Spills, wet shoes, humidity – all of this moisture gets trapped deep within your carpet fibers. This turns your carpet into a breeding ground for mold spores, and needs to be remedied as soon as possible due to how quickly carpet mold can spread and how dangerous it can be for your health. Because the carpet mold can grow deep within the fibers or even on the backing, you may not know if it’s there. However, there are signs that you may notice if you have mold in your carpet.
5 Signs You May Have Carpet Mold
Musty Odor
A musty odor is one of the top signs of carpet mold growth, and while you may have become accustomed to the odor if you spend much of your time at home, visitors may be able to smell it. If you’re concerned, ask a trusted friend to see if they notice anything or take note of any comments, and have your carpet checked for it immediately.
Old Carpeting
While having professional carpet cleaning and carpet repairs will extend the life of your carpet, old carpeting that’s well past its life span is more likely to grow carpet mold spores.
Damp or Humid Conditions
Carpet mold often develops when the carpet has been exposed to water for a day or longer or is in continually humid conditions. A leaking pipe spilled drinks that aren’t cleaned properly, and high humidity in the home can all trigger it to grow.
Cleaning spills, repairing any leaks, and using a dehumidifier can prevent growth from occurring, while professional cleaning can remove any spores that have taken root in your carpeting.
Allergies
Mold has been shown to cause breathing problems, allergies, bronchitis, and asthma. If you or anyone in your household has those issues, then you will need to inspect your carpet for mold. Not everyone who is exposed to mold will have a problem with it. However, it is still a good idea to check for mold regularly.
Carpet Discoloration
In severe cases, carpet mold will stain your carpet, and you may be able to see black or green spots growing. Keep in mind that the area underneath your carpet may develop discoloration before the carpet does. That is why it is a good idea to look underneath the carpet.
Testing for Carpet Mold
A simple way that you can determine if there is a problem is to use a mold testing kit. The mold testing kit works by testing the airflow on your carpet. If there are any mold spores in your carpet, then they will land on the kit. From there you can take the next steps to remove it.
How to Remove Mold From Your Carpet
If your test comes back positive and you have mold in your carpet, then there are several steps that you can take to remove it. First, you need to remember that it is highly toxic, so you will need to protect yourself with eye protection, a mask, and gloves before you attempt to do any work.
There are several things that you can use in order to clean your carpet. You can use a mixture of water and dishwashing detergent to clean the carpet, using a sponge to scrub the area thoroughly.
For more severe cases, you can also use water and bleach to clean the carpet. Pour one cup of bleach into a gallon of water and spray the solution on your carpet. After letting it sit for 15 to 20 minutes, you will need to use a wet-vac to remove any excess solution to prevent it from regrowing. Open your windows and run a dehumidifier to remove any excess moisture and eliminate any odors of bleach in your carpet. It’s important to note that bleach can discolor your carpet.
Contact Us for Professional Carpet Cleaning in Durham
Instead of trying to remove toxic mold on your own or risk discoloring your carpet with bleach, we can help. In addition to carpet cleaning in Durham, we also provide carpet cleaning in Raleigh and the surrounding areas that not only eliminate mold, stains, and odors, you can feel confident that we use eco-friendly carpet cleaning methods! For a free estimate, call us at (919) 332-3039 or fill out the form below.
