Should I clean black mold from AC leak or call maintenance?« Back to Previous Page

Stop using the AC unit immediately and turn off its circuit breaker. For a leak of unknown duration with visible black mold growth on porous materials like drywall and shoes, this is not a DIY clean-up. The high humidity you've described creates ideal conditions for mold to spread deep into building materials.

Call your building's maintenance immediately to stop the water source. However, standard maintenance teams are not equipped for mold remediation; their job is to fix the leak. In Dubai, the persistent humidity means that simply drying the area is insufficient—the mold colony itself must be addressed to prevent ongoing health risks and structural damage.

The best course of action is a professional inspection. An expert can assess the extent of the hidden damage inside the wall and closet structure, which is almost always worse than what is visible. They will use moisture meters and, if necessary, recommend a remediation plan that includes containment to prevent spores from spreading to other parts of your home during cleanup. For porous items like the shoes, professional assessment is needed to determine if they can be salvaged.