Shield Your Closets From Mold in Four Simple Steps

Mold is never fun to have in your house. It’s tough to remove, leaves a nasty smell, and can quickly spread. The effects are worse if mold gets inside your custom closets. However, there are plenty of ways to protect your closets from mold.

Follow these steps to keep your closets mold-free:

• Ensure the items in your closets are dry
• Allow air to flow
• Remove bad odors
• Use cleaning tools and remedies to scrub away mold

Continue reading to learn more about how to arm yourself against closet mold for good.

All that mold needs to survive is moisture. The most common areas in a house where mold can develop are the kitchen, basement, bathrooms, and drywall. You’ll also see it near pipes or air ducts if they leak. 

If you live near a large body of water, the humidity and moisture in the air can accelerate the growth of mold. Additionally, flooding also tends to be an unwelcome host for mold. Since it takes a few days for the air and floors to dry, mold can accumulate over that time.

Periodically, check your house for leaks and fix any present ones immediately! Even a tiny leak can result in a moldy mess.

Your closets are a small section of your home, or in some instances, a big section. Either way, the air in those spaces has a tendency to get damp more easily, especially if you store wet items in them.

After washing your clothes, ensure that they are fully dry before putting them away. Damp clothes add moisture to the air, especially in tight spaces. Dirt, along with dampness, gives mold more “food” to feast on and grow.

Also, be mindful of how you store your clothes. Think about what items need to be hung up versus folded on a shelf. For the sake of prevention, the former is much better than the latter; your clothes will have more room for proper airflow if they are hung up.

What you don’t want to do is store your clothes in bins. Because the dampness might still be present in your clothes, mildew may develop. Mildew turns into mold if left unchecked. That messes up your clothes and stinks up the air in your closet once you open the container. 

If the mildew smell gets too bad, your clothes could get ruined. Case in point, keep your closets dry no matter what!

One hard and fast rule to follow is, avoid storing clothes in sealed bins at all costs. The key reason for this? Lack of airflow! When something or the air of a small area is damp, you need to air it out. There’s no airflow in a container. 

The same logic applies to closets as well. Many closets don’t have vents, meaning ventilation isn’t possible when the doors are closed. Of course, your closet could have a small air vent, which is great as long as it doesn’t leak. 

Better Homes and Goods suggests bringing in a dehumidifier to decrease the moisture level as much as possible. Do this especially during the intense heat of summer and the harsh cold of winter.

Bad smells from your closet don’t mean that there’s mold, but it does let you know that mold could develop.  Prevent mold from growing by targeting the source of the smell. You can easily do this by cleaning out your closets completely and "smell as you go."

It could be anything: a leak in the walls, dirty clothing, filthy shoes, or the aftermath of outside weather. The foul smells can remain for a while if the items causing the smell are left untreated too long.

If you do discover traces of mold in your closet, don't panic. You can easily remove them with a couple of common household products.

Note: Even if you are removing a tiny spot of mold, it's always best to wear rubber gloves and have a hard-bristled brush handy, say the experts at The Spruce.

Baking soda is one of the best tools for cleaning. It absorbs smells and helps with scrubbing. The acidity in vinegar is strong enough to remove dirt, dissolve grease, and kill bacteria. Paired together, the two make a fantastic cleaning team!

Start by mixing some baking powder, vinegar, and water until it makes a paste. Next, spread the paste on the molded areas. Give it a few minutes to dry. Then, take a damp rag to scrub the mold away. Repeat this until all the mold is gone. 

Note: Before applying any type of substance to your closet, make sure that it is absolutely empty!

The juice from a lemon fights hard to remove dirt, stains, and mold. It also has a much nicer aroma. Hunker.com provides a simple recipe featuring this well-known ingredient.

Grab a spray bottle and add "half lemon juice and half water." Spray it on the mold, let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub the surface clean with warm soap and water.

Essential oils are a relaxing tool to relieve you of headache pain, reduce stress levels, improve sleep, and boost overall wellness. They also help protect against mold and mildew. 

Tea tree oil is one of the best for combating mold and mildew because of its antifungal properties. Using it alongside one of the previously mentioned home remedies eliminates foul odors more effectively. 

There’s one thing to keep in mind. Essential oils won’t clean up mold. However, they will “purify” the air so the mold won’t spread. Use them after scrubbing down your closet surfaces.

After reading this article, hopefully, you feel more confident about taking the necessary steps to keep your closets mold-free.  Simply keep your closets and the air inside of them dry, maintain proper airflow, and if needed, take advantage of some DIY cleaning tips.