Mold can grow on damp clothes and shoes thus causing damage to them. Clothes made from natural fibers such as cotton, linen, ramie, jute, rayon, wool and silk are more susceptible to microbial damage than those made from synthetic fibers. The microorganisms produce enzymes that breakdown the cellulose or protein to compounds which the microorganisms use as food. Compared to clothes made from plant fibers, those made of protein fibers (such as wool and silk) are less susceptible to attack but they are also damaged by molds capable of breaking down protein.

How to detect mold growth on clothes
Often, the initial indication of a mold problem on clothes is a characteristic musty odor in the closet. Careful examination of clothes may reveal stains with clearly visible pigmentations or visible mold growth. Also, observation under a microscope in a laboratory can reveal mold infestation at the early stages of growth.

Mold on Clothes as A Health Hazard
One of the common questions we receive is whether people should throw away their clothes if there was an outbreak of mold growth in their houses. In most instances it is not necessary to dispose of the clothes especially if the clothes show no visible mold growth and no musty or moldy odor is detected from the clothes. While the clothes may carry high concentrations of settled spores, these can easily be washed away during laundering. However, health risks must be considered whenever visible mold growth occurs on clothes. If the clothes have visible mold growth and appear to be damaged, the best thing would be to dispose them off. Such clothes should be handled with care since certain species of molds that attack clothes, such as species of Aspergillus, are opportunistic pathogens especially to people with weak immune system. Aspergillus fumigatus, for example, is a common cause of a respiratory problem called invasive aspergillosis. Some molds may not cause infections but can cause strong allergic reactions to sensitive individuals. There is also the risk of mycotoxin poisoning if the clothes are infested by toxigenic molds and are not effectively decontaminated before they are worn.

Badly infested clothes should be isolated by sealing them in polyethylene bags and disposing them immediately or sending them to trained professionals for decontamination.


How To Control Mold Growth On Clothes
Control of conditions that promote mold growth is by far the most effective method of preventing mold growth on any susceptible material including clothes. It is effective not only for the control of mold but also for control of other microorganisms and agents of damage such as insects. Clothes should be kept in a cool, dry environment with adequate ventilation. Relative humidity should be maintained below 65%. Use of dehumidifiers to reduce dampness is recommended. If the clothes are not frequently used, it is important to regularly check for mold infestation.

The year 2006 has been an exciting one to us. We received several questions on mold from our site visitors. We were able to answer most of them. Some of the mold questions we received were difficult to answer. This is one of the difficult questions "I want to be a mold can you help me?"

We checked our web logs and sure enough the person who asked this question searched the internet for "to learn how to be a mold." This tells us the person is really interested in experiencing the life of a mold.

We are not sure how one can be turned into a mold (we mean a fungus) and we can't promise to have an answer for this during our lifetime. Perhaps there are some experts out there who can help us. We welcome them.

To the person who asked the question, we thank you for your thought provoking question. If we ever get an answer, we will post it here.



HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE WHO SENT US QUESTIONS AND TO ALL THOSE WHO READ OUR BLOG.

Books are prone to dampness if the relative humidity is not maintained below 60%. Prolonged damp conditions results to mold growth on the paper and on the bindings. Mold growth on books leads to damage of books through staining and or breaking down of paper and other book components. Besides the damage, many molds isolated from books are a health hazard capable of causing serious respiratory diseases and allergies of various degrees. Molds commonly isolated from moldy books include species of Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Trichoderma, Chaetomium, Stachybotrys, Epicoccum and a number of others. Trichoderma, Chaetomium, and Stachybotrys are strong producers of the enzyme cellulase that breaks down the paper.

Procedure for cleaning moldy books

If the books are not extensively damaged (i.e, the paper is still intact), they can be saved. Below is a brief procedure that can be used to clean moldy books.

• Workers must wear appropriate personal protective equipment when handling contaminated books. This includes wearing coverall or other protective coat over street clothing, a respirator (i.e. N95 or better) and vinyl examination gloves. Unprotected individuals risk aggravating or developing allergic sensitivities to the mold spores.
• Cleaning must be conducted within a temporary containment unit away from air intakes, other building openings and public areas.
• Moldy books must be HEPA vacuumed on the following areas: outside front and back covers, joints between the covers, spine, text block and inside back and front covers. A soft-bristled brush may be used to remove stubborn mold growth. (NB: Care must be taken not to damage the books).
• Once cleaning of books is completed, book carts that were holding moldy books must be cleaned with disinfectant and paper towels. Refer to the material safety data sheets (MSDS) of the disinfectants before use.
• Before re-shelving, the cleaned books must be given a quick wipe down with an appropriate disinfectant solution, the floors and shelf areas must be cleaned and disinfected and the shelves and flooring must be cleaned with disinfectant and paper towels.
• After completing the cleaning, the exterior of the HEPA vacuum cleaner is wiped down with a disinfectant to kill any settled spores.
• Workers must remove protective coveralls, eye protection, respirator, and gloves outside and wash hands with soap and hot water after completing the cleaning session.
• A record of where the problem areas are, the cause of the problem, a list of the cleaned books, the time and day when the cleaning took place must be kept for future reference.
• Implement a preventative cleaning program to address the continuing mold problem in the library.

One of our website visitors wondered if mould can grow in water. Mould can grow in water and if the water is rich in nutrients, the mould will form a mat on the surface of standing water and produce spores. If the water contains little or no nutrients, then the initial growth would die for lack of nutrients.

There are some moulds that thrive well only in water. For more information about mould, contact us at (905)290-9101.