Mold in a Closet

Most molds found in closets are commonly called mildew and are plant-like organisms that grow along surfaces and that require moisture and a food source. Breathing in living or dead mold spores can cause health symptoms, so you don’t want mold to remain in spaces where you live or work.You don’t live or work in a closet, but you go in and out of the space to get your coat or shoes, or if the closet has shelves, to get stored goods. And clothing and goods stored in a moldy closet can acquire mold growth along surfaces.

With very few exceptions, mold does not degrade wood, but wood-decaying fungi may be present if there’s been a long-term pipe leak in a wall or ceiling cavity, or frequent water intrusion from the exterior. If you see rotten or soft wood or even mushrooms in the closet, a contractor should evaluate the space, as structural repairs may be needed.

Where Might The Mold Be Growing in a Closet?

Mold grows in the dust on the floor and walls, especially in corners and the lower two feet of walls that face the exterior and thus are colder and have elevated relative humidity. Mold like this can be barely visible or can look like a collection of small oval, black or orange-yellow dots. Mold also grows on the invisible dust trapped in carpeting. Any of this mold growth can cause musty odors, but a closet can also be full of mold growth that has little or no odor. In cold climates, clothing on contact with exterior walls or shoes placed on a cold floor can get moldy. And of course, mold will grow on walls or ceilings, where there is water from a leak or from condensation on a window.

Why Is the Mold Growing There?

Paper, leather, cardboard, and clothing stored in closets, and dust on walls and the ceiling, or captured in carpeting, can all support mold growth if moisture is present. It’s impossible to remove all foods for mold from an environment, but it is possible to minimize moisture – both liquid water from leaks and water intrusion, and elevated relative humidity (some molds can grow when the relative humidity is in excess of 75 to 80%).