Antibacterial and Anti-mildew Science | Why does your furniture get moldy?
Living in the south, do you often find mold in your home during the spring and summer rainy season? On clothes, furniture, corners…
In fact, mold is a biological pollution in indoor air, a microorganism that can reproduce rapidly in a warm and humid environment. When it first grows, it is invisible to the naked eye. By the time we see the mold spots, it has reproduced for dozens of generations and has grown clumps of green, gray, and black mycelium.
Among furniture items, wooden furniture is the most susceptible to mold. After the general wood is cut down, it needs to be treated with anti-blueing agent and mildew inhibitor. Sodium pentachlorophenol (NaPCP) is very effective in inhibiting wood blueing, mildew and decay. However, since the discovery that chlorophenol compounds contain carcinogenic dioxin compounds, sodium pentachlorophenol has been gradually banned by more and more countries.
Fungi that cause furniture wood to mildew include: Trichoderma, Penicillium, Aspergillus, Mucor, etc. Mold growth requires a suitable temperature and humidity environment. The most suitable temperature for mold growth is 24℃～30℃. The growth rate of fungi is slower when the temperature is below 10℃ and above 40℃. Therefore, high temperature can kill the mold in wood. When the moisture content of wood exceeds 20%, the mold can grow slowly. But when the moisture content of wood reaches more than 35%, the mold will multiply in large quantities.
Furniture is prone to mold because of humidity, and the furniture paint is not painted enough times, and the quality of the paint is also problematic. It may also be that water was sprinkled on the wood when the furniture was made, or the wood was new and not dry before it was made into furniture. For moldy furniture, you can first wipe off the mold with a dry cloth or dry paper towel, or treat it with a special furniture disinfectant. According to the characteristics of the product, you can apply another coat of varnish. If the mold is serious, it will affect the appearance or use of the product, and it is difficult to handle. It may be recommended to destroy it directly.
In summer, the temperature is high, and microorganisms are more likely to reproduce. A large number of pathogenic and corrupt harmful microorganisms will be transmitted to the human body through various channels, endangering human health. Therefore, relevant experts remind: It is necessary to disinfect the home environment and items regularly to prevent infectious pathogens from invading the home and ensure the quality of life and personal health.
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