suggestion (from my spouse):

prepare some TSP (trisodium phosphate) as slightly more dilute than the instructions give for cleaning walls.

have this in a bucket, regular water in another.

using a cloth that is just barely dampened with the tsp solution, remove the mold. rinse with barely dampened cloth with regular water. dry immediately.

follow-up with murphy's oil.

BUT: if it's just the back of something (like a dresser or buffet), remove the plywood and replace it, because no one will see it anyway.

Wow is that photo for real? Ehow has several suggestions. A diluted detergent solution and also a diluted rubbing alcohol solution. I was wondering about white vinegar because it's good for so many things but no dice. They also suggest a 5 part water to 1 part bleach which is probably the best. If are avoiding bleach because you are afraid of damaging your furniture, try testing on the underside.

Mold mainly thrives in the right environment. If your new home is dry with lots of light the mold should die but you really should clean it off first. For right now, can you move your furniture to sunny spot and crank up the heat? Get it out of the dark and damp.

I'm not a huge fan of waxing furniture but that would have been a preventative measure. If you were staying put, that would have prevented or created a barrier that would have made the mold easier to clean off.

Bummer of a problem, good luck!

My parents live in a very moist house, so they combat it frequently. Vinegar solution works, but the best way is to get a steam wand, like you'd use for clothes. If it gets hot enough it will kill the mold.

We had mold problems in our basement - esp. on the porous concrete floor after moderate but recurring flooding. We tried a number of things including a proprietary anti-mold fogger with TSP - but you know what worked best? Straight white vinegar applied with a sponge mop. From all our research, turns out bleach is best used on non-porous surfaces (like porcelain tiles) or if you have discoloration from the mold. But for porous surfaces - vinegar. You can even see it fizz at it works, and it strangely did not smell at all. I think hydrogen peroxide is also an option, but it shouldn't be used near an open flame (something about being flammable after the water in it evaporates) and our gas furnace is in our basement.

And I forgot the obvious follow-up (for ongoing problems): a dehumidifier.

Oil of Cloves diluted in water works well, gets into pretty much anything. I'm not sure how easy it is to get outside Australia but there's online stores http://www.oilofcloves.com.au/index.php?main_page=page_3

First clean the affected areas with white vinegar, then spray with solution made of clove oil.
http://www.ehow.com/how_7827988_remove-mold-oil-cloves.html

That's what has worked for me. I got rid of the problem. :)

Here is other essential oils which work the same way:
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/three-ways-to-kill-mold-naturally.html?page=2

I had this same problem at a previous apartment (which was super-damp due to water leaks and serious weatherproofing issues) and the recurring mold growth ultimately caused me to move. All of my furniture is vintage and very special, so getting rid of it after the move was not an option. I'm happy to report that at my new (and properly weatherproofed) place, the mold on the furniture has NOT returned!
I would do this at the old place, preferably as close as possible to your move-out date to ensure the pieces are all clean when they're brough into the new place.
Here's what worked for me:
I used a wood-safe natural cleaning spray, like Murphy's Wood Oil sray, on every square inch of the furniture, not just where you see mold growth. You'll have to take out drawers, turn the pieces over, and really get every nook and cranny. Spray on, let sit for a minute, then scrub. Wipe dry.
Then, place pieces in front of the heater till they fully dry out. Some sunshine helps too, if it's possible for you to put them outside.
After they're dry, follow up with DampRid Mold Blocker spray to prevent it from returning. http://www.soap.com/product/productdetail.aspx?productid=66676&site=CI&utm_source=CSE&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Google&utm_content=pla&ci_sku=AWM-018&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw={keyword}

Other helpful tips to prevent mold from coming back once you're at your new place:
-open your windows every day to keep the air moving, even on cold days! 10 minutes is enough to prevent dust and mold spores from accumulating on furniture.
-Don't push furniture flush against the wall, mold loves to grow in dark places with no air movement. Leave a few inches between the wall and the backs of furniture, especially on colder/damper exterior walls.
-Reapply the DampRid spray every six months.

Hope this helps, and good luck!

I would rip off the back of that bookcase and replace it with a piece of new backer board once you're in your new home. It sounds like the mold extends beyond this one piece but for the one pictured above that's what I would do.

Thanks for the confirmation on white vinegar everyone! That stuff is truly amazing.

I also had beautiful vintage furniture, and family heirlooms that were damaged by mold in my last apartment. I would get a mold kit and test the mold before you do any cleaning- as the mold I encountered was toxic black mold & I attempted to clean it myself- which isn't safe or effective. I ended up having all of my belongings decontaminated (which was costly and a lot of my pieces were destroyed by the process). I was told that typically when you see mold on things its time for them to go, but with wood furniture you can clean it, sand it & refinish it (while wearing a mask), and then isolate the item before bringing it into the new environment. Any, fabric item should be washed on hottest cycle & dried on high heat. I would be careful with bringing things into the new house as you can bring the mold with you, but mainly figure out what type of mold you are dealing with. Good Luck!!!

White vinegar is the miracle juice! :)

A dehumidifier emptied daily from the start would have prevented the problem! Lots of great cleaning advice. I would personally choose to replace all MDF or thin plywood that is on the back of furniture, to be extra sure to prevent regrowth, as this is both a cheap and easy solution. To keep your pieces away from the wall, for both air movement and to avoid damaging your furniture or the wall, I like to use the nail-in furniture glides. I found mine @ a local super store. Simply attach them to the back of your furniture, one on each end, so that they are not visible from the front.

Yes, guys! White vinegar is the thing for cases like that. Depending on how much serious the mold is, you can apply vinegar diluted in water or not. The Amazon region where I live is hot and humid so this is a common problem around here. Vinegar's always worked on floors, walls, and furniture; and mold hardly ever comes back, at least it takes a darn long time when it does. Of course, you should be careful dealing with mold, wear masks and gloves! Also, the cleaning should be done outside the house so the piece can get a lot of sunlight.

As president of our local historical society, I've had considerable experience dealing with mold in various buildings we've restored. There are hundreds of types of molds...many are very,very dangerous...and it takes an expert to make the identification. Google "mold inspection" in your area, then take samples to them.

Yes...you will be moving the mold spores into your next home. If it is a drier climate that may...or may not...be an issue depending on how deadly the type of mold. Porous surfaces (like wood, leather and fabric) can be most problematic and if they were my belongings I'd call in the professionals ASAP.

I have dealt with various mold inspection and removal companies and all have emphasized that bleach, tsp, vinegar do not kill the spores, although they do a good job of cleaning off the surface.

Please go to the trouble to have various samples identified because several types of mold can cause brain damage and/or kill and children are particularly vulnerable. As to cost...I recently took in three samples for testing and paid $125 for the report. It would have been $80 but I wanted same day service so was willing to pay extra.

I had the same problem. Vinegar and sun helped but didn't eliminate it. Spraying with a very dilute borax solution DID. I repeated several times as needed. This even helped the soft furnishings which smelled moldy and no longer do. I spray again every once in awhile.

Have you tried Tea Tree Oil? It is amazing for mold. Dilute according to instructions, and then apply. It is a natural anti fungal with a funky odor.

I had the same problem. After the Tea Tree Oil, I used Pledge Orange Oil to nourish the wood.

Good luck.

i found if i keep my timber furniture oiled, it stops mold from growing on it. I asked a carpenter one day if oiling helps stop it and the answer was yes followed by an explanation that i no longer remember!

I live by the beach also and am constantly fighting mold. Apparently there isn't any insulation in the exterior walls and I get the mold in everything that's along one of those walls. Not just outside the furniture but on clothes, etc, and everything inside the drawers. Polishing and oil do not seem to help keep the mold away.
Tried vodka which seems to work the best so far. Said to actually kill the spores. Either that or they are so happily drunk they quit growing.
Going to try vinegar as it may work as well. A lot cheaper than vodka.

I doubt that this is an option for you, but when I interned at a museum we would kill mold on old photographs by freezing them, and then brushing the mold away. May be a good option if you're in a colder climate.

“My House Smells Of Mold/Mildew”

We have seen it many times. An owner or family goes away for a period of time, whether a few days or a few weeks. They return to find that their home smells like mold. There is no apparent source of water, but the smell is noticeable, and the owner has valid concerns regarding the cause.

Mold growth requires an event to have occurred. This event may be major and obvious, or something that requires a thorough examination to determine what exactly happened. If the event is substantial, like a broken pipe, hot water heater, or an A/C condensate line leak, the inspection is pretty quick. Also the answer is definitive. There may be noticeable water damage and with a dwelling closed up for a period of time, the smell of the resulting mold growth can become concentrated and very overbearing.

There are other times, however, when there is no obvious sign of water damage, but yet there is a definite smell of mold. In this case, a more thorough investigation might be required. A moisture meter is typically used to moisture map the building or infrared photography can be used to locate moist, or cooler areas of building components. All this is done to find hidden moisture and mold. Sometimes a leak under a kitchen cabinet might allow water to remain trapped under the cabinets or tile. Sometimes a leak from the outside results in moisture that is contained behind baseboards. Wood or tile flooring can conceal water, and wet carpet from a slab leak might not be obvious. Leaks in A/C ducts could cause excess condensation in ductwork and leak into attic spaces. The investigator is looking for wet material and the source of the water that caused it to get wet. In each of these scenarios, you may never see the water, but you smell the mold.

A qualified restoration company might well find the cause of the moldy smell, but sometimes they are stumped. In this case, you might call a “Mold Assessor”. If a mold assessor is called in for the investigation, he will be looking for all of the above once again and then probably take air samples from the suspect room or rooms, as well as an air sample from outside the dwelling for a comparative analysis. He might also take a sample from a part of the dwelling that does not have that moldy smell. The State of Florida requires by law that the “Mold Remediator” be different from the “Mold Assessor” on the same job or project for purposes of checks and balances. The object of this inspection would be to determine if you have an elevated airborne mold condition in your home.

If an undetermined water leak is suspected, you could call a “leak detection” specialist. Some plumbing companies have the equipment and expertise to do this, but many plumbers use specialists themselves. A very small leak in a pipe is often difficult to find. Sometimes the pipes need to be charged with compressed nitrogen. When this compressed gas leaks through a break in a pipe, the noise is detectible with the use of sound monitoring equipment. Leaks that are difficult to find are often detected using this method. If there is even a small amount of water intrusion into a property, and if the relative humidity goes up, and exceeds 65%, and if the temperature inside the building becomes elevated, there is the potential that a serious mold condition could develop. This may promote a health hazard. In such a situation, mold growth could be observed growing on anything organic in the building. Once these conditions occur, the whole property is usually treated for the mold contamination, and many content and porous items may be deemed unsalvageable.

Mold can remain dormant in a building for many years and remain inactive until it becomes wet again. If it remains dry and dormant, it will not smell. The smell of mold is the result of the off-gassing of the mold, or fungi, digesting whatever it attacks.

The State of Florida now regulates the mold inspection and remediation industry. It is important to know that if you hire a “Mold Assessor” or a “Mold Remediator” to perform services, you should verify their licensing credentials.

Restoration Xperts, http://www.restorationxperts.net offers its “Mold Remediation” services to property owners in Broward, Dade, Martin and Palm Beach Counties in Florida. For quick help with your emergency 24/7, its’ crews are available to respond to water damage. We thank you for your business in the past and want to reach out to you for referrals in the future. “LIKE” us on facebook at www.facebook.com/restorationxpertsflorida. Call us to say Hi at 561-RESTORE (737.8673). Keep in mind as we do have a cash referral program for you, the homeowner. Simply call 561.737.8673 for details and ask for the Director of Marketing. For ALL of your water damage, mold, wind and fire damage needs, the Restoration Xperts Team is ready to serve you!