Could mold on winter clothes cause my kids' coughing?« Back to Previous Page

Yes, mold on stored clothes can absolutely be the cause of your children's persistent coughing. The damp, earthy smell confirms active growth, and disturbing these items releases spores and mycotoxins into your home's air, which are direct respiratory irritants. Children are particularly susceptible to these airborne particles.

In Dubai's climate, this is a common issue. Storage areas like under-stair cupboards are prone to condensation due to high humidity and constant AC use creating temperature differentials. The mold likely grew on the clothes due to this trapped moisture, not because the items were dirty.

The safest approach is to not attempt a large-scale clean yourself, as this will aerosolize a massive amount of spores and likely worsen their symptoms. For a small number of items, you can take them outside immediately, seal them in a plastic bag for disposal, and wash unaffected clothes in hot water. However, given the description ("bunch of them," "whole area"), this appears extensive.

For this level of contamination, professional assessment is strongly advised. They will contain the area to prevent spores spreading to the rest of your home, use HEPA filtration to capture airborne particles during removal, and safely dispose of the heavily contaminated materials. They can also identify and rectify the source of the moisture, which is critical to preventing recurrence. The goal is to remove the material without exposing your family to more spores. After remediation, a thorough cleaning of the entire storage area and improving its ventilation will be necessary.