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Define Household Mildew & Mold

Mold and mildew are types of fungi that can live both indoors and outdoors. Some types of mold and mildew grow more easily in the household.

  1. Household Mold Definition

    • Mold refers to a variety of fungi found in the house and outside. Its appearance and texture can vary widely. Colors of household mold include black, green, red and blue. In the home, mold can grow on walls, ceilings, leather, wallpaper or food.

    Types of Household Mold

    • Common types of household mold include Cladosporium, Penicillium, Alternaria, Aspergillus.

    Household Mildew

    • According to the National Institutes of Health, mildew and mold are the same thing, but mildew is used to describe certain molds. Household mildews are usually found on showers, bathtubs, windowsills and other regularly moist surfaces. Mildew can also develop on clothes made of natural fabrics. It can be gray or white in color and fuzzy or powdery in texture.

    Conditions

    • According to the Centers for Disease Control, mold will grow in temperatures between 40 degrees F and 100 degrees F if mold spores find a surface with nutrients and moisture.

    Varieties

    • According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are as many as 300,000 varieties of mold.

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