you noticed that your carpet has a funky smell or dark stains? Mold could be the culprit. Mold can permanently damage carpeting, and if the damage is too extensive, it might require a costly replacement.
If you want to save your carpeting and eliminate health risks from mold, the experts at My Pure Environment can help. We can identify household mold via a free inspection and provide mold removal services in San Francisco. Read on to learn more about how mold forms in carpet and how to remove it.
What Causes Mold to Grow in Carpet?
When it comes to mold in carpet, excess moisture is the number one cause. If you’ve recently had water damage in your home, your carpet may be susceptible to mold. When water makes contact with the carpet and mixes with the dust, dirt, and skin cells in it, mold spores can begin to grow and release their mycotoxins into your home.
Mold in carpet from water damage can stem from spilled drinks, high humidity, leaks, and floods. Basement carpeting is especially susceptible to mold because of the innately damp nature of basements and their lack of sunlight. Your risk for mold can increase If you live in an area with frequent rain. Basements often get water damage after a storm due to factors like sump pump failure or foundational deficiencies.
Most bathrooms aren’t carpeted, but bathroom rugs can also be highly susceptible to mold. Leaky faucets and toilet pipes, along with frequent humidity from steamy hot showers can cause mold to grow. Replacing bathroom rugs is easier than replacing wall-to-wall carpeting, but it’s still inconvenient, especially if your favorite rug gets moldy! To prevent bathroom rugs from molding, turn on the fan when you shower and invest in an antibacterial rug that will dry more quickly.
How to Detect Mold in Carpet
Mold growth in carpet isn’t always obvious, so it’s helpful to know how to identify it. Mold can appear as a dark stain, but even when there are no visible changes to your carpet, there could still be mold growth underneath. In fact, it’s common for most cases of mold in a carpet to remain invisible over a period of time. However, when the case is more severe, there will be noticeable signs of mold.
Some signs of mold in a carpet may include:
- Brown, green, or black stains
- A musty smell
- Damp to the touch
If mold is left untreated for an extended period of time, you may experience symptoms of mold toxicity. If you are unsure whether you have mold in your carpet, you can schedule a free mold inspection to help you determine the best next steps.
How to Remove Mold from Carpet
The process of removing mold from carpet can be difficult and time-consuming. If it’s only a small area that’s affected, you might be able to remove it yourself with household cleaning products. One simple way to remove small areas of mold is to put baking soda on the affected spots and leave it to sit overnight. The next day you can vacuum and scrub the area with vinegar using a hard bristle brush. Then, to help the carpet dry, open windows to ventilate the area.
However, if the carpet has larger mold spots we recommend that you contact us to help and refrain from trying to remove the mold yourself. Attempting to remove large mold spots on your own may endanger your family’s health by spreading around the mold spores.
Schedule a Free Mold Inspection Today
At My Pure Environment, we specialize in mold removal so we can help you return to a healthy, happy, mold-free life. If you live in San Francisco, California and you suspect that there’s mold in your carpeting, contact us to schedule a free inspection today!
Photo by Ran Berkovich on Unsplash
