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What's That Smell? Your Nose Knows Mold

It can be tough to trust your nose. But your sense of smell is one of your best defenses against a common household issue: mold. So what does mold smell like, and what should you do if you think you smell mold in your home?

What Does Mold Smell Like?

Mold usually smells earthy, musty, or like rotten wood. It's an unpleasant smell that will get stronger as the mold in your home releases microbial volatile organic compounds, or MVOCs, as it grows. In particular, you should pay attention to new odors, or odors that get worse over time.

Why Is Mold a Problem?

Mold can be hazardous to your home and your health. Here are some reasons you should be on the lookout for mold.

  • Mold can spread quickly and cause property damage. In moist conditions, mold can grow in as little as 24 to 48 hours. Once mold takes hold, it can spread easily, especially because your house is full of things mold loves, like wood, carpet, and drywall. 
  • Mold can cause health problems for you and your family. Mold can cause allergic reactions and asthma attacks. It can also irritate your eyes, nose, mouth, throat, and lungs. 

When Should I Call a Professional?

If you smell mold, you should call in the experts. Professionals have tools and training to find hidden mold. This is especially important when you haven't seen mold yet, just smelled it. If they can't find mold, they can even perform other tests, like air quality tests, to find the source of the smell.


Once mold is found, professionals can completely remove the mold. Mold professionals go through a special process called mold remediation to carefully contain and remove all traces of mold from your home. Then, they work with you to fix the cause of the mold, whether it's water damage or high humidity.

BioClean Can Help

At BioClean, we are mold inspection and remediation experts. We can start with a mold inspection. If it doesn't seem mold is present in your home, we can do air quality testing to find the source of the moldy smell. No matter whether you have mold in your home or another air quality issue, we can help you fix it. Contact us today for a free mold inspection.

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