Tracking Kitchen Mold: Top 9 Sources of Kitchen Mold Checklist

Like bathrooms, kitchens can be a tremendously good breeding ground for mold. They offer three things that mold just loves: warmth, various sources of food (including dirt and dust), and humidity.

If you’re looking for a quick and helpful checklist you can print off to help identify potential sources of mold in your kitchen, consider this it!

 

#1 Look under the sink

Leaky pipe? Spilled cleaning products? Kitchen garbage? The space under your kitchen sink is the first place in your kitchen you should check for mold. If you spot a leaky pipe, first fix the problem and then consider laying vinyl tile on the bottom of the cabinet to protect it from any potential water damage in the future.

 

#2 Look around the sink

Check your taps and all around your sink for mold growing on or underneath. All seams and corners around the sink should be properly caulked to prevent water damage to your countertops and of course mold growth.

 

#3 Check your exterior walls

In your kitchen, check all of the walls that face the outdoors to identify potential areas of mold.

 

#4 Check your windows

We recently mentioned that window condensation in the home can be a warning sign of possible mold growth, and mold can be especially active in kitchens due to high humidity levels. Mold can grow on all types of windows, including wood-framed, metal-framed and even vinyl, so it’s important to check yours for mold or any evidence that mold may be present.

 

#5 Check your garbage and/or garbage disposal

As handy as they are, garbage disposals can offer mold a lot of potential sources of food. Rinse your garbage containers and/or garbage disposal with undiluted vinegar or another favourite antibacterial cleaner. Run the garbage disposal a minimum of once a day to help keep mold growth at bay.

 

#6 Check your compost

Like the garbage and garbage disposal, our compost bin can be easy prey for mold. Don’t allow it to sit out, especially in hot, humid summer weather, and dump it as often as you possibly can throughout the day.

 

#7 Check pantry items

If you’ve ever smelt a rotting potato, it’s likely a smell you won’t soon forget. Regularly check onions, potatoes and other stored food for mold and immediately toss any foods that look like their best days are behind them.

 

#8 Check your dishwasher

We recommend checking both inside the dishwasher as well as around the entire casing of the dishwasher. This is especially important if you have wood cabinets (as many of us do) because mold can grow productively on all of these surfaces. From professional experience, I can tell you that a small leak may go unnoticed for a long time!

 

#9 Check your fridge and freezer

The same advice for dishwashers also applies to your refrigerator and freezer: check inside the appliance for food sources of mold, as well as around the appliance. In addition, be sure to check the drip tray. It’s usually located at the front of the fridge and underneath. Check it several times a year or you may find something growing in there that would put monsters under the bed to shame!

 

#10 Check your ice maker

Bonus tip: if you have an ice maker built into your refrigerator, check in and around it for mold too.

 

Have you inspected your kitchen from top to bottom for potential sources of mold and still can’t find the culprit behind that musty or mildewy smell that’s driving you crazy? Contact us and we’ll be glad to make a visit to your home or office to track down and identify the source and type of your kitchen mold.

 

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