What kinds of mold are dangerous?

6 Types of Harmful Mold That May Be Lurking in Your Home

Stachybotrys. Commonly referred to as “black mold,” stachybotrys is one of the most dangerous types of mold and can cause flu-like symptoms, diarrhea, headaches, memory loss and severe respiratory damage.
Chaetomium.
Aspergillus.
Penicillium.
Fusarium.
Alternaria.

Similarly, you may ask, what kind of mold is dangerous in a house?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most common indoor molds are cladosporium, penicillium, alternaria and aspergillus. Stachybotrys chartarum, often called toxic mold, is rare. This heavy, dense, black mold is most often caused by a long-term moisture problem.

Also Know, how can you tell if mold is dangerous? 7 Signs You Might Have Toxic Mold In Your Home

There's A Smell. One of the first things you might notice is a musty smell.
You Have A Chronic Cough. "Toxic black mold can cause respiratory-related health problems," says Weitz.
You Have Skin Rashes.
You Are Having Trouble Focusing.
You Feel Fatigued.
The Walls Are Discolored.
You See Stains.

Hereof, what color mold is the most dangerous?

Cladosporium. Cladosporium is a very common mold and is one that falls into the most dangerous mold category. This genus comes in green, brown, gray, or black colors and is comprised of around 40 species.

What mold is dangerous to breathe?

There is no scientific evidence to suggest that exposure to S. chartarum is more dangerous than exposure to any other type of mold. However, some people may be more sensitive to mold spores than others, and they may develop respiratory symptoms after inhaling even a small number of spores.

37 Related Question Answers Found

Can you live with mold in your house?

It can live outdoors or indoors, any time of year, as long as it has a damp, warm environment. All it needs to thrive is humidity. Due to their high levels of moisture, bathrooms and basements are the most likely rooms in a home to harbor mold, but mold can grow anywhere – including your bedroom.

Does bleach kill black mold?

Killing Black Mold with Bleach on a hard, non-porous surface will kill nearly any type of mold spore(s) that it comes in contact with. Eliminating Black Mold with Bleach is also very inexpensive and readily available.

Is it safe to live in a house with black mold?

If you find black mold on your property, there's no need to panic. But black mold presents more health risks to sensitive groups like those with respiratory conditions or immune conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), black mold spores can generate cold- or flu-like symptoms such as: Stuffy nose.

How do you know it's black mold?

To tell if black mold may be growing in your home, just follow your nose. A musty, earthy smell, like dirt and rotting leaves, is a telltale sign of mold's presence. Stachybotrys smells especially strong. All molds need food, water and a dark, stagnant environment with temperatures that neither freeze nor boil to grow.

Does Lysol kill mold?

Lysol Effectiveness

Lysol makes a mold and mildew remover that contains bleach. This solution will kill both mold and mildew upon contact. However, it is impossible to remove mold from areas where the mold has begun to visibly decay the item.

What is the difference between mold and black mold?

Mildew usually turns black or brown over time; Mold is usually fuzzy or slimy in appearance. It appears as irregularly shaped spots that can have different colors – blue, green, yellow, brown, gray, black, or white. Oftentimes, surfaces that are covered in mold begin to rot.

Can I remove black mold myself?

Wear a respirator or a facemask rated for black mold spore protection, and cover arms, legs and hands to avoid contact with mold spores. Use soap and a sponge to remove visible mold. If the moldy area is dry, lightly spray with water, as this will reduce the incidence of airborne mold spores during cleaning.

Can mold be scrubbed off?

Scrub moldy surfaces with mold cleaner

water and 1/2 cup bleach mold cleaner to kill the mold. Use a soft brush and work until signs of the mold disappear. After scrubbing the surfaces, simply allow the bleach solution to continue to penetrate the surfaces and dry. Wipe off, but DO NOT RINSE these surfaces.

What color is mold on wood?

Splotches of varying hues of green and green-grey in darkened, damp recesses are a certain indication of green mold. Green mold also commonly grows alongside molds of varying types, like black or pink mold. Wood is a primary target for mold. Wooden floors, ceiling beams, and walls can host green mold colonies.

Is wood mold dangerous?

Mold can be seen as a fuzzy or discolored layer on the surface of wood. High concentrations of mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. The particular concern over the “toxic” molds is due to the fact that these molds can produce mycotoxins – special chemicals that may be poisonous.

How much black mold can kill you?

The short answer for most healthy people is no, black mold won't kill you and is unlikely to make you sick. However, black mold can make the following groups sick: very young people.

Which is worse black mold or white mold?

White mold sometimes is considered mildew, although mildew typically is powdery and actually is an early stage of mold. Black mold or Stachybotrys chartarum often is referred to as toxic mold; however, not all mold that is black in color is Stachybotrys chartarum.

What does toxic mold look like?

Stachybotrys mold is dark greenish or black in color and has a slimy texture. Stachybotrys is sometimes called “toxic mold” because it produces mycotoxins that cause severe health problems to those who have been exposed to it.

What kind of mold is purple?

More often than not, purplish mold is either Phanerochaete Crassa or Gibberella, with the latter closely associated to the toxic pink mold Fusarium known to produce mycotoxins. The Phoma glomerata is also another type of mold that can be purple in color, although it is less dangerous than the other two types of mold.

Will vinegar kill mold?

White vinegar is a mild acid that is known to kill roughly 82 percent of mold species, and it can even help prevent mold outbreaks in the future. Pour plain, white distilled vinegar into a spray bottle. Because mold is such a resilient force, it's best not to dilute the vinegar.

What does black mold look like on walls?

Black mold often appears as slimy and greenish-black. If its water source runs out, black mold can also appear as dry and powdery. Black mold is also dangerous because it's sometimes difficult to distinguish from other species of mold.

How do you know if mold is behind drywall?

As such, if you spot water stains on your walls, then it is likely that there's mold growing behind them. Water stains can be yellow or brown in color, so look out for such colors on your wall. If the spots are damp, then that's an obvious sign of moisture problems as well.