Someone at home has been having a bout of respiratory ailments recently. No matter how much medicine ingested, the hacking cough remains. I think the culprit is household mold because his cough gets worse the minute he steps foot into the house. As everyone here in Singapore knows, its not only hot and humid (perfect conditions for mold to grow)- it's been raining almost everyday for months on end. Our clothes take two days to dry and sometimes it still feels a bit damp. Anyway, I decided to do some research on the dangers of mold and thought I should share my findings.

The first thing to note is this: Molds, mildew and fungi are present not just in the bathrooms and kitchens where there is usually water flow. Even the furniture, carpet, books, and the air we breathe can be full of spores that have circulated where the molds are growing. The worse is when they grow in between walls or in airconditioning ducts where you have no means of cleaning them without calling a professional.

Secondly, there are hundreds of indoor molds present in almost all homes. Of those, 50 molds are considered very problematic, including Stachybotrys or "dark green-black mold" which emits toxic gases that can be inhaled and is very common in Singapore. While Stachybotrys is growing, a wet slime layer overlays the spores, preventing them from becoming airborne. When the mold dies and dries, air currents or handling can cause spores to become airborne.

Lastly, if people who share the living space have continual complaints of flu-like symptoms, chronic fatigue, memory impairment, migraines, dizziness and nosebleeds, you might want to get a mold specialist to check out the types of spores present inside and outside of the house. (Outside reading is to determine if there is an inordinate amount inside since all homes have.)

PREVENTION & REMEDIES

Clean airconditioning filters
Clean regular fans of dust- usually a lot of spore carrying dust is accumulated there
Dust off books, furniture regularly
On days when it is excessively humid (which is almost everyday in Singapore unfortunately) you can use an air conditioner or a dehumidifier to keep the indoor relative humidity level below 50%.
Use exhaust fans in kitchens, utility rooms and bathrooms to remove excess heat and humidity.
To remove mold and mold food from non-porous surfaces, use soap.
Use black mold remover detergent which you can buy from the grocery store
Open the windows

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