Soft furnishings soak up damp and are hard to clean. Here is what to try first, what usually has to go, and how to stop it coming back.
A musty sofa, a carpet with grey bloom at the edge, curtains with black spots at the hem. Mould in soft furnishings is harder to deal with than mould on a wall, because fabric holds moisture and the growth goes below the surface. The honest approach is to rescue what can be rescued, bin what cannot, and fix the damp that put it there, or the replacement will go the same way.
Wear a mask, gloves and goggles, keep doors shut and windows open, and try not to vacuum dry mould. Shampoo carpets and dry-clean clothes and curtains where you can, and expect to bin items that stay mouldy. Then find out why the area is damp. A dehumidifier helps with the air, but it will not clean the fabric.
GOV.UK guidance says mould can be removed from hard surfaces with an appropriate cleaning product, but that absorbent materials such as carpets, soft furnishings and ceiling tiles may have to be thrown away if they become mouldy, because it may be difficult or impossible to remove the mould completely. It also warns that removing carpets or wallpaper can lead to a significant release of mould spores where there is mould behind them.
Find out how far it goes before you touch anything. Photograph the area and look under and behind the item, since GOV.UK guidance lists the underside of carpets and the back of furniture among the places mould can hide. Wear a mask, gloves and goggles, shut the door of the room so spores do not spread, and open a window, as GOV.UK guidance advises. Castle Point Borough Council advises trying not to vacuum, because it may spread mould spores.
Castle Point Borough Council suggests dry-cleaning mildewed clothes and shampooing carpets, and trying not to vacuum because it may spread mould spores. Wash or dry-clean curtains and covers that the label allows, and dry them fully and outdoors if you can. If a mould and mildew product is used on hard surfaces, GOV.UK guidance prefers it to bleach, and says to leave the surface to dry completely.
If the mould is deep in a carpet, underlay, cushion or mattress, or it returns after cleaning, the item is probably finished. Test Valley Borough Council and GOV.UK guidance both say such items may have to be thrown away. Bag them before you carry them through the house. A large area of mould, or mould that keeps coming back, is a job for a professional cleaner.
Mould on fabric usually means the area is damp or cold. Work out whether you have condensation, a leak, or a cold wall behind furniture. Our guides on black mould in bedroom corners and rising, penetrating and condensation damp show how. Keep furniture a little away from outside walls so air can move. Once the cause is fixed, an owner-occupied home with a loft and persistent condensation may suit a loft-mounted Dryzen unit. One unit covers up to 150 m2 and extracts up to 12 litres a day, it helps keep humidity near 50-55%, and it is not suitable for rented homes unless the landlord authorises the changes. It will not clean mould that is already there.
Nothing about mould on soft furnishings is specific to Chatham, and we have not verified a local statistic, so we will not invent one. Judge your own room by what is damp and when. If you rent, report damp to your landlord in writing and keep photographs. See our local pages for Gillingham and Halling.
Sometimes. Castle Point Borough Council suggests shampooing carpets and dry-cleaning mildewed clothes, and trying not to vacuum because that may spread mould spores. GOV.UK guidance says absorbent materials such as carpets and soft furnishings may have to be thrown away, as it can be difficult or impossible to remove the mould completely.
GOV.UK guidance says the person removing mould should wear protective equipment such as a mask, gloves and goggles, shut the doors to stop spores spreading to other areas, and leave windows open during and after. It says larger areas should be left to qualified professionals.
No. A dehumidifier lowers the moisture in the air, which helps stop the conditions mould needs, but it does not remove mould that is already growing in fabric. Clean or replace the item, then deal with the damp that caused it.
Sources: GOV.UK: Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home; Castle Point Borough Council: Condensation advice; Test Valley Borough Council: Damp and mould in the home.
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