Could mold in clothes be causing our coughs and headaches?« Back to Previous Page

Yes, the mold on your clothes and the damp smell are very likely causing your children's persistent coughs and headaches. The symptoms you describe are classic indicators of mold exposure, which irritates the respiratory system. The storage room environment in a Jumeirah villa—often closed up, dark, and subject to humidity from our coastal climate—is a perfect breeding ground for mold, especially after a long summer absence when air circulation stops.

The safest approach requires immediate action but also caution. Do not attempt to clean heavily molded, porous items like blankets and jackets yourself. Disturbing them will release a high concentration of spores into the air, potentially worsening your family's symptoms and spreading the problem. For non-valuable items, sealing them in plastic bags and disposing of them is the safest option.

The priority is identifying the source of the moisture in that room. It could be a hidden plumbing leak, condensation from an AC duct, or humidity seeping through walls. Simply cleaning the visible mold without fixing the moisture problem guarantees it will return.

For a situation of this scale with health symptoms already present, a professional inspection is strongly advised. They can use moisture meters and thermal imaging to find the hidden water source and assess the full extent of the growth within walls or under flooring. They will also safely contain the area during remediation to prevent cross-contamination to the rest of your home. A reputable inspector will provide a detailed report with lab analysis to confirm the mold type and the scope of work needed, which is essential for any remediation company to address it correctly.