How to safely remove mold in my Dubai apartment?« Back to Previous Page

The black patch behind your dresser is likely due to condensation from your AC unit meeting the warm, humid air that seeps in—a very common issue in Dubai apartments. For a patch that size, especially with health symptoms present, professional remediation is strongly advised to prevent spores from spreading during cleaning.

Do not attempt to clean it with bleach, as it only removes the surface colour and can worsen airborne spores. For your safety, isolate the area by closing the door and sealing the gap with tape if possible. Keep the AC off in that room until it's addressed.

The root cause is almost always excess moisture. In our climate, this is frequently due to poor ventilation or an AC unit set at a temperature that causes significant condensation on walls and behind furniture. Moving the dresser away from the wall and ensuring air can circulate is a critical first step to prevent recurrence.

Given the described size and your children's symptoms, a professional inspection is warranted. They will identify the exact mould species and moisture source, then contain the area during removal using HEPA filtration to capture spores. After remediation, the underlying cause—such as a leaking pipe, thermal bridging in the wall, or AC condensate drain issue—must be fixed.

For verification, always request a post-remediation clearance test from an independent third party to confirm the spore count has returned to acceptable indoor levels. This is the standard for ensuring the space is truly safe.