Your laundry room rates high priority for mold and mildew prevention. In terms of fungal growth factors, it offers everything: excess humidity, warmth, condensation and the potential for water leakage. Once triggered, mold and mildew are unsightly and destructive to surfaces where they grow. They're also a source of airborne spores which may cause allergic reactions and chronic illness in some individuals. Preventing contamination is preferable to eliminating it after it's gained a foothold. Here are some laundry room-specific tips for mold and mildew prevention:
- Use hot water only when necessary. Hot water and high spin speed settings increase the volume of water vapor emitted by a washing machine. This may raise room humidity into the mold-friendly range as well as forming mildew.
- Remove clothes and begin drying as soon as the washing machine finishes. An idle washer full of wet clothes contributes humidity to the air. Mildew can actually begin forming on wet clothes while they're waiting in the washer.
- Inspect washer water supply hoses. Look for leaks or seepage as well as cracked or suspect hoses. No amount of leakage or hose deterioration is acceptable as a ruptured washer hose can release hundreds of gallons of water and trigger widespread mold contamination. Consider replacing rubber hoses with more reliable braided stainless steel lines.
- Maintain the dryer. A dryer vents water vapor equivalent to two to three gallons of water during each drying cycle. Clean the lint filter before every use. Dryers should exhaust to the exterior of the house through intact vent pipe, preferably metal. Check the dryer vent pipe twice a year for lint accumulation that inhibits exhaust, as well as leaks that allow water vapor and heat to escape indoors.
- Consider installing a powered vent fan. To reduce accumulating humidity and heat in the laundry room, a vent fan installed in the wall vents moist, warm air directly outside. Ceiling vent fans utilize a dedicated duct and vent to the roof.
Stay on top of mold and mildew prevention in the laundry room with these simple tips.
