MoldHelpUSA
Mold in a closet usually comes down to air that does not move and a wall or floor that stays damp. Closets are small, often closed, and packed with fabric, cardboard, and leather, all of which feed mold. Small amounts on a painted wall or a few clothes are a cleaning job. Mold that comes back, a stained or soft wall, or a closet that shares a wall with a bathroom or water heater can mean a hidden leak.
Why closets grow mold
- No airflow. A closed door and tightly packed clothes keep damp air in place.
- Exterior walls. In cold weather, a closet on an outside wall can be cool enough for condensation to form behind clothes and boxes.
- Shared walls. A closet next to a bathroom, laundry, water heater, or air conditioning closet can get water from a leak inside the wall.
- Damp items. Clothes put away damp, wet shoes, gym bags, and towels.
- High humidity. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally 30 to 50 percent. Closets are often the most humid part of a room.
- Homes that sat closed. In humid places, a house left with the air conditioning off for weeks often shows mold in closets first. That is a common call in seasonal homes in Naples and Boca Raton, and after summer power outages, as in Houston.
Signs of mold in a closet
- A musty smell when you open the door; see musty smell in the house
- White, gray, green, or black spots on the back wall, the baseboard, or the ceiling
- White or fuzzy spots on clothes, shoes, belts, or leather bags
- Cardboard boxes that feel soft or smell
- Paint that bubbles or drywall that feels soft, especially low on the wall
How to clean mold in a closet without spreading spores
For small areas, under about 10 square feet by the EPA's guideline:
- Protect yourself. Wear an N-95 respirator, gloves, and goggles. Keep the bedroom door closed and, if you can, put a fan in the window blowing out.
- Empty the closet carefully. Put affected clothes and items into plastic bags inside the closet before carrying them out, so spores are not shaken through the house.
- HEPA-vacuum. Vacuum the walls, shelves, and floor with a vacuum that has a HEPA filter.
- Wipe, do not brush. Clean painted walls, shelves, and rods with detergent and water on a damp cloth. Dry brushing and sweeping put spores in the air.
- Remove what cannot be cleaned. Cardboard, carpet with mold growth, and drywall that is stained through or soft usually have to go.
- Dry it out. Leave the door open and run a fan or dehumidifier until everything is dry.
- Check the wall. If the back wall is stained or soft, or the mold is low on a wall shared with a bathroom, the water may be coming from inside the wall.
The EPA does not recommend bleach as a routine part of mold cleanup. Never mix bleach with ammonia or vinegar, and do not paint over mold; the EPA advises against painting or caulking over moldy surfaces.
What to do with clothes, shoes, and other items
| Item | What to do |
|---|---|
| Washable clothes and linens | Wash in hot water as the care label allows and dry completely; repeat if a smell remains |
| Dry-clean-only clothes | Take them to a dry cleaner and mention the mold |
| Leather shoes, belts, and bags | Brush spots off outdoors, wipe with a damp cloth, let dry, and condition; discard items with heavy growth or rot |
| Fabric shoes | Wash if the label allows; discard if stained through |
| Cardboard boxes and paper | Usually thrown away; move contents into plastic bins |
| Wood shelves and rods | Clean with detergent and water and dry; replace if soft |
White, powdery spots on clothes or leather in a damp closet are usually mold or mildew. They come back if the closet stays humid.
How to keep mold out of closets
- Keep humidity down: 30 to 50 percent is ideal. Run the air conditioning or a dehumidifier in humid weather.
- Let air move: leave the door open part of the day, use louvered or slatted doors, and leave space between clothes and the back wall.
- Do not store anything damp: let shoes, coats, and bags dry fully first.
- Use plastic bins instead of cardboard for storage.
- Keep the air conditioning on at a moderate setting in a humid-climate home you leave for weeks.
When to call a professional
- Mold returns within weeks after cleaning
- The wall is stained, bubbling, or soft
- The closet shares a wall with a bathroom, water heater, laundry, or air conditioning closet and the mold is near that wall
- More than about 10 square feet is affected
- Someone in the home has asthma, allergies, or a weakened immune system
Not sure whether the wall behind the closet is wet? A local inspector can check it with a moisture meter, and the call to find one is free. See mold on walls, white mold, and mold on window sills. Local help is available in Orlando, Miami, and Houston.
Health
What sits in a moldy closet ends up on your body: shirts, socks, shoes, and bags. The CDC notes that in sensitive people mold can cause skin rash and burning eyes as well as a stuffy nose, sore throat, and coughing or wheezing, and that people with asthma or mold allergies tend to react more strongly. Wash or clean affected items before wearing them again, and if anyone develops symptoms, talk to a doctor.
Next step
Closet mold that returns after a careful cleaning is rarely about the closet itself; it is usually a damp wall or a leak next door. If you own the home, one free call to the number on this page puts you in touch with an independent local mold inspection company that can check the wall, or a mold remediation company if the growth is already larger than a cleaning job.