How do I get rid of white mold forever?

Created: 01/03/2022, 12:40 PM

By: Janine Napirca

White mold on bread looks like cotton candy, but it is harmful to your health.

© McPHOTO / B.

Leitner / Imago

White mold can appear on food, but also on furniture.

Read here how to remove and prevent white mold.

Which is worse - white or black mold?

Just like black mold, white mold can also be

.

It usually arises from spoiled

that should then no longer be eaten.

Unless they are special

.

At Camembert, Saint-André, Chaource and Saint Albray, white mold is used in a controlled manner for production and is also used for

.

White mold is not always dangerous, however.

It is used to refine white mold cheeses such as Camembert, Saint-André, Chaource and Saint Albray.

© Whitestorm / Imago

White mold can also form

on

or in rooms with

.

For example

, white mold that looks

can appear

,

but also

.

Also read

How dangerous is white mold really?

There are many different molds that appear white.

Not all are equally dangerous.

There are these types of white mold:

• Geotrichum

  candidum

  : As already mentioned, there are white mold cheeses on which the white mold is used for refinement.

  Geotrichum candidum is used for the production of cheese rind and for cheese maturation.

  Fermented milk is also produced by cultures of this white mold.

  The white mold also occurs in the soil and on fruit and vegetables and can lead to allergies if it grows uncontrollably.

• Penicillium

  citrinum

  : The white mold, which looks like cotton candy due to its fur-like surface, mainly attacks citrus fruits.

  But even grains and spices are not safe from this harmful type of mold.

  Because Penicillium citrinum produces citrinine.

  The toxin is very harmful to the kidneys.

• Botrytis

  cinerea

  : This white mold also occurs on fruits such as strawberries or grapes.

  If its color is initially rather white, the mold later turns brown or ash gray.

  Hence the naming (lat.

  Cinis

  - dt. 'Ash').

• Microascus brevicaulis

  also

  Scopulariopsis brevicaulis

  : The white mold occurs both on the ground and on wood.

  But it can also be found on straw or food.

  The downy to powdery mold can lead to skin and nail infections.

• Acremonium

  : This type of mold also has a fluffy to powdery consistency.

  Together with other types of mold such as Strachybotrys, Acremonium occurs on damp walls and can cause bone and heart diseases in previously ill people.

Also

White mold or salt efflorescence?

What does white mold look like? Since there are many different types of white mold, the appearance of white mold is also different. Sometimes it looks more

, sometimes its consistency is

. It can also happen that white mold mixes with green, gray, or black mold, or that the mold changes color over time. If there are white stains or efflorescence on your wooden furniture or walls, it doesn't necessarily have to be white mold. Other causes can be:

• Salt efflorescence

  : although they indicate a moisture problem in the masonry, they are not hazardous to health.

  Because every building contains salts that crystallize when they come into contact with water or moisture.

• Saltpeter

  : In contrast to white mold, small crystals also form on the wall with saltpeter.

• Lime

  : comes about through a reaction between cement and carbon dioxide.

  On paving stones, on the terrace or on concrete facades, the cement stone in the concrete and the carbon dioxide in the air can cause lime efflorescence.

  It doesn't look nice, but it is harmless.

• Real

  dry rot

  : eats its way into wood and impairs the load-bearing capacity of important building elements, but it is not a mold.

  However, you still have to act quickly in the event of dry rot and have the affected components repaired by a specialist.

Read

Removing white mold - this is how you get rid of it

If only small areas are affected by the mold, you can

mold yourself .

For example, on the wall, on wood or on furniture, you can remove white mold either with mold spray that contains alcohol or hydrogen peroxide or with denatured alcohol.

However, if the infestation is more extensive, you can no longer remove the mold and spores yourself.

You should hire an

to remove the white mold for you.

Can you prevent white mold?

In order to effectively prevent white mold on the wall or on furniture in the long term, correct ventilation to ensure optimal

be-

and end-

exchanges the air and effectively prevents white mold. Even

Ventilation is extremely important

in the bathroom or

in the kitchen.

If you

want to prevent

white mold in

,

and

ideal for

preventing

mold spores from growing.

Sooner or later, however, food spoils.

It therefore helps to shop more consciously and with foresight in order to avoid food waste.