Skip to main content

Disaster Restoration Services

Serving New England since 1990

   24 Hour Emergency Services

(603) 641-6555

24 Hour Emergency Services

(603) 641-6555

How to prevent mold and mildew in self-storage

Written by jsolloway on . Posted in , .

So you’ve decided to do some spring cleaning. (It doesn’t matter if it’s not really spring). What ever time of year it is, uncluttering your home is always a good idea. The question now is; what to do with the items you don’t readily use but definitely want to keep? Well, self-storage is always a good idea! You get a self-storage unit and you’re worry free. Not so fast, getting a self-storage unit is only the beginning. In order to keep your valuables safe and mold free, you need to know how to prevent mold and mildew in self-storage.

Mold in self-storage

Mold and mildew can grow just about anywhere, even in self-storage. These minute fungal organisms can be found anywhere, but since they are invisible to the naked eye, we don’t usually see them until they have spread. When you store something in a contained space it is the ideal environment for the spread of mold. While you may believe that temperature can aid in the prevention of mold, it is actually humidity you have to worry about. Seek a climate controlled storage unit but don’t stop there. Keeping the humidity level below 45 percent will help prevent the spreading of mold and mildew. Mold will not spread so easily under these conditions. Ask your self-storage provider about humidity control and dehumidification options.

How to prevent the spread of mold

When you’re storing items in your self-storage, you need to know which items are the most susceptible to mold damage. Some of these items are:

  • Leather
  • Upholstered furniture
  • Clothing
  • Mattresses
  • Paper products (cardboard boxes included)
  • Wood

These items should be treated before storage in order to prevent mold. Start by cleaning all surfaces with a mild cleaning product, especially if you’re storing refrigerators, stoves and other appliances that are used for food storage. Make sure all the food residue has been wiped clean. Don’t package clothes or linens in plastic. Hanging them loosely is the better option. There are a few things that can draw moisture and mold from the air. Putting baking soda in the refrigerator, using charcoal briquettes (these should be replaced every 30 to 60 days) or silica gel packets. Kitty litter can also absorb moisture (open a bag or pour some into a bucket and place it in the center of the unit). Talk to your self-storage provider for more tips and tricks.

Cleaning items affected by mold

Following this advice can help you keep mold out of your rented storage unit, however, if you are storing in your own unit and mold makes its way into your unit, don’t despair! You can call a professional to help you with mold removal. Soil-Away Cleaning and Restoration is your best choice. With over 25 years of content cleaning experience, these IICRC master certified experts have all the resources and expertise needed to restore your mold contaminated items. Soil-Away is NH’s only Esporta Certified Operator, which qualifies them to restore soft-contents and textiles that have been affected by mold. To get help from the mold remediation experts, call team Soil-Away at (603) 641-6555. Written by E. Aceves

Contact Us Now

Search for:

Jay KorsenJay Korsen
00:51 04 Aug 22
All I have to say is WOW and FANTASTIC. I just got done building out my new professional office with Soil-Away’s construction division and they went ABOVE and BEYOND. Scott and Mike, the carpenters are skilled artisans. The project got done on time and the project came in on budget! The finished results have been blowing people away. Much better than I could have anticipated. Anyone is welcome to come to our office, Bright Light Chiropractic in Hooksett to check out the fine work they did. Simply can’t sing enough praises for them. Sorry that the picture doesn’t do the job justice. Thank you Jack and your team. -Dr. Jay
Asian BreezeAsian Breeze
04:28 15 Jul 22
Since day one, I’ve known the owner, Jack, to be a hard-working and selfless leader. Through the efforts of him and his team, he was able to restore my flooded restaurant to tip-top shape. I was amazed with Jack’s orderliness throughout the entire process. Jack has proven to me that he is trustworthy, as both a friend and an individual in the work environment.
Breton LangendorferBreton Langendorfer
21:17 07 Jul 22
Highly recommend Soil-Away. A pipe in our upstairs bathroom gave and sent water down through a wall for at least a day before we noticed water dripping through our kitchen ceiling. Our insurance put us in touch with Soil-Away and they were at our house the next morning to assess the damage and dry things out. Joe, Ray and Tom were phenomenal to work with. They explained every part of the process to us and were very professional and friendly. If you have to deal with similar issues call Soil-Away, you won’t regret it.
Maureen CidzikMaureen Cidzik
13:49 15 May 22
Superior service from start to finish. Highly responsive. The entire team is dedicated to quality and customer care and it shows in everything they do – from first call, to estimate, to job completion.
Sarah GrugnaleSarah Grugnale
16:02 14 Jan 22
Joe and Tommy were amazing to deal with, they kept us updated every step of the process. They were punctual and hard working, answering all of our questions that we had. Everything was done as promised and even above and beyond. A great experience from start to finish.
js_loader