Your home may be harboring a hidden danger that you're completely unaware of. It could be lurking in your kitchen, bathroom, closets, or even behind your appliances. Leaks from sinks, washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, and water heaters, as well as roof leaks, can all contribute to this sneaky menace. It can seep in unnoticed, behind the paint, infest your furniture, condense around your windows, or even saturate your carpets and flooring due to poor cleaning practices or excessive moisture.
And what is this elephant in the room we're talking about? Mold! Now, according to some quick research on the ever-so-terrifying Huffington Post, up to 40% of American homes may have mold. Cue the spooky music! But fear not, my friend, for while the Huffington Post may love to sensationalize, the issue of mold is indeed serious. Let's focus on the mold problems that can arise from subpar cleaning practices.
Now, some of you may have experienced the horror of hiring a big carpet cleaning company with their flashy yellow vans, only to be devastated by their exorbitant prices. As they leave your home, you step into what feels like the Mariana Trench they created in your living room. With every clean towel and fan you own, you attempt to dry up the excessive water they left behind, while unknowingly welcoming millions of little green guests into your carpets and padding – guests that supposedly want to kill you!
Okay, let's calm down a bit. Mold can indeed be a serious issue, but it's not something that should have you running for the hills. It's important to hire reputable and responsible professionals who prioritize proper cleaning methods and moisture control. By taking the time to find a trustworthy carpet cleaning company, you can ensure that your home remains clean, safe, and free from any unwelcome mold invaders.
So, don't let the fear-mongering ruin your day. Become informed, choose reliable professionals, and keep your home cozy, healthy, and mold-free. Remember, with a little warmth and care, you can conquer any mold-related challenge that may come your way!
But lets first find out what this mould can do to you, it's not just harmless black spots that's for sure. It can cause:
Muscle and joint pain
Headache, anxiety, depression, memory loss, and visual disturbances
Immune system disturbances and fatigue
GI problems
Shortness of breath
Fungi grow by releasing reproductive cells (spores) into the air, just as plants reproduce by spreading seeds. The airborne spores are invisible to the naked eye, which is a major reason mold is such a problem. It is not uncommon to find hundreds or even thousands of mold spores per cubic foot of indoor air. Spores are extremely small (1-100 microns) - 20 million spores would fit on a postage stamp.
Spores can survive harsh environmental conditions, such as dryness, that do not support normal mould growth. In fact, many spores can lie dormant for decades until favorable conditions allow them to spring back to life.
Mould is a type of fungus, as are mushrooms and yeast. There are between 100,000 and 400,000 types of fungi (estimates vary), and of these, scientists have identified more than 1,000 types of mold growing inside housesacross America for instance. Moulds are classified into three groups according to human responses:
Allergenic Moulds: These don't usually produce life-threatening effects and are most problematic if you are allergic or asthmatic. The challenge is in figuring out what you are sensitive to. Children are particularly susceptible to mould allergies.
Pathogenic Moulds: These produce some sort of infection, which is of particular concern if your immune system is suppressed. They can cause hypersensitivity pneumonitis, an acute response resembling bacterial pneumonia. An example is Aspergillus fumigatus, which can grow in the lungs of immune-compromised individuals.
Toxigenic Moulds (aka "toxic moulds"): These dangerous moulds produce mycotoxins, which can have serious health effects on almost anyone. Possible reactions include immunosuppression and cancer. Mycotoxins are chemical toxins present within or on the surface of the mould spore, which you then unwittingly inhale, ingest, or touch. An example of this is aflatoxin, one of the most potent carcinogens known to mankind. Aflatoxin grows on peanuts and grains, and on some other foods.
Some mould compounds are volatile and released directly into the air, known as microbial volatile organic compounds (mVOCs). Fragments of the cell walls of moulds (glucans) can also be inhaled and cause inflammatory respiratory reactions, including a flu-like illness called Organic Dust Toxic Syndrome (ODTS).
According to mycotoxin expert Dr. Harriet Ammann, exposure to indoor moulds can damage the systems of your body in the following ways:
So having damp in your home really is not good for you. If you have had a bad experience with a cleaner - using cheap, weak equipment, thus leaving your carpets too wet - often for days on end, then next time make sure that they really do have the most powerful cleaning system available (regardless of them saying so on their websites - it's just sales talk). This way you should never get a serious mould problem - possibly giving you health issues again. If the equipment is NOT the most powerful, then it simply cannot extract as much moisture possible, a simple fact.