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Is it Mold or is it Mildew?
8/3/2020 (Permalink)
Water saturated the drywall and resulted in mold growth.
What is the difference between Mold and Mildew?
Mildew refers to certain kinds of mold or fungus. The term mildew is often used generically to refer to mold growth, usually with a flat growth habit.
Molds include all species of microscopic fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments, called hyphae. Molds can thrive on any organic matter, including clothing, leather, paper, and the ceilings, walls and floors of homes with moisture management problems. Mildew often lives on shower walls, windowsills, and other places where moisture levels are high. There are many species of molds.
Size, Color, Texture
Mildew is a surface fungi that can easily be identified as a patch of gray or even white fungus that is lying on the surface of a moist area.
Mold can be black or green and is often the result of a much larger infestation. This type of fungus can appear almost "fuzzy" — especially when it is found on food — or even slimy in nature.
Getting Rid of it
Mildew is easily treated with a store bought cleaner and a scrubbing brush.
Mold will usually require deep and invasive cleaning practices. For example, porous items might need to be discarded altogether, and non-porous surfaces will typically have to undergo several rounds of scrubbing. Also, because of how mold develops, drywall might need to be removed as well as the insulation behind it.
Learn more about mold at www.epa.gov/mold.