Carpet will often house mold after it has been exposed to water or even high humidity. When mold is found in the carpet the carpet can be treated and cleaned, but first the mold will need to be detected. Finding mold often happens when the mold has overtaken the carpet and you see black spots everywhere. However, during earlier development, mold will often give signs. American Hometown Services will share how to detect mold in the carpet and how to treat the mold.

Musty Mildew Smell

As mold develops, it releases small spores in the air that give off a musty scent. Unfortunately, mold develops slowly and releases its spores slowly. A human’s sense of smell will not often pick up the slow changes in the air, which means you may not notice the odor. Who will notice the change of odor though is often visitors. If a friend or a family member picks up on the musty odor, you should take the situation seriously as there is probably mold in your home and in the carpets.

Wet Carpet

Damp carpet is never a good sign unless it just got cleaned. Often when carpet stays damp for too long a period of time, mold will begin to develop. Most of the time the dampness may be coming from a leak under the floor or a leaky pipe in the wall which is running down into the floor and into the carpet. When you have a damp spot quickly determine the cause of the saturation. If you’re lucky it may have been due to a spilled drink. Make sure to remove the moisture quickly to prevent mold. However, if the carpet is damp for more than 24 hours, mold could already be developing in the fibers.

Poor Indoor Air Quality

Often the indoor air quality will take a major dive. Those with allergies and respiratory problems often find themselves suffering due to the spores from the mold. There are a number of reasons why the indoor air quality will decrease. The two major culprits are the HVAC system and the carpets. Mold especially can make people suffer more than simple pollen or dirt in the home. If you find yourself not getting relief from allergies inside you home it may because there is mold in the carpet.

Carpet Discoloration

Another major clue there is mold in the carpet is when it becomes discolored. Once you can see the discoloration, the mold is in advanced stages and is becoming increasingly hazardous. In most cases the discoloration will appear black. However, there are different species of mold that vary in color. The discoloration can appear brown, yellow and even pink.

How to Remove Mold from Carpet

If you are unsure if there is the presence of mold as it often starts underneath the carpet deep in the padding, you can get a mold testing kit. If the test comes back positive then open up all the windows in the home and contact a carpet cleaning service. You will want professional help when treating mold. Request carpet cleaning, but make sure to tell them that there is mold present and that the mold will need to be treated. There are aggressive cleaning agents that can kill and treat the mold.

Water Damage Restoration, Carpet Cleaning, Mold Remediation & More in Quincy, Macomb, Hamilton, Warsaw & East Alton Illinois | Hannibal, Missouri

If you detect mold in your carpet after water damage or are simply needing a professional carpet cleaning to help maintain your carpet and/or mold remediation services, contact American Hometown Services today.