The mold comes in many colors, with brown mold as one example. You have probably seen it everywhere, including at home. Sometimes, you might even mistake it as just dirt is gone unwiped for too long. Once you know, get rid of it for good.
Table of Contents
A. About Brown Mold
So, what is a brown mold? Its Latin name is Stemonitis. It is called a brown mold by its appearance. Brown and furry, this type of mold is not as toxic as the black one. Still, this does not mean you can take its existence lightly. People with low immune systems and respiratory problems tend to suffer more from it.
This type of mold is practically everywhere. You can find brown mold on the ceiling, which makes it hard to remove. The walls, especially in damp places like bathrooms, also tend to have them too. This what happens when you do not clean your house properly and more regularly.
Brown mold on walls is the easiest to clean up after the bathroom floor, especially the lower part of them. You can always notice it, especially when the weather cools off.
How to get rid of brown mold, though?
B. The Existence of Brown Mold
Of course, before working on the brown mold removal, we need to get to this part first. Earlier, we have known that ceilings and walls are prone to brown mold. Seeing brown mold in the bathroom is also a common problem, especially if you have left your house for too long.
When water gets under the floor tiles, that is when the mold starts to grow. The dampness is its favourite habitation. When you let that go on, there will be some damage to the sub-flooring. This is one good reason carpets are no good for bathrooms.
Besides the bathroom, this kind of mold can also be found in the kitchen. When it comes to the leak in your fridge and under the sink, beware. Although it only trickles, that is already a perfect domain for brown mold to grow. Besides wiping the spill, you also need to get rid of it.
Leaving the floor and wall molded with it can be dangerous for your health and environment too. The tiles will be rotten, and you need to replace them. This will cost you a fortune. It is the same thing with your health. Notice the signs before it gets way too long.
C. The Signs When the Mold Grows
There are two common signs when the mold grows. Either it is the brown mold or other types of it, it is the same. These two (2) signs are:
- There is a musty odour you can smell. The stronger the scent is, the closer you are to the source of its growth.
- If the mold grows inside your home, check out all hidden spots. There might be some damaged parts where insects crawl around.
Yucky, isn’t it? Therefore you need to take any mold seriously.
D. Other Types of Brown Mold Besides Stemonitis
Stemonitis is just one type of brown mold. In total found, there are nine of them. The rest of the eight (8) types of it are here:
1. Pithomyces
Normally, this type grows outdoor, especially in soil and on grass. However, that does not mean this cannot get in. Paper is their source of habitation. Sometimes, you can also see it on carpets tiles.
At first glance, pithomyces looks dark or brown and barrel-shaped. This can give you allergies.
2. Stachybotrys chartarum
Although it is known as black mold, sometimes it can also be dark brown. It has the strongest smell to other types of mold, with its thick mustiness you cannot ignore. It grows in wetter areas like a bathroom or anything flood-affected. It looks slimy and sometimes powdery too.
Although it mostly affects animals, Stachybotrys chartarum can also badly affect humans. Your allergic reactions may worsen.
3. Aerobasidium
When you first see it, you had better not touch it. Normally found behind wallpapers, its colour can vary. As it gets old, it can go from pink to dark brown and black.
This type of brown mold is dangerous to humans. Skin dermatitis is the worst case. It can also hurt your eyes and nails.
4. Bipolaris
Dark brown or black, this type of mold has filaments. It attacks your eyes, skin, and brain. Another lethal effect of this mold is how it damages crops. The Bengal famine in the 1940s is a scary example.
5. Cladosporium
The bad news about this mold is its flexible habitation. You can find Cladosporium in both indoors and outdoors. It can either look olive green, dark brown, or even black. When it is outdoors, it lives off plants. When it is indoors, you can find it in damp areas. It tends to grow faster during rain and after.
The damage it does is also fatal. You can get asthma and other respiratory problems. Your skin and nails can also be infected. In some cases, it can attack the lungs and cause sinuses.
6. Taeniolella
This one is dark brown and sometimes black, but rather shiny. It grows indoors, especially in wooded areas and wherever house plants are.
7. Chaetomium
This type of mold is very dangerous to humans. There are almost a hundred species of Chaetomium. It mostly grows outdoors from soil and dead plants’ debris. It can be olive green or dark brown.
This mold can also infect your nails and skin…badly. Onychomycosis (nail infection)and Phaeohyphomycosis (skin infection) are not what you want.
8. Alternaria
Watch out for this olive black or dark brown mold. Soft, velvety, and sometimes covered by wool, this can trigger your asthma and fever.
E. The Brown Mold Removal
Finally, how to get rid of brown mold. Removing the moisture and fixing the leaking pipes are the first two things. You can call for expert help to get this job done.
If you do this by yourself, use proper protection to avoid injury. Wearing a mask before scrubbing the brown mold off is important.