Mold in closet: clean myself or call professionals?« Back to Previous Page

In Dubai's climate, high humidity often leads to condensation in closets against exterior walls, especially when storing clothes that trap moisture. A small patch is often manageable yourself, but the presence of symptoms and the location require careful action.

For a patch smaller than one square foot, you can clean it. Do not use bleach, as it doesn't kill the roots and its moisture can feed regrowth. Instead, use a dedicated mold remover or a solution of distilled white vinegar. Wear an N95 mask, gloves, and goggles. Scrub the area, let it dry completely, and address the moisture source—this is critical. Improve ventilation in the closet and consider a dehumidifier or desiccant bags to manage humidity.

However, given that your children have been coughing for weeks, the visible mold might not be the only source. Mold can grow inside wall cavities due to a small leak or condensation that you cannot see. The coughing suggests potential spore dispersal in the air, which a surface clean won't resolve.

A professional inspection is recommended in this case. They use moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras to find hidden dampness and air sampling to identify spore types and concentration levels. This is important for health context, as some species are more irritating than others. Since we operate our own microbiology lab, we can confirm that species identification is a key step in these scenarios to understand the risk fully. The goal is to find and fix the root cause, not just the visible symptom, to prevent recurrence and safeguard your indoor air quality.