The most common source of refrigerator mold is rotting food. Usually, you can (sadly) throw that food away and be fine, but mold spreads through the air and through surface contact.
Molds, like most fungi, break down plant and animal matter in the environment. They can grow almost anywhere there is moisture and organic material such as in soil, on foods and plants, and in people's homes. To reproduce, molds release spores, which can spread through air, water, or on animals.
Use Baking Soda
Placing a box baking soda in your fridge can help absorb moisture as well as bad odors, reducing your chance of developing mold inside your fridge. Just be sure to replace the box each month for the best protection.
Is Black Mold in Refrigerators Dangerous? Black mold refers to the specific strain of Stachybotrys chartarum, which can generate toxic compounds known as mycotoxins. These toxins pose serious health risks for humans and animals that breathe or touch the spores.
These molds may spread to the refrigerator through the air circulation, and by sitting in a drawer or on a shelf long enough for the spores to transfer to the plastic or metal surface. The refrigerator is dark much of the day, which allows mold to grow quickly, but you may not see it until it has become a larger issue.
Can You Get Rid of Mold Spores in the Air? Mold spores are constantly all around us. Due to their size (between 2-100 microns), they're invisible to the naked eye and can stay in the air indefinitely.
Mould spores remain airborne for an indefinite period of time. It's important to recognise that if a damp spot is present and unattended for longer than 24 hours, there is a high possibility that mould could fester and airborne spores begin congregating throughout the premises.
The only way to directly kill mold spores in the air is to use an air purifier. For best results, place purifiers in each room of your house to ensure maximum efficiency in killing the spores. You can get a quality air purifier at any home improvement store and at most mass retailers.
It is also very important that there is adequate ventilation in the room. Open a window or door so the mold spores can escape, instead of staying locked in your home.
Open windows so there is a draft. Leave windows open for approximately 10 minutes. Then turn up the thermostat; by increasing the temperature, the air will remove the moisture from the walls. After three to four hours, the air will be filled with water again.
To Prevent Mold Growth in Your Home. Keep humidity levels in your home as low as you can—no higher than 50%–all day long. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help you keep the level low. You can buy a meter to check your home's humidity at a home improvement store.
This can happen immediately or after exposure, depending on your body. If you don't have a mold allergy, a one-time exposure may cause no symptoms. But sometimes, it can cause symptoms even if you're not allergic. Again, it's different for each person.
Most yeasts and molds are heat-sensitive and destroyed by heat treatments at temperatures of 140-160°F (60-71°C). Some molds make heat-resistant spores, however, and can survive heat treatments in pickled vegetable products.
During the cleanup of mold, many spores may be released into the air. To prevent health effects, there are several ways you can protect yourself while cleaning up the mold.
Mold Growth- The colder you keep your home, the colder the walls, ceiling, floors, windows and more will be. Water vapor that gets into these porous materials is the ideal place for mold to grow. This also can happen when humid outdoor air gets into the home and the indoor humidity is low in the air.
Mold growth can occur in cold rooms when ambient humidity is high, where there is poor ventilation, insulation failure, or when wood, cardboard, and other porous materials that can grow mold are stored in the room.
Condensation occurs mainly during cold weather, whether it is raining or dry. It does not leave a 'tidemark'. It appears on cold surfaces and in places where there is little movement of air. It can often lead to mould forming in corners, on or near windows, in or behind wardrobes and cupboards.
Respiratory symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, watery eyes, and skin irritation are the predominant symptoms. Mold is also known to cause asthma and life-threatening primary and secondary infections in immune-compromised patients that have been exposed.
The mold spores can colonize (grow) inside lung cavities that developed as a result of chronic diseases, such tuberculosis, emphysema, or advanced sarcoidosis. The fibers of fungus might form a lump by combining with white blood cells and blood clots. This lump or ball of fungus is called an aspergilloma or mycetoma.
Another major step to prevent mold growth in your home is to make sure you are properly ventilating your home. Ventilation helps prevent humid air from getting trapped indoors and wreaking havoc with mold growth. Good airflow can help cut back on moisture and will dry wet areas of your home more quickly.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “There is no practical way to eliminate all mold and mold spores in the indoor environment; the way to control indoor mold growth is to control moisture.” Even if you clean the mold, it will still come back if the room is humid and poorly ventilated or there is ...
These colonies grow at a rate of one square inch per day. This means that in less than a week, mold can spread to cover an area of several square feet.
It's Dangerous to Sleep In A Mouldy Room
Indoor mould is dangerous because it spreads rapidly, but it's even more dangerous if it's in your bedroom. When you sleep, you spend at least seven hours in your bedroom, and that doesn't include the additional times you spend there when you're awake.