What Does Black Mold Smell Like?

Black mold is one of the most dangerous forms of mold growth you can have inside your house. Stachybotrys chartarum or S. atra is a type of fungus, which grows in moist, damp places in the house. Toxic black mold not only ruins the aesthetic beauty of your house, but it also poses several health hazards to the occupants in the house. Black mold has a peculiar musty smell which announces the mold growth long before you can actually see it. It is such a deadly form of fungus that many people choose to vacate their homes, when none of the mold remediation methods works. It is important to know how it smells as it can be of great help in detecting the presence of mold at earliest. This may allow you to take remediation measures before the growth spreads to other parts of home.

What Does Black Mold Smell Like

Black mold, being a fungus, carries out certain functions like excretion. They thrive on organic material on the surface of walls, under carpets, behind drywall, inside insulation etc. Their excreted product is what gives a peculiar 'moldy' smell to a room. To some people black mold smells like rotting wood or paper, while some report it as smelling like cedar or dirty wet socks. In any case, wet, musty, stale are some of the adjectives that best describe the smell of black mold.

Black mold detection is very much possible by this peculiar smell. Whenever the air you are breathing smells like stale air in spite of open windows, you should immediately look for signs of mold growth. Often, your nose will react even before you can smell anything. Sneezing, irritation inside nose are some of the signs of possible mold growth. When the mold grows large enough to be seen, you can see ugly, black patches on the surface. The room where mold growth is present, smells different from other rooms. You can smell something damp and stale in the air. Interestingly, people become used to this musty smell pretty quickly. This may prevent any early attempts of mold remediation as home owners do not take any measures unless they witness how mold has ruined their home.

How to Eliminate Black Mold Smell

Black mold smell can be removed only when all the mold spores in the room are eliminated. You can get rid of mold with bleach solution. However, this method works only for mold growth in smaller, confined places. Scrub off loose mold spores from the surface with a wire brush. Collect the mold spores in a plastic bag, seal it and dispose it off. Vacuum the room, so that loose spores do not enter other rooms. You can even consider isolating this room from the rest of the house by using plastic sheets and masking tape, so that mold spores do not fly off. Clean the infested area with bleach solution. Allow it to dry on the surface for some time, before rinsing it off with water. Let the area dry completely, as dampness may further encourage mold growth. If you have a very heavy mold infestation inside the house, it is best to call professional mold remediation services.

To eradicate the problem of mold forever, prevent any seepage of water in the house. Check all the plumbing lines and fix them, if found faulty. Ensure proper ventilation in the house. Allow ample sunlight in the room, as light and heat kill mold spores. Keep the windows open at least for some time of day, so that fresh air enters the room and minimizes the smell to some extent.