Dust or mold? How to tell the difference
A fluffy, light layer on surfaces can be either dust or, in the worst case, mold. How do you tell the difference?
A layer of dust quickly accumulates on books, textiles or other materials. However, it doesn't always have to be dust. This is because mould spores also settle on surfaces and can form a slight fluff in a certain number. In contrast to dust, you must act as quickly as possible in the event of a mold infestation and remove the fungus. But how can you distinguish dust from mold?
Dust or mold?
First of all, it is important to know that mold spores with numerous other particles naturally float in the air - and thus also in living spaces. And these particles are also deposited on surfaces after a certain time. This means that mold spores (especially of the critical genus Aspergillus) can also be found in a layer of dust.
Especially in warm and humid rooms, dust (including dust mites) and mold spores accumulate more often. If the dust is then quickly removed along with the mold spores, that's no problem. If this is not the case, the spores can attach themselves and eat into the material thanks to the ideal conditions. Then the fungus can spread further and further and cause correspondingly serious damage.
If you run the vacuum cleaner over the padded layer on a low setting and it is (almost) completely gone, it will probably have been dust. In addition, you can smell the layer carefully and very briefly. Mold usually exudes a very musty, unpleasant odor.
In some cases, the dust can also be very stubborn and not so easy to remove. Then you can use the contact test to find out whether it is mold or dust (see below).
How can I test if it's mold?
With the test strip method (contact test) you can see whether the deposit is already mold or just dust. This involves using a test strip to take a swab from the surface that you think is mold. The test strip then measures how many mold spores are on the sample. The result will be displayed to you after a few minutes.
Can dust cause mold?
Mold spores are also found in the dust (see above). However, in order for this to develop into a dangerous mold, the conditions must be right. Although mould does not need light or oxygen to grow and thrive, the substrate and also the external conditions (moisture) must be right. The mold then uses house dust as a source of food. Although the nutrients it contains are low, the amount is still sufficient for the mushroom to grow and thrive.
What does mold look like in the home?
If there is mold in the home, you can usually recognize it by black (how to recognize black mold) or brown spots on the walls or objects. However, there is also white mold. It is not obvious at first glance that it is really mold (more on this in this article).
If mould spreads in your house or apartment, you must act immediately. Find the cause and have the spores professionally and completely removed by a specialist company. Especially if the infestation is more than half a square metre in size, you should call in experts immediately, advises the consumer advice centre NRW e. V.
Mould in/on the walls is often caused by inadequate ventilation and heating. But structural damage also increases the risk of mold.
Mold or fogging: How do I tell the difference?
Black discoloration of walls is not uncommon. It does not always have to be mold. In some cases, it can also be black dust that has accumulated on the surface. In contrast to black mold, Magic Dust, as black dust is also called, is not so dangerous to health. The deposits include particles from cleaning agents, furnishings or building materials.
In addition, aerosols and dust also settle in the same places due to thermophoresis (movement of particles due to temperature fluctuations (cold bridge)). This forms a dark sticky layer that looks like mold at first glance. The phenomenon is also known as fogging. (You can learn more about fogging in this article here.)
You can find out the difference with the help of a mold test. Another clue is that you can easily remove mold in the early stages with a soft, damp cloth. Since the black dust is very sticky, it does not succeed. And even if the dark surface spreads strongly within a few hours – especially in winter – it is probably fogging rather than mold infestation.
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Result
There are also mold spores in the dust. If the external circumstances (especially moisture) are right, the dust layer can quickly form a mold that eats into the material and spreads strongly. You can distinguish dust from mold by, for example, carrying out a mold test. The smell can also help to distinguish mold from dust. However, if you are unsure, you should always ask a specialist company for advice.