In the world of fungi, most people are familiar with the common mold types that invade our homes, like the infamous black mold. However, another intriguing and lesser-known type of mold is the blue fungus. This strikingly colored mold can sometimes be found in various environments, raising questions about its identification, potential harm, and how to manage it. Consisting of over 100,000 species, mold spores come in a variety of colors—even blue. Spotting blue mold inside the home should prompt the homeowner to begin immediate mold remediation.

What Colors are Various Molds?

Molds exhibit a diverse palette of colors, each representing different species and hinting at the conditions they thrive in. Common household molds include the notorious black mold (Stachybotrys Chartarum), recognized by its dark greenish-black color and linked to severe health problems. Green molds, such as Aspergillus and Cladosporium, often appear on food or damp surfaces, creating a greenish layer. Some mold appears black or gray, while others emit purple, brown, orange, yellow, or pink hues. Different types of molds can be a mixture of colors.

What Gives Mold its Color?

A range of factors influence the color of mold. The age of the mold can determine its color. Likewise, environmental conditions, like food sources, amounts of light, and humidity levels, impact its colors. The color of a patch of mold changes with alterations to its environment or as it matures.

Can Mold Be in Blue Color?

Yes, mold can definitely appear in blue. Blue mold is often seen in species from the Penicillium family, which commonly show up on spoiled foods like fruits, bread, and cheese. This type of mold is characterized by its distinct blue or blue-green color, making it relatively easy to spot. Although it doesn’t have the same notorious reputation as black mold, blue mold can still be harmful, especially for those with allergies or respiratory conditions. When blue mold appears indoors, it is usually the dominant type.

It is a prevalent type of indoor mold; it grows easily inside the home because it does not require a significant amount of moisture. Blue-green mold also commonly infests citrus plants.

What Characteristics Belong to Blue Mold?

Blue mold shares both unique and common characteristics with other types of molds, but its distinctive blue color sets it apart. In addition to its color, blue mold typically exhibits a velvety or powdery texture, giving affected surfaces a soft and sometimes fuzzy appearance. Unlike some molds that spread in irregular patches, blue mold tends to grow in circular patterns, which can rapidly expand across organic materials like food items or damp surfaces in indoor environments.

Where is Blue Mold Found?

Blue mold, or Penicillium spp., can be found in various environments, especially those with organic matter like food, soil, and decaying plant material. Here are some common places where you might find blue mold:

• Food: Blue mold can grow on a variety of foods, including bread, cheese (like blue cheese), fruits, and vegetables. It thrives in moist conditions and can rapidly spread on these organic substrates.
• Damp Areas: It likes high humidity and poor ventilated area. This includes bathrooms, basements, attics, and kitchens, especially around sinks, faucets, and leaking pipes.
• Indoor Surfaces: It can appear on indoor surfaces such as walls, ceilings, carpets, and upholstery, especially if there has been water damage or prolonged exposure to moisture.
• Outdoor Environments: Blue mold can also be found outdoors on decaying plant matter, soil, compost heaps, and in gardens where conditions are favorable for its growth.
• HVAC and AC: It can also grow within HVAC systems, particularly within the indoor unit of air conditioners, the drain pan, and the network of ductwork.

Homeowners should be aware that blue mold, like any other type of mold, can grow in out-of-sight places. It is not uncommon for blue mold to flourish behind the walls, under carpets, and above the ceilings. Hidden mold is more challenging to find without professional equipment.

What Does Blue Mold Feed On?

While blue mold does not require a great deal of water, moisture is required for its survival. Due to this reason, poorly ventilated and damp areas are ideal for rapid growth. The blue mold spores feed on organic materials, such as drywall, wood materials, paper, food, and fabric.

Is Blue Mold Harmful?

Yes, blue mold carries a significant level of toxicity comparable to black mold, also known as Stachybotrys chartarum. Inhaling its spores can trigger lung inflammation, food poisoning, chest discomfort, allergic and sinus infections. The spread of Blue Mold is 2x faster than any other mold. Ramalingam et al. (2019) found that certain strains of Penicillium expansum, the fungus responsible for blue mold, release patulin, a mycotoxin known for its mutagenic, neurotoxic, and gastrointestinal effects.

Those with compromised and sensitive immune systems, asthma, allergies, along with children, pets and the elderly, are particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of blue mold exposure.

What Health Conditions Can Blue Mold Cause?

While there isn’t a specific set of symptoms exclusive to blue mold sickness, here are some common signs:

1. Respiratory Symptoms: These can include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and frequent respiratory infections. Individuals with asthma or other respiratory conditions may experience exacerbation of their symptoms.
2. Allergic Reactions: Mold can trigger allergic responses as sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes.
3. Neurological Symptoms: Some people may experience neurological symptoms such as headaches, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, confusion, and mood swings.
4. Digestive Issues: Mold toxicity may also affect the digestive system, causing symptoms like nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and changes in appetite.
5. Musculoskeletal Symptoms: Individuals exposed to mold may experience muscle aches, joint pain, stiffness, and general weakness or fatigue.
6. Skin Problems: Skin irritation, rashes, itching, or other dermatological issues may occur in some individuals as a result of mold exposure.
7. Sensory Symptoms: Mold-related illness can sometimes affect the senses, leading to issues such as sensitivity to light or sound, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), and changes in taste or smell.
8. Psychological Symptoms: Some individuals may experience mood disturbances, anxiety, depression, irritability, or other psychological symptoms as a result of mold exposure.

How to Remove Blue Mold?

It is important to clean up small colonies of blue mold from the property to avoid the health risks and maintain a hygienic living space. First, prepare the room for mold cleanup by moving all furniture and items away from the moldy areas. Use a disinfectant to clean the surfaces.

Follow the disinfection with a commercial mold removal product. Choose a mold cleaner that kills mold and prevents it from returning. Discard fabrics, carpets, and other items infested with blue mold in a sealed bag to prevent the spores from becoming airborne and contaminating other areas.

Clean the affected places with bleach, being careful to follow the instructions for use on the label. Bleach is effective in killing mold and prevents it from returning. Monitor the furniture and surfaces that had previously been infested with blue mold colonies.

How to Prevent Blue Mold?

Preventing blue mold from proliferating inside the home can be achieved through a combination of humidity control, proper insulation, and optimum ventilation. Keeping humidity levels below 60 percent is crucial. Insulating pipes, roofs, and walls helps maintain consistent indoor temperatures and prevents condensation.

Promoting good airflow by running exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathrooms is essential. Opening windows when weather permits increases ventilation. Remember, blue mold is unable to grow in dry and well-ventilated spaces. If the home becomes wet, it should be dried within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth.

Regular cleaning and dusting reduce the organic food sources available to mold. Early detection of leaks around windows or plumbing through routine inspections is important. Additionally, venting appliances like the dryer and stove to the outside rather than into the attic is advisable.

Can Blue Mold Be Tested?

Restoration Professionals have a method for testing blue mold. They start by gathering samples from areas that might be contaminated, using sterilized equipment. They’re really careful to handle the samples so they don’t accidentally mix them up with anything else. Then, they put the samples on the right kind of stuff to grow on. After a while, they check to see if there’s any mold growing, especially if it’s blue. Sometimes, they even look at the samples under a microscope to be sure. Once they’ve got all the info, they figure out if there’s blue mold and how bad the problem is.

Let Professionals Remediate Mold

When you face an infestation of blue mold or any other type of mold, consult the mold removal pros. Highly trained crews are equipped with advanced equipment to detect all mold growth. Professional removal is especially advised when mold infestations are ten square feet or more.

Once the mold infestation is detected via infrared technology, technicians isolate the space with plastic sheeting to prevent cross-contamination to other parts of the home. They also identify and repair the water source to prevent the mold from reoccurring.

Specialists develop and implement a mold remediation plan to eliminate all traces of concealed and visible colonies. After mold cleanup, they restore surfaces damaged by the mold growth. The findings from the mold cleanup assessment are reported to your insurance company to help accelerate claims.