Tips for Cleaning Mold-Infested Furniture

Mold is a common problem people experience in their homes or commercial property. Whether in the basement or the attic, it can be a very serious issue that you will have to clean up before it can spread further and cause severe damage.  

Mold can differ in various ways and spreads mostly due to moisture or humidity in your home. It needs to be taken care of as quickly as you can because it doesn’t just cause damage to the structure of your property and your furniture but can also have damaging effects on the health of a person. 

The spread and growth of mold are quick, which is why you should always be on the lookout for it. Leaking ceilings, high humidity in homes, floods, and any kind of water damage can lead to mold growth. After an area has been damaged by water, mold only takes 24 hours to start growing and causing damage to the particular area.  

Let’s learn about cleaning mold-infested furniture. 

Wear protective gear 

The first step is to always protect yourself! Mold spores, if inhaled or ingested, can be very dangerous and cause various adverse effects to a person’s health. Always make sure you protect your eyes with goggles, your hands with rubber gloves, and your mouth and nose with a proper face mask. 

This is especially important for people who may be more sensitive to mold and toxic mold growth. Wearing something that will cover your skin completely and prevent you from getting into contact with any mole spores is critical. 

Choose the Right Cleaning Solution 

You will need a cleaning solution that will effectively remove and kill the mold from your furniture. This could be bleach, alcohol, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, or other cleaning products you can buy in shops. The best solution depends on the type and severity of mold growth. For example, small mold growths that may just be on the surface could be removed completely using only vinegar. But severe mold growth that might have grown deeper into the material would require a commercial mold cleaner. 

Vacuum the area 

After deciding which cleaning solution to use, you will have to vacuum the infected area thoroughly. A vacuum with an arm attachment is recommended to get into the harder-to-reach areas. Use the vacuum over the mold growth multiple times until all the spores, dirt, and dust has been sucked up. 

Make sure to empty the vacuum contents outside of your home and in a sealed plastic bag to prevent it from spreading into the property and other places again. 

Light or mild molds 

Light surface molds can sometimes be removed by letting your furniture air out in a properly ventilated room or the sunlight for a day or two. Mold needs moisture to grow, and letting your furniture properly dry out could be enough to remove the mold completely. If you can’t leave your furniture out in the sun, using a dehumidifier in a room might also work. 

Stubborn or heavier molds 

The much more stubborn mold will not get removed by just letting the furniture hang out in the sunlight. You will have to scrub the affected areas with warm water and a cleaning solution thoroughly to completely remove these molds. 

Use a soft bristle brush and scrub in circular motions on the infected area. When finished, wipe the surface with a damp towel. If there is no mold remaining, wipe down the wood again using a dry cloth to make sure no moisture remains on it. If the mold is still there, you may need to repeat this process multiple times or use a different cleaning product. 

Before doing this step, try and use the cleaning solution and the brush on a hard-to-find spot on the furniture to ensure it doesn’t damage the wood.  

Cleaning mold from fabric or leather furniture 

Leather 

All you need to clean mold off of leather furniture is a leather cleaner or soap water and a soft cloth. First, you need to move the leather to a warm and dry place and let the leather dry out completely. Then you need to wipe down the leather to get rid of the mold. After you have wiped the mold off, you need to clean it further using a leather cleaner or soapy water with a soft cloth. 

Fabric 

Mold growth on fabric furniture can also be cleaned off easily. If the fabric that needs to be cleaned is bleach safe and you don’t have to worry about its discoloring, then using bleach is the easiest way to get rid of mold. But if the fabric in question cannot be bleached, you might have to use white vinegar in its place.  

You can apply the vinegar or bleach directly to the affected areas using a cotton pad and letting it stay for at least 5 to 10 minutes before cleaning. Or, you could make a solution of ¼ cup of vinegar per gallon of water and rinse the affected fabric in the solution.  

911 Restoration of Northwest Michigan 

If your property or furniture needs mold remediation services, call 911 Restoration of Northwest Michigan at (231) 220-9892 now! Our professionally trained and IICRC certified team will be with you in just 45 minutes to help you with any restoration you might need. Without proper mold remediation, your property and you may be vulnerable to severe damage or health issues. Our team takes these issues very seriously and will work closely with you until your property is completely safe and restored.