18 May Keeping Your Laundry Room Free of Mould

There’s nothing worse than a musty, mouldy laundry room; it’s the opposite of the hygienic, fresh space that you should be creating. At Hychem, we offer cleaning and sanitation solutions for all kinds of environments, and whilst we have a range of products to achieve this, we also believe that knowledge is power. So read on to find out more about making mould a thing of the past.

Breaking the Mould

The key to preventing mould from becoming a problem in your laundry room, is keeping it dry and clean. The two ingredients needed for mould formation are moisture and a food source (like dirt or cellulose), so make sure these stay at a minimum. Wash your laundry often, dry clothes straight away, maintain your appliances and use a dehumidifier.

Additionally, if you adhere to the following practices, you’ll keep mould far away from your laundry room.

• Wash laundry frequently. The dirt or food on clothes can provide a food source for mould. Moreover, piles of laundry can attract humidity, leading to mould growth, so don’t let your dirty laundry stack up.
• Dry washed clothes immediately. Damp clothes can become musty and spread mould spores into the laundry room. Don’t leave clothes inside the washing machine, and avoid storing them in plastic bags.
• Maintain your washer. Keep it as dry as possible and leave the lid open when not in use. Also check for potential leaks where the hoses connect to the washer, and ensure that the washer connections are attached properly. If your washer overflows, make sure you know how to handle washing machine overflows so that there’s as little spillage as possible.
• Maintain the dryer. Remove lint frequently so that moisture escapes through the vent unobstructed. Removing lint also helps prevent the risk of dryer fires. Additionally, make sure the dryer ventilation is correctly directed to face outside.
• Clean appliances regularly. Your washer, dryer and other machines also need regular cleaning so make a habit of following the cleaning instructions in the manufacturer’s guide. Don’t let moisture, debris and grime build up in your appliances.
• Use a dehumidifier. This device helps control the amount of moisture in the air, preventing mould but not actually killing it. For a mould-free environment, keep the humidity levels at between 30 and 50 percent.
• Ventilate your laundry room properly. The simplest way to ventilate your laundry room is to open windows and doors when the washer and dryer are running. Using a powered fan also helps.
• Place desiccants in the laundry room. Those silica gel packets you get with your purchases can come in handy. Not only do they keep product packages dry, they’ll also make a difference in your laundry room if you place them in areas prone to mould growth.
• Control the temperature of basement laundries. This room is notorious for mould growth as it experiences frequent leaks, so keeping the temperature and moisture under control is essential.

And finally, remember to act fast. If you see mould in your laundry room, then remove it immediately. Mould spreads rapidly, posing health risks and causing potential structural damages.

If you have any more queries, or a mould situation that needs assessing, then contact us and we’ll send over an expert to advise you on the best way to remove and prevent mould growth.