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Mold and Your Mental Health

Mold and Your Mental Health

If you even think there’s a possibility that you have mold in your home or office, it is important to promptly get a mold inspection. Where mold is suspected, it usually exists, and if you don’t get it removed, it might make you sick—literally.

Mold and Your Health

Mold can grow just about anywhere there’s moisture, and anywhere there’s organic material like food, plants and soil. And it does much more than just look bad on your walls or in your shower. Over time, mold wreaks havoc on your building structure, and even more havoc on your health. As mold grows, it reproduces by releasing spores into the air. These spores can hide in air vents, on walls, in carpets and even on animals.

Over time, the negative effects of living in a damp, moldy house do take their toll. Indeed, the negative health effects caused by mold are well documented in scientific literature. The airborne spores are well-known for triggering lots of respiratory issues like asthma attacks, sore throats, coughing, wheezing, and nasal and sinus congestion. Mold is an irritant, so it can also cause skin or eye irritation.

Mold and Your Mental Health

Mold also has an impact on mental health. Some studies have linked mold to depression. Many people who live in moldy homes have decreased appetite, trouble sleeping, headache, fatigue and other symptoms of depression. In one study that analyzed nearly 6,000 adults, people who lived in moldy homes were 44 percent more likely to suffer from depression.

Molds are toxic to humans, and these toxins can affect the immune system and the nervous system by changing the way the brain functions.

People who have prolonged exposure to mold can develop a chronic inflammatory response to the mold, which causes several alterations in mental health, including not only depression but anxiety, memory issues and irritability. More and more, scientists are realizing the effects that negative environmental exposures can have on human health.

Furthermore, people in the above-mentioned studies reported that they felt even more depressed because they perceived that they would never be able to get rid of the mold in their homes.

Have The Mold Removed

But mold removal is definitely possible! Call Restoration Certified Specialists today. We’ve been in the mold-busting business since 1975, and we’ll have you breathing easier—and healthier—in no time!

Tips for Removing Mold and Mildew Smell from Fabric and Clothing

Catching up on laundry isn’t necessarily one of the worst universal household chores, but it can be frustrating. Washing a “normal” load of clothes is no problem. The aggravation kicks in when you’re fighting a troublesome load with pesky stains and smells. Typical laundry woes are stains caused by grass, blood, food, grease, ink and more. A slightly less common problem — although just as annoying — is laundry tainted with the foul odor of mold and mildew.

There are a few things that can cause this funk. These include leaving a load of wet laundry in the washer for a long time and forgetting to dry it or storing clothing or fabric someplace where it gets wet or draws damp, like your basement or garage. Perhaps you stored your seasonal clothes and dampness seeped in and now these clothes all have a distinct odor. Before throwing your clothes out, follow these tips! 

Re-Wash the Load

The first — and easiest — thing to try to rid your laundry of the pungent smell is simply re-wash it. Fluff it first, add more detergent and wash it again. If this doesn’t work, don’t worry. There are other avenues.

Is it Your Washing Machine?

Believe it or not, it’s possible the culprit is your washing machine. Front-load washing machines are susceptible to retaining moisture, causing the growth of mold and mildew.

Try pouring percarbonate solution in the detergent reservoir and white vinegar in the fabric softener reservoir. Then pour some of the percarbonate solution into the tub and run your washing machine on the sanitary cycle. Afterward, wipe it out and leave the door open when not in use, so it stays dry.

White Vinegar / Baking Soda

Never underestimate the power of natural substances as cleaners. It’s quite likely that using white vinegar OR baking soda will eliminate the smell.

Prepare the load of laundry as you normally would, including using the usual amount of detergent. Add one cup of white vinegar OR one cup of baking soda.

Let the washing cycle begin for a short time so the detergent and white vinegar OR baking soda blend. Stop the washing cycle and allow the load to soak at least one hour before resuming.

Bleach? Proceed with Caution!

Yes, bleach can remove these odors, but it also does what it’s known for: lightening the color of fabrics and breaking them down. Color safe bleach may be a better option for your colored clothing. Bleach can also help clean smells out of your washing machine.