Warm. Damp. Musty. Tangy. You'd know that noxious, pungent, earthy smell anywhere. It's like a pair of old sweaty running socks left out--for weeks. It doesn't completely overpower your whole kitchen, but such an odor indicates the presence of an unseen, insidious growth lurking somewhere in the recesses of your kitchen. Where is it coming from? Behind the fridge? Under the sink? In your spice cabinet? That unmistakable mushroom-y smell makes you a bit nervous. Is it toxic black mold or just a bit of harmful mildew?
What Causes Kitchen Mold & Where Is It Most Likely?
If you have any experience with mold and mildew, then you already have a good idea of what causes it. Kitchens are especially prone to the stuff because of the high levels of moisture and humidity within. There's no shortage of activity in your kitchen every day. You cook, wash dishes, run appliances, spill stuff, and may not have adequate ventilation to keep moisture at low levels. There may be additional structural issues in your kitchen contributing to the problem, such as leaky plumbing or poor weatherproofing around the windows and floor boards.
Mold and mildew growth are most common under the sink, in and behind cupboards, around window skills, behind appliances and furniture, and around the faucet and sink area. And yes, that essentially means they can grow anywhere in your kitchen, without your knowledge. But if you're lucky (or unlucky) enough to have a keen sense of smell, you may recognize mildew before it becomes too much of a problem. I'll share a short story to illustrate my point.
A few years ago, whilst living in Bali--a hot, damp, tropical climate--I had an encounter with mildew that grossed me out more than the memory of mom slicing mold off the bread before making me a sandwich.
I'd unpacked my clothes and stored them in the wooden dresser in my bedroom. I had a couple of warm clothing items with me that I wouldn't be wearing, so I stored them too in a separate drawer. A couple of months later as I was packing to leave, I opened that drawer to retrieve my warmer items and was immediately accosted by a noxious earthy smell. If dampness has a smell, that was it. My clothes were covered in this mottled light grayish green patchy fuzz, dense in certain places, sparse in others. My jeans, yoga pants, a sweater, even my Gortex wind and weather-proof (but obviously not mold-proof) rain jacket. I was completely grossed out. Then I hauled out the vinyl backpack I'd been travelling with and found that it too was covered in the stuff. Needless to say, I spent the next few hours elbows deep in scalding water and bubbles, scrubbing the fuzz from my clothes and bag.
That stuff was mildew, and thankfully only mildew. Had it been mold, I might have had bigger problems.
So, while kitchens and bathrooms aren't the only places fungus grows, they are certainly the most common places. Bathroom mold and mildew are usually detected quite easily and thus easy to remove or prevent altogether. Kitchen mold is a different story. Kitchens have lots of little nooks and crannies, appliances and utensils that provide optimal breeding grounds for mold and mildew.
What's The Difference Between Mold And Mildew?
Mildew is a common gray and white fungus. It's fuzzy in appearance and gives off a slight musty smell that is usually detectable before it's even visible. Mildew often grows on damp organic material like paper, leather, or cotton.
Mold is also a fungus, like mildew, but it's usually darker in color, such as dark green or black, but also yellow, blue, gray, white, and brown. Mold's texture is more hairy than fuzzy, and, like mildew, it thrives in damp areas.
One of the primary problems with mold is its reach. All those long hairs are products of multicellular fungal structures called hyphae, which produce spores. Spores are one-celled reproductive units that are released into the air, footloose and fancy-free-like, to eventually land and begin the gametophyte phase through which new growth will occur.
In many cases, such a process is totally harmless, and in fact necessary to sustain botanical life. But when it comes to mold, it spells potential danger. In some cases, mold can cause irritation, serious respiratory issues, and other grave health concerns.
How To Get Rid Of Mold In Kitchen Cabinets & Other Hot Spots
Detecting mildew and minor mold is easy. Check for a foul, musty odor, and inspect those common areas for dark spots, water damage, and swollen or warped wood. Also, keep in mind mold's favorite places: leaks, garbage disposals, high humidity, and organic matter/surfaces.
One of the most likely places for mold growth is in your kitchen cupboards. But not just any cupboard, that under-the-sink cupboard that you'd rather forget about. It's the home of cleaning supplies, garbage bags, insecticides, your garbage pail, and other miscellaneous stuff. Everytime you open that cupboard to throw something out or retrieve a wash bucket, you catch a whiff. You may assume it's just the smell of a closed, dark, damp space and ignore it. But chances are, you've got mildew, especially if you're not getting in there regularly to clean or air it out.
For DIY mildew or minor mold removal, simply mix a cup of chlorine bleach with a gallon of warm water. Apply rubber gloves, and use a sponge with a scouring pad to lightly scrub the area. (This is a handy way to see those old kitchen sponges to their life's end). Allow it to dry for 10 minutes, then repeat the process one or two more times.
Getting rid of the more dangerous types of mold, such as black mold, requires more caution. Even the tiniest leak can eventually cause big problems if it gets behind a wall or under a floor. If that's the case, calling in an expert to remove it safely is critical, and you may be forced to replace hardware, drywall, or more.
How To Prevent Mold In Your Kitchen
The best way to get rid of mold is to prevent it in the first place. Follow these steps and you'll minimize, if not eradicate, any opportunity for mold and mildew growth in your kitchen:
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Run your garbage disposal at least once a day and flush out weekly with vinegar.
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Keep your compost covered and regularly remove organic food scraps. Clean with hot, soapy water, and allow it to dry thoroughly before closing the lid.
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Use your exhaust fan when stovetop cooking to keep humidity levels low.
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Regularly check for leaky pipes and fix them as necessary.
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Ensure pots, pans, and other cookware are thoroughly dry before putting them away.
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Mop up spills and sprays around the sink and on countertops. Wring out your sponge or cloth and hang to dry.
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Paint your kitchen walls with mold-resistant paint.
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Regularly clean and dry under rather than around those fixated appliances on your countertop, such as the coffee pot, the blender, the microwave, the mortar and pestle, the fruit bowl, and any other regularly used items. If you don't like using chemical-based cleaners, check out 5 great recipes for DIY natural kitchen cleaners.
Few things feel as good as giving your kitchen a good scrub down. Isn't it a much greater pleasure to chop and cook on squeaky clean countertops? Retrieve ingredients from freshly organized cupboards? Throw those organic scraps into an empty bin? To keep mold and mildew at bay, keep your kitchen clean daily, and commit to a full clean once a week. An antibacterial cleaner will certainly take care of business but remember--it also kills off the good bacteria. There are plenty of DIY natural kitchen cleaners you can make using vinegar and essential oils.
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From our kitchen to yours, may your cooking haven be marvellously mold and mildew-free!
Yours truly,
The Priority Chef Family
