Can Mold Develop in Carpet?

Can mold develop in carpet? The short answer is yes. In this post, we’ll discuss how mold forms in carpet, how to identify it, how to remove it and how to protect your carpet from mold in the future with help from carpet cleaning specialists in South Amboy, NJ.

How does mold develop in carpet?

Mold is an almost absurdly resilient life form. With just a little oxygen and water, it can thrive on almost any surface. Carpeting in basements is particularly susceptible to mold, especially in moist or humid climates. Most often, mold forms in carpet because it’s collecting moisture when it shouldn’t, which is most common when an area that isn’t ideal for carpeting has been carpeted, such as a bathroom or basement. It’s also common when a home has been empty or abandoned for some time and is later bought as a fixer-upper.

How to identify mold in carpet

Carpet mold is often not as easy to identify as other forms of mold. The green fuzzy stuff that grows on a block of cheese is easy to see; same with the little colonies of black and green specks that form on sheetrock. Carpet mold, though, is often located on the underside of the carpet, meaning you can’t really see it with the naked eye without pulling up your carpet to check. Other signs of mold include:

• Bad smells: The most common and most obvious sign of moderate mold is a musty, slightly tainted odor.
• Stains: Stains on the carpet, especially stains that look like mildew, are another sign of mold. If you’re seeing stains on the surface of the carpet, you’ll still want to check the underside, as it’s possible this is a sign of a much larger growth of mold.
• Wet carpet or carpet padding: If your carpet gets wet, it needs to be immediately dried to prevent mold growth.

How to remove carpet mold

If your infestation is small, it may be possible to eradicate your carpet mold with a thorough carpet steam cleaning and the right mold-fighting detergents, or by just removing the affected part of the carpet and recarpeting that small area (assuming you can find carpet that matches what you have now). If it’s beyond a small corner of a room, though, there may be no other option than removing the carpet and installing new carpet or some other flooring material.

Preventing carpet mold

On the whole, you’re much better off preventing the problem from occurring in the first place, as it can be an expensive problem to fix and a serious health hazard if ignored. Here are some suggestions for protecting your carpets:

• Regularly clean your carpet: Always dry clean your carpet. If you steam clean it, make sure you completely remove all moisture afterwards. Every few years, you should get your carpet professionally cleaned by carpet cleaning specialists in South Amboy, NJ.
• Use high-quality carpet and padding: Carpets and pads treated for molds are more expensive, but can prevent mold issues in damp climates.

• Always dry standing water: Never leave water standing on any surface in your home.
• Don’t carpet naturally rooms, such as the bathroom: You’ll be fighting a losing battle trying to keep these carpets clean.
• Use a dehumidifier: In extremely damp environments, a dehumidifier can greatly decrease your carpet’s risk of molding.

If you’ve got a mold issue, or are simply looking to get your carpets cleaned, Lov ‘N Kare Carpet Center is the place to call. We’ve been in business since 1948, so you can believe us when we say we’ve seen it all.

Categorised in: Carpet Cleaning Specialists

This post was written by Writer