The most common household molds are typically found in damp, humid, or water-damaged areas like bathrooms, basements, kitchens, and behind walls. Here are the top types you’re most likely to encounter:
🔟 Most Common Household Molds
1. Cladosporium
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Color: Black, green, or brown
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Where: Wood, carpets, fabrics, HVAC vents
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Health Risks: Allergies, asthma symptoms, skin and eye irritation
2. Penicillium
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Color: Blue, green, or white
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Where: Water-damaged materials, insulation, carpets, wallpaper
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Health Risks: Allergies, sinus infections, respiratory issues
3. Aspergillus
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Color: White, green, or gray with dark spots
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Where: Dust, HVAC systems, walls, and food
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Health Risks: Allergies, lung infections (aspergillosis) in immunocompromised people
4. Stachybotrys chartarum ("Black Mold")
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Color: Slimy black or dark green
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Where: Water-damaged drywall, ceilings, and cellulose-rich materials
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Health Risks: Headaches, fatigue, coughing, memory issues, especially in sensitive individuals (though overhyped in media)
5. Alternaria
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Color: Dark green or brown with a velvety texture
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Where: Showers, windowsills, under sinks
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Health Risks: Common allergen, asthma trigger
6. Aureobasidium
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Color: Pink, brown, or black (often starts pink)
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Where: Behind wallpaper, caulking, painted surfaces
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Health Risks: Eye, skin, and nail infections
7. Chaetomium
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Color: White to gray, turning brown or black
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Where: Water-damaged drywall and paper products
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Health Risks: Skin and nail infections; more dangerous for immunocompromised
8. Fusarium
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Color: White, pink, or reddish
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Where: Wet carpets, fabrics, and wallpaper
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Health Risks: Skin infections, eye irritation, respiratory issues
9. Mucor
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Color: White or gray, fast-growing
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Where: HVAC ducts, damp carpet, flooded areas
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Health Risks: Can cause serious infections in lungs/sinuses of immunocompromised
10. Trichoderma
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Color: White with green patches
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Where: Damp wallpaper, carpet, air conditioning filters
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Health Risks: Some species produce mycotoxins; also degrades wood and building materials
⚠️ Signs of Mold Growth
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Musty odor
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Discoloration on walls or ceilings
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Peeling paint
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Chronic moisture/humidity
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Worsening allergies or respiratory symptoms indoors
✅ Prevention Tips
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Use dehumidifiers (keep humidity <50%)
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Fix leaks and water damage fast
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Ventilate bathrooms and kitchens
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Clean with mold-killing products (e.g., diluted vinegar, hydrogen peroxide)
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Replace porous materials that are mold-infested (drywall, carpet)
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