Question: My question regards mold on books. I’ll try not to make this too long but I’m not sure how short it can be. Three questions:
- I found mold on books in my home and wiped it clean. It seems to have gone away and we feel fine. We do have allergies but these are due to the area we live in. It’s probably hard to say but….are we safe?
- I’m a comic book collector and I’m worried about the mold we found spreading to my comics. The mold is gone now and my books are not near the spot where the mold was found. Can my comics be in danger? I was told mold has a sweet smell….these comics seem to smell fine. It would be a shame to have to get rid of them.
- Another batch of comics I placed in storage does smell funny, though they were never wet while in storage and I don’t live in a humid environment (I live in California. It’s really hot and really dry, high humidity is rare). Should I be worried?
Sorry about all the questions, thanks for taking time to read this.
Answer: As you pointed out, it’s hard to say whether you’re save or not. I would suggest you consult a qualified local professional who may come to your home and assess the level of mold contamination and then recommend an appropriate level of mold remediation. Wiping out mold on books is a temporary solution if the underlying cause (moisture problem) is not addressed. If mold growth was extensive, it’s possible you’re inhaling millions of airborne fungal spores.
As for your second and third questions regarding the comics, I suggest you keep the books in a dry environment. Damp books will develop mold over time. Remember that mold produces chemicals (enzymes) that break down the material on which the mold is growing. So, eventually you may have to discard the books if they are badly damaged. Mold on books can be removed if the books are not damaged.
If you have further questions regarding mold on books please call 905-290-9101 in Ontario or 604-435-6555 in British Columbia.