how to tell if your couch has mold
Kristina Davis

We have all heard about molds but only very few of you know how to tell if your couch has mold.

Since most people rarely know how to tell if their couch has mold, when they eventually know, it is always too late.

The mold would have spread all over the couch, causing damage in its wake. When it gets to this stage where it becomes obvious, it is almost impossible to get rid of the mold. 

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Molds can cause a lot of damage to our household and health, which is why it is best to nib its growth in the bud.

To be able to tell if your couch has mold, all you have to do is do a sellotape test which would be discussed further in this article.

How To Tell If Your Couch Has Mold?

couch molds

Just because you can’t see something yet doesn’t mean it isn’t there. This is so true, especially where mold is concerned.

And this is why it is important to know how to check for it even when it is not obvious. 

As I said earlier, to be able to tell if your couch has mold, you have to make use of sellotape to inspect the furniture for mold.

All you have to do is cut a part of the tape and add it to the furniture. 

After it has stuck to the furniture, you take it off and place it in a sample bag, and label it before proceeding to deliver it to a lab for testing. 

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In case you think that approach is too harsh, you can swap the couch surface and collect it in a sample.

How Is This Done?

battered old couch

After some time, the molds become obvious slowly. It starts from this moist smell before you even begin to spot the mold.

After a while, you’ll start noticing your couch feels constantly wet even if there’s no water on it. 

The final part is when your couch starts spotting little stains and patches that are sometimes whitish or brownish.

This brings us to the next question of the day.

Tip: Using swabs might not be as effective when testing for mold.

Can You Clean Mold Off A Couch?

cleam molds off couch

There are some things best left to a professional to do, and cleaning mold, in my opinion, is one of those things.

I say this because most people do not take proper precautions when doing things, especially when it comes to cleaning. 

So as you take safety precautions before, during, and after cleaning, you can extend that to cleaning a mold-ridden couch.

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You need your protective gear first and foremost and as long as you have that, you are good to go.

Asides from that, the mold can only be cleaned off by yourself if it is in tiny spots. 

If it is not and the damage is extreme, it is best to hand it over to a professional to help with it or just give up the couch.

In cases of severe mold, keeping the couch might make you susceptible to diseases. 

Note: The spores of the molds can spread to other furniture which is why it is best to dispose of them as soon as possible.

How To Clean Mold Off A Couch

how to clean couch with molds

To be able to clean mold off a chair, there are some things that you have to put into consideration and obey.

  • Have a protective gear
  • Dry out the couch outdoors for hours before cleaning it.
  • The couch should be cleaned outside.
  • Watch out for allergies. 
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Since we have cleared that out of the way, we can now proceed to discuss how to get rid of mold on your couch.

Method #1: Baking Soda And Vinegar

Since we are dealing with molds, we have to go for the most extreme yet easy method.

Lucky for us, baking soda and vinegar are just the perfect blends of both. 

Baking soda, with its stain-removing abilities, and vinegar, with its odor annihilator, both work hand in hand.

Here are the steps involved in using this perfect blend.

Step #1: Make The Paste

To be able to do anything, you have to have all your equipment ready, especially your cleaning agents.

make vinegar and baking soda paste

So you have to have a cleaning solution that happens to be more of a paste. It should contain an equal amount of baking soda and vinegar.

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Step #2: Apply And Wait

After making the paste, apply it to the areas with spotting molds and wait for about an hour or so. 

But before applying, it is important to do what we call a spot test which involves applying the paste to a small portion of the couch to see how it affects it.

If the paste doesn’t affect the couch negatively, you can proceed to apply it properly.

Tip: In situations where the paste starts to discolor the couch, which, to be honest, would be very rare, then you can skip to the next method.

Step #3: Vacuum Or Wash Off

After you have left the paste for a while and it has dried on the couch, you have two options.

You can either vacuum the dry paste or wash it off with an old toothbrush. 

vacuum the couch

I would recommend the former, i.e, vacuuming.

Since water is one of the reasons why the couch has molded, it is best to avoid it at large.

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After vacuuming or washing, leave the couch outside to dry.

Note: If you are not satisfied with the results, you always repeat it or try another method.

Method #2: Alcohol

Alcohol has a lot of advantages, especially when cleaning.

It kills germs and other microorganisms, which makes it a wonderful candidate for getting rid of molds and its awful smell. 

So you can make use of any alcohol but I would prefer your antiseptic or denatured alcohol.

use alcohol

Before using alcohol, you also have to do a spot test to see how the alcohol affects the couch.

If it discolors, then you have to stick to another method. If it doesn’t you can proceed to make use of it. 

All you have to do is dip a cloth or preferably a sponge in alcohol and use it to scrub the stained areas.

After washing it to your heart’s satisfaction, you can rinse it by swiping it with another cloth dipped in water.

Tip: The sponge or cloth should be squeezed properly before being made use of on the couch.

Method #3: Soap And Water

Using soap and water is a method you can never go wrong with.

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It is like it was meant for the couch in the sense that you don’t have to conduct a spot test before making use of it. 

So when making use of soap and water, all you have to do is make a solution for both.

soap and water mix

Then use a sponge dipped in it to wash the mold-infested area on the couch. 

After washing it, you rinse it off with a cloth dipped and properly squeezed out of ordinary water then you leave it out to dry.

Method #4: Use Oils

This method is more of an additional step than it is a method. After washing or practicing any of the previously mentioned methods, using essential oil should be the finishing touch. 

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There are some essential oils popularly known for their antifungal characteristics.

And this alone makes them the best candidates for getting rid of molds and also preventing molds from growing.

use essential oils

So you add a few drops of oil inside a spray bottle with a little bit of water.

Shake well and spray on the affected areas on the couch. After setting in and drying, you can then wipe the areas with a dry cloth.

Conclusion

Molds are not just disgusting, they can cause health hazards which is why it is important to be equipped with the knowledge of how to tell if your couch has mold

If you discover your couch has molds, you can get rid of them using one of the methods listed above. If it doesn’t, then you have to make sure it stays. 

You can avoid it by not pouring water or food on your couch and cleaning it from time to time to get rid of dust and other dirt.