How to Prevent Mold on Wood

August 1, 2022 DIY Monika Thakur
how to prevent mold on furniture
Image: HGTV

Whether on your furniture, floors, or decking, mold infestations on wood in your home are unpleasant. In addition to potentially endangering your health, it can also utterly destruct wood. Therefore, it’s crucial to act right away if you see any mold symptoms. But how to prevent mold on wood?

On wood, three main types of mold can develop; these molds can be recognized and eliminated as necessary. Mold removal can be more difficult with wood because it is a porous material. Thankfully, there are a variety of efficient tools and methods you can use to eliminate it.

Once the wood is free of mold, be careful to take precautions to keep it that way going forward.

How to Avoid Wood Mold

Use the following advice to keep wood dry, clean, and mold-free:

Sealing wood will help to prevent mold growth. To treat clean lumbar and reduce moisture absorption, use a mold prevention spray. To lessen the possibility of subsequent fungus issues, this can be done as a pure preventative action or after mold treatment.

Remove any puddles of water: Regularly check your under-sink cabinets for evidence of plumbing leaks. Clean up any water puddles you see, and fix the leak as quickly as you can.

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The basement shouldn’t have wood flooring installed: There is a known high risk of flooding in basements. For this reason, wood flooring and carpet are frequently not suggested for your home’s basement level.

Getting Mold Out of Wood Furniture

Any light mold you find on painted or stained hardwood furniture may be just present on the surface. By putting the furniture in direct sunshine, it can be eliminated. You can also clean it using dishwashing liquid, distilled white vinegar, borax, or even vodka.

But you should start by vacuuming loose spores with the soft brush attachment to remove mold from wood. Use one of the techniques listed below then:

Sunlight

Placing wooden furniture in direct sunlight outdoors is an efficient approach to get rid of mildew and musty smells. Wherever there is wetness, a high humidity level, and darkness, mold spores flourish. As a result, killing mold spores with sunlight and fresh air is highly effective.

The furniture must be taken outside in the early morning and returned inside before dusk. If required, carry on doing this for one or two more days. Always check the weather forecast to prevent your furnishings from getting wet during a downpour.

mold prevention spray
Image: Minwax

When placing the furniture outside in the morning for even better results, softly mist it with a solution of distilled white vinegar and water.

Dishwashing Liquid

If moving the piece of furniture outdoors isn’t practicable, you can clean it using dilute dish detergent. In a bucket of warm water, combine a generous amount of dish soap. Scrub the afflicted area carefully with a brush with soft bristles.

After cleaning is complete, rinse the surface by wiping it with a damp towel. After removing the mold, you can wipe the surface with a dry cloth. You will need to repeat the procedure if the furniture still has mold on it.

Vinegar

Fill a spray bottle with distilled white vinegar, then liberally mist the furniture. After an hour, wipe the surface down with a fresh, damp towel.

Vodka

Don’t squander the expensive vodka; simply pour some cheap vodka into a spray bottle and use it to treat the afflicted area. After waiting for about 10 minutes, use a sponge to clean the mold away.

Moving the furniture outside to dry in the sun or opening windows to let fresh air in is the best option. This will hasten the drying process for the wooden furniture.

Borax

One cup of borax and a gallon of water should be combined in a bucket. Use a rag to apply the solution, then scrape the area until the mold is gone.

After that, use a clean cloth to wipe away any remaining solution from the furniture. The furniture should then be left to dry, ideally in the sun. You can use a clean linen cloth and a few drops of linseed oil to wipe the wood once it has dried completely.

Tips for Avoiding Mold on Wood

By adopting certain preventative actions, you can lessen the likelihood that mold will damage the wood in your house.So, how to prevent mold on wood. Sadly, if the mold has gotten into the wood too deeply, it is probably already destroyed and needs to be replaced.

how to treat mold on wood studs
Image: Ghapedia

Keeping the wood surface dry is the best approach to stop mold from forming on it. You must quickly dry any damp areas to accomplish this. Controlling your home’s humidity and moisture levels is also essential; aim for a humidity level of 60 percent or less.

By utilizing a dehumidifier, which will take moisture out of the air, you can reduce humidity. To ventilate the rooms and let fresh air circulate, you can also open the windows as frequently as you can.

Want more assistance getting mold off of wood? Use these effective tips to get rid of stubborn mold to remove from wood.