My Mattress Has Mold, Please Help!

April 11, 2019

Help Mold is growing on my mattress.

The presence of mold on a mattress is not only unsettling, but it also poses a health risk.

It's important to take prompt action if you suspect mold in your mattress because this pest is sneaky and can quickly spread.

Unfortunately, mold doesn't require much to grow, so even the cleanest homes can get infested.

Have you ever wondered, "What Is the Difference Between Mold and Mould?"

The Mold on My Mattress: Why?

Mold only requires dimness, warmth, and moisture, as we discussed in our previous post. The standard American home is pretty much always like this, unfortunately.

Some people perspire more heavily than others while sleeping, and this moisture can collect in your mattress or under it, creating an ideal environment for mold growth.

Most mattresses are made out of foam, either latex or memory foam, and the millions of tiny air pockets and open cells in the foam are perfect breeding grounds for mold.

Further complicating matters, you almost never see the underside of your mattress.

Mattress mold can go undetected for weeks because most people only see it when they change their sheets once a month. The prevalence of mattress covers also reduces owners' chances of frequent contact with the mattress's top layer.

Due to these conditions, the mattress is an ideal environment for mold to flourish in.

In this [caption id="attachment_3087" align="aligncenter" width="600"]

Moldy stains on a mattress's fabric

Can You Spot Mattress Mold?

You may not always be able to spot mold on your mattress if you don't inspect it regularly.

Consider the following potential warning signs:

• Mold and mold spores emit a strong, musty odor. Some people say that the smell of mold is similar to that of wet socks or rotting wood.
• Overexposure to mold on a mattress (if there is mold) is a potential health concern because the average person spends 8 hours or more in bed each night. ) Because of the negative effects of mold on human health, you may have noticed a problem. Headaches, stuffy nose, fatigue, and itchy eyes and skin are typical early warning signs of mold exposure. But if they get out of the infected area, whether it's to go to work or another room in the house, the symptoms will subside.
• It will be obvious to the naked eye when mold has grown, so watch for that. Mold on a mattress will have a distinctive appearance, unlike any other kind of stain or mark. Spots that look like pink or black fluff will appear on the surface of growths.

Caption id: [caption id: attachment_3711 align:aligncenter width:600]

Photo of mold growing on a mattress, courtesy of Protective Technology, our Australian distributor.

To illustrate: [caption id="attachment_3105" align="aligncenter" width="600"]

Mildew on the back of the crib mattress protector

Picture for attachment 1832, centered and 600px wide.

When subjected to the ASTM G21 antifungal test, mattress foam was found to be effective.

Invasive Species: How to Clean a Mattress

If you discover mold in your mattress, you must take immediate action. The longer mold is allowed to grow, the more of a chance it will have to spread and infest your mattress.

A mold problem that is ignored for too long can eventually become irreversible, leaving you with no choice but to replace the affected item.

If you notice mold on your mattress, you can get rid of it in five simple steps:

1. Completely vacuum both sides of the mattress. As soon as you're done, empty the dust catcher on your vacuum to prevent the mold spores it collected from spreading throughout your home.
2. In a disposable container, combine equal parts of rubbing alcohol and warm water. Scrub the moldy section of the mattress with a damp cloth dipped into the solution and thoroughly wrung out. Scrub with a lot of force and in a circular motion. You should investigate beyond the area where mold is obviously present.
3. Use a fresh, wrung-out cloth and warm water to re-rinse the damp spot. If you don't want to promote mold growth on the mattress, make sure to thoroughly wring out these cloths.
4. Spray the entire mattress evenly with a disinfectant solution designed for your mattress's material.
5. Move your bed to a spot with lots of airflow and sunlight (the backyard, if possible). The mattress can dry out completely here without developing any further mold (since sunlight kills mold). )

Tips for Future Avoidance

Here are some additional guidelines for avoiding future mold growth:

• Invest in a dehumidifier and place it in your bedroom. Keeping the bedroom's humidity levels low with a dehumidifier will help to prevent future mold growth, as mold prefers damp environments.
• The use of a bedroom air purifier is recommended. The use of an air purifier in the bedroom will help to both clean the air and increase circulation. A properly configured air purifier can eliminate mold spores from the air, halting their potentially dangerous spread.
• When you leave, don't shut off the ventilation system. While away from their homes, many people turn off their HVAC systems, fans, dehumidifiers, and air purifiers. To help prevent mold growth in the future, leave air-circulating devices on at safe, timed intervals.
• Make sure the mattress's base can breathe. An investment in a slatted bed base will promote healthy air circulation around the entire bed, not just the top. Slatted bed bases, as opposed to traditional box springs or flat top bases, will help to prevent the growth of mold on the underside of your mattress.

Preventing Mattress Mold with Ultra-Fresh

When it comes to stopping the smells, stains, and wear and tear that bacteria, mold, and mildew can cause, nothing beats the Ultra-Fresh line of antimicrobial treatments.

The manufacturing process incorporates Ultra-Fresh into the final product. Bedding components include but are not limited to the following: mattress foam, fabric, adhesives, feathers, and down. mold and mildew find it a much less tasty source of sustenance

This prevents the development of odorous and unsightly stains by inhibiting the growth of microorganisms.

Proof of Antimicrobial Protection Example

In the images below, you can see how antimicrobial additives in mattress foam improve things. Mold and mildew can grow in foam if the right conditions are met, such as when moisture is trapped inside a mattress.

The AATCC Method 30, Section III, was used to evaluate both samples of foam. Aspergillus niger was used in the experiments.

A good example: [caption id="attachment_1729" align="alignright" width="350"]

The use of Ultra-Fresh in mattress foam

Attachment #3091 (alignleft, 350px) [caption id="attachment_3091" width="350"]

Blankets made of untreated foam

After 7 days in an incubator, fungi grow abundantly in the untreated mattress foam.

However, after the same amount of time, the Ultra-Fresh treated foam sample shows no signs of mold growth.

The unseen parts are kept clean and odor-free by antimicrobial treatments.