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I live in a 100 year old house near LA. It has wood flooring and a crawl space. It has been pretty cool lately out and we have been running the heater. The bedroom the mattress is in does get humid because the ventilation in the master bedroom doesn't work all that great. My mattress is a latex foam mattress about 10" thick. I now know why it has mold, because it's been directly on the ground. I propped it up today and the bottom middle had a big wet spot and smells moldy/mildewy and looks kind of brownish yellowish. There was even some water in the ground. I dried it out for a few hours with a heater and out a low profile box spring under it (5" ish). A few questions:
Is this mattress safe to keep using? I can't smell mold through the top of the mattress but the back still stinks.
Is a thinish box spring enough to prevent future mold? Or do I need a frame of some sort? We need a pretty low bed which is why it was on the ground in the first place.
First off, if your mattress got mold from sitting on the floor, I would hesitate using it any more. Even if it dries out, the spores will still be present, I would think. Secondly, if there is enough moisture in your crawlspace to be causing mold in a mattress sitting on the floor, you have bigger problems to address.
First off, if your mattress got mold from sitting on the floor, I would hesitate using it any more. Even if it dries out, the spores will still be present, I would think. Secondly, if there is enough moisture in your crawlspace to be causing mold in a mattress sitting on the floor, you have bigger problems to address.
I'm only a layperson, but I agree with Bungalove completely.
Better check with some experts on what to do about your floors.
First off, if your mattress got mold from sitting on the floor, I would hesitate using it any more. Even if it dries out, the spores will still be present, I would think. Secondly, if there is enough moisture in your crawlspace to be causing mold in a mattress sitting on the floor, you have bigger problems to address.
I'm not sure if it's mold or what. I'm not that informed on this stuff. I propped the mattress up to clean and the floor had a wet spot where the middle of the mattress lies. The mattress has a wet spot that smells moldy/mildewy. I have no clue how this stuff works with my crawl space and all especially since it's very dry generally where I live. I just assumed the moisture came from the underside of the house being cold and the matttess getting warm and forming condensation. Perhaps I'm just using terminology incorrectly. My mattress just had a wet smelly discolored spot that may or may not be mold.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life
Why was there water on the floor?
That's what I'm trying to figure out. See my response above this one.
And to add I'm renting this house so if it's truly something wrong and not just condensation from putting a mattress on a cold floor then I'll let the owner know. There's no other place in my house where I'm seeing moisture outside of this mattress and the nearby bathroom after we shower.
I'm not sure if it's mold or what. I'm not that informed on this stuff. I propped the mattress up to clean and the floor had a wet spot where the middle of the mattress lies. The mattress has a wet spot that smells moldy/mildewy. I have no clue how this stuff works with my crawl space and all especially since it's very dry generally where I live. I just assumed the moisture came from the underside of the house being cold and the matttess getting warm and forming condensation. Perhaps I'm just using terminology incorrectly. My mattress just had a wet smelly discolored spot that may or may not be mold.
That's what I'm trying to figure out. See my response above this one.
And to add I'm renting this house so if it's truly something wrong and not just condensation from putting a mattress on a cold floor then I'll let the owner know. There's no other place in my house where I'm seeing moisture outside of this mattress and the nearby bathroom after we shower.
After thinking about this some more, I kind of doubt that crawlspace moisture would cause your mattress to develop condensation in just ONE spot - it would be on the entire underside of the mattress IMHO. You might check to see if there is a moisture barrier in the crawlspace in any case however. By any chance, do you have a pet that could have urinated on the mattress?
After thinking about this some more, I kind of doubt that crawlspace moisture would cause your mattress to develop condensation in just ONE spot - it would be on the entire underside of the mattress IMHO. You might check to see if there is a moisture barrier in the crawlspace in any case however. By any chance, do you have a pet that could have urinated on the mattress?
Definitely no pets to Pee on it. The crawl space has no barrier that I can see. The condensation appeared to be almost exactly in the middle of the mattress. The spot with modified is a circle with a circumference of 12" or so.
I live in a 100 year old house near LA. It has wood flooring and a crawl space. It has been pretty cool lately out and we have been running the heater. The bedroom the mattress is in does get humid because the ventilation in the master bedroom doesn't work all that great. My mattress is a latex foam mattress about 10" thick. I now know why it has mold, because it's been directly on the ground. I propped it up today and the bottom middle had a big wet spot and smells moldy/mildewy and looks kind of brownish yellowish. There was even some water in the ground. I dried it out for a few hours with a heater and out a low profile box spring under it (5" ish). A few questions:
Is this mattress safe to keep using? I can't smell mold through the top of the mattress but the back still stinks.
Is a thinish box spring enough to prevent future mold? Or do I need a frame of some sort? We need a pretty low bed which is why it was on the ground in the first place.
Mattress on the wet floor? Oh, man! Are YOU feeling OK? All the moisture, I could imagine isn't that good for your health.
You are likely wondering how and why there is moisture under your mattress. The simple answer is that the moisture came from your body. But moisture under the bed, the accumulation of your sweat, is a serious but easily remedied issue. Once the moisture gets to the bottom of the latex mattress (memory mattresses have the same issues), as you are experiencing, it has to go somewhere. If you have a breathable, supportive base, it simply evaporates. However, if your mattress is on the floor, on a solid, non-breathable base, the mattress cannot breathe properly and you accumulate moisture and eventually mold.
Since mold can be potentially very hazardous to your health, you should get rid of the mattress, and let the surface beneath air dry for a long time. Sleeping in a mattress with mold can lead to a host of health issues, and it can happen to any type of mattress, whether it is an organic natural mattress or a memory foam mattress. The mold can colonize in the millions upon millions of open cells or air pockets in the foam, making it impossible to eradicate.
If you can't get rid of it, you can try this: How to Kill Mildew on a Mattress | Home Guides | SF Gate
What will work for 80% of all mold types is vinegar, but you would really have to dump gallons on the mattresses and soak them all the way through. Also tea tree oil will kill virtually all mold, but this is expensive, and to get enough to do the job a new mattress would be cheaper.
Consider taking your mattress out for a sun session on a hot, sunny day to kill any spores that are trying to take root.
In the future use a breathable but waterproof cover for your mattress. It will prevent your sweat from traveling through and into the foam and providing the breeding environment for the mold.
Do not place it on the floor. Ever.
Anything will work - just elevate the mattress. Even wooden pallets. Just put something on the pallets, like an old fitted bed sheet or a blanket, to prevent the mattress to be torn.
Any mattress needs air circulation , especially those from natural fibers. Natural fibers can easily mold in a damp environment without air circulation.
Use a dehumidifier/air purifier in the bedroom. Use breathable cottons and linens because they allow air to pass through to the mattress which allows moisture to be released.
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