Using MoldStat to Clean Mold on Wood Furniture

Here at CleanerToday.com we have a committed focus on customer service and assistance. We dedicate many hours each day to helping customers understand how best to use our products and how to select which products will best fit their needs. Occasionally we will post these questions, and our answers to them, to help assist others who may be confronted with these relatively common situations.

We received the following inquiry from Deanna, a technology contractor, via email:

“During a recent move we found it necessary to store some clothing and other household items in a storage locker. When we opened the locker we found mold and mildew on a number of items. Can MoldStat be used on mildewed wood furniture?  I found white mold/mildew inside my wooden dresser drawers.  Can MoldStat Barrier also be used on wood furniture?   Would these 2 products get rid of the odor inside my dresser?”

It may surprise some readers, but the situation Deanna finds herself in is not an uncommon one. Here at CleanerToday.com we hear from customers dealing with mold growth on items following storage, for even short periods, in rented storage lockers, especially those facilities which do not feature climate control, meaning that ambient moisture in the air can contribute to the growth of mold and mildew.

For the sake of clarity, the organisms that some people refer to as “mildew” are almost always one of two types of mold.

The answer to Deanna’s question is yes you could use MoldStat Plus to clean mold and remove moldy odors from wooden furniture. Ultimately, the guiding principle when deciding whether or not to use MoldStat Plus, or MoldStat Barrier, is to determine the water washability of any given item.

MoldSTAT_Plus_BarrierMoldStat Plus is sold as a concentrate that the customer must dilute with water to create the solution strength to clean items. The bulk of any such solution will be water so the item to be cleaned must be able to withstand contact with water.

It isn’t necessary to soak items in a MoldStat solution to clean the mold, so you could use just a light wiping with a heavily wrung out cloth or sponge to clean wood furniture. After wiping, the cleaned areas should be allowed to dry thoroughly and completely before reassembling the furniture or putting the drawers back in the slots. Several hours of air drying should be sufficient to ensure complete drying.

While contact with MoldStat Plus solution will kill mold and eliminate odors, you have to physically remove the dead mold for the stains to disappear. MoldStat Plus contains absolutely no bleach, so stains don’t seem to disappear on contact, but you could never use bleach on wood as bleach will likely destroy wood on contact.

You could use MoldStat Barrier to prevent future mold growth on most any water-safe item. Simply spray the surfaces to be protected with a very light mist of MoldStat Barrier, let the mist dry completely over several hours, and then use or store as normal. MoldStat Barrier will provide protection against future mold growth for up to one year provided the treated surface remains dry and out of sunlight. However, while you could use MoldStat Barrier in this way, we would ask that you consider the limited likelihood that mold growth will reoccur on wooden furniture. Under normal circumstances, wood furniture is not exposed to the levels of moisture required for mold to grow. Without moisture, mold simply cannot grow and most climate controlled homes do not achieve humidity levels that would allow mold to grow on most items that do not routinely come in contact with water, such as wood furniture. Wood furniture used in a very humid area of the home, such as a bathroom, might benefit from treatment with MoldStat Barrier. Also, if the treated items are to be returned to an area that is not climate controlled, perhaps back into a storage locker, then a treatment with MoldStat Barrier might be worth the effort and expense.

Here at CleanerToday.com we take pride in answering our customers, and potential customers, questions as honestly as we can, even when that means suggesting that you not purchase and use our products for specific situations. We value honesty and integrity over any sale and we always strive to provide the best information and solutions regarding any specific situation.

Before treating any item with either a MoldStat Plus diluted solution or with MoldStat Barrier, always test the treatments on a small and non-visible area to be absolutely certain that the material and finish will not be damaged by contact with either water or the MoldStat product. Many wood furniture pieces will easily withstand a light cleaning contact with water but it is always better to be safe than to be sorry and unhappy with the results.