Mold infestation and a panic led cleaning spree to get rid of it

Continuous rainfall and a lack of sunlight in the last few weeks left one of the rooms in my house smelling musty.

I initially thought maybe the curtains have become musty or dust has accumulated atop the furniture over time. However, fear set in when the smell did not subside even after washing all the curtains and wiping every surface in view.

Maybe I am missing something. But didn't think much of it as the sun started shining through and I just opened the windows to air it out.

A couple of days pass uneventfully, and one night I open my jewelry box only to find one of my pearl earrings covered in little spots.

Then I start inspecting a little further and one of my worst nightmares unravel before my eyes.

It's mold.

That too inside my precious dresser that houses all my skincare products along with a collection of jewelry that I handpicked throughout the last two decades.

You can imagine the panic I felt.

Mold, or simply put fungus infestation, thrives in damp and wet places, and can affect your body in subtle ways. If left unnoticed it may present itself in severe forms of prolonged cold and allergies.

I had developed a chronic cold but didn't think much of it as I have always suffered from allergies, but this was different. Surely enough the puffy eyes, runny nose, and constant sneezing all subsided as soon as I identified the mold issue. Many people also suffer from red eyes, itching and rashes.

So, if you start experiencing unusual allergy like symptoms take a closer look at the environment around you.

After realising the gravity of the situation I emptied by dresser that very day and surely enough found small spots in the crevices of the furniture.

Immediately I started frantically looking for ways to clean out mold so that they don't return but was disheartened to learn that mold spores are always present in all indoor environments and there is no full proof way to prevent it from spreading.

The spores thrive in moist and warm environments, and starts contaminating the environment once they land on a damp spot of fabric, wood, paper, glass, or plastic.

So, I then started to look for the most effective way to wipe the mold off.

What I found is a list of natural ingredients that can kill mold effectively, which includes vinegar, tea tree oil, baking soda, citrus seed extract, and hydrogen peroxide.

Rubbing alcohol and vinegar seemed most accessible to me, so I wiped all surfaces of the dresser with a mixture of equal parts of water and vinegar and sprayed rubbing alcohol for good measure. I decided to give it another day before reassembling everything to ensure it's completely dry.

I also found that along with repelling cockroaches naphthalene also helps prevent mold by absorbing moisture.

Obviously my first instinct was to take a handful and start spreading it like confetti but then I learned too much naphthalene vapour can also be harmful for health. So, I just used a few for the drawers and shelves of the dresser.

Meanwhile, I started religiously cracking up windows (as much as mosquitos allowed me) and keeping the ceiling fans on as much as possible.

Exhaust fans can also be used for artificial air circulation.

I have my fingers crossed in the hope that the infestation does not return, as oftentimes the only thing you can do to fight off recurrent mold infestation is to surrender and get rid of the infected object altogether.

I also found that drying clothes inside can increase humidity, so I avoid doing that as much as possible as well as dry out clothes properly before storing them.

Now in terms of preventing mold infections, though a herculean task but there is no alternative to cleaning out closets and drawers regularly, as it allows airflow and prevents accumulation of dust and moisture.

Basically, the trick to avoiding a mold infestation is avoiding all kinds of moisture and dust accumulation, as well as organising your home in such a way that keeps as minimal space for humidity retention which includes measures like not using any carpets on the floor as they might become breeding spots for many kinds of bacteria and fungus.

However, only cleaning is not enough at times, water damage can also be a big catalyst behind a mold infestation. So, checking inside false ceilings and nooks and crannies where water may accumulate regularly is a must.

Precautionary measures cannot always prevent mold infestation, so keeping an eye out for signs of mold infestation and hope for the best.