Mouldy furniture and clothes: what can you save?
In shortHard, smooth items can usually be cleaned by vacuuming and wiping. Clothes and other washable textiles are washed at 60 °C or more. Soft furniture is hard to get clean, and pillows, duvets and mattress toppers are best replaced. Throw away items with visible mould, and items that still smell of mould or cause symptoms after cleaning. Mould does not grow in a new home without moisture, but dust and smell can travel with your belongings.
Contents
Hard, smooth items can usually be saved. Glass, metal, china, hard plastic and painted or varnished wood are cleaned by vacuuming and wiping with a damp cloth. Clothes and other washable textiles are washed at 60 °C or more [1, 2].
Soft, porous items are difficult. Sofas and upholstered chairs are hard to get completely clean. Pillows, duvets and mattress toppers are best replaced with new ones [1].
Throw away items with visible mould, and items that still smell of mould or cause symptoms after careful cleaning [1, 2].
This article explains what actually sticks to your belongings, how to clean different materials, and why many people with CIRS end up stricter than the general guidance.
Does mould or actinomycetes stick to furniture and clothes?
Mould does not grow on your belongings in a new home unless there is moisture there. According to a guide from the Finnish Lung Health Association (Hengitysliitto), mould only starts growing if the new home offers the conditions for it, which means excess moisture [1].
Two other things do stick to belongings [2]:
- Dust containing spores and fragments of microbes. It settles on surfaces.
- Smell. Mouldy smell is made of gaseous compounds that soak into porous materials such as textiles, paper and padding.
Even dead microbes and their fragments can cause reactions [4, 5]. That is why killing them is not enough; the dust has to be removed.
Whether actinomycetes stick to clothes or furniture has not been studied separately. They grow in the same water damage as moulds, so the same cleaning advice applies. Read more about actinomycetes.
What can you save and what should you throw away?
Sort your belongings before moving by asking two questions: do I need this? and can it be cleaned? [2] Not everything is worth cleaning. Sometimes a new item is cheaper and safer than careful cleaning [3].
| Material | Examples | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Hard, smooth | Glass, china, metal, hard plastic, painted or varnished wood | Vacuum with a HEPA filter and wipe with a damp cloth. Usually saveable [1, 2] |
| Washable textiles | Clothes, curtains, bed linen | Wash at 60 °C or more, or as hot as the care label allows. Repeat if the smell stays [1, 2] |
| Rugs and large textiles | Rugs, removable covers | Wash according to the care label or take to a laundry [1, 2] |
| Soft furniture | Sofas, armchairs, upholstered chairs | Vacuum, beat and air. Hard to get clean, so decide carefully [1, 2] |
| Bedding | Pillows, duvets, mattress toppers | Best replaced with new ones [1] |
| Books and papers | Books, folders, documents, photos | Clean the covers. Scan or copy important papers. Store originals in a space where you do not spend long periods [1, 2] |
| Electronics | TV, computer | Wipe the casings. Leave cleaning inside computers to a professional [1, 2] |
| House plants | Replace the plants or at least change the soil [1, 2] | |
| Visibly mouldy | Any item with visible growth | Throw away [1, 2] |
Expert view These recommendations are based on the practical experience of Finnish expert bodies. How well different cleaning methods prevent symptoms has not been properly studied.
How do you clean your belongings?
- Sort before you move Decide what to clean and what to let go. Anything visibly mouldy or with a strong mouldy smell goes [1, 2].
- Clean before the item enters your new home Clean somewhere other than the new home, for example outdoors or in a separate space. Take cleaned items straight to a clean space so dust does not settle on them again [1, 2].
- Vacuum Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter, ideally class H13 or higher. It holds on to fine dust that an ordinary filter may let through [1, 2].
- Wipe with a damp cloth Wipe hard surfaces with a damp microfibre cloth no sooner than a day after vacuuming, once the fine dust has settled. An ordinary all-purpose cleaner is enough [2].
- Wash textiles At 60 °C or more, several times if needed [1, 2].
- Protect yourself Wear a respirator mask (FFP3) for dusty cleaning work [2].
Do you need mould-removal products or ozone?
No. Finnish health and safety authorities (the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, THL, Tukes, Valvira and the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health) do not recommend mould-control chemicals for mould problems in homes, or as a boost to mould cleaning. The solution is to repair the damage and clean surfaces and belongings thoroughly [6]. Disinfectants are not needed unless sewage has contaminated the space [2].
Ozone generators do not remove microbes effectively at concentrations that are safe to breathe, and ozone itself irritates the lungs [7].
Never mix chlorine bleach with cleaning products that contain ammonia. The mixture produces toxic fumes [4].
How do you get the mould smell out of clothes?
The smell is often harder to remove than the dust. According to guidance produced with the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, these help [2]:
- repeated hot washes
- ironing with a hot iron
- airing
- dry cleaning, which removes mould smell best.
Perfumes and fragrances only mask the smell. In CIRS circles people are advised to avoid them precisely because they stop you noticing whether the smell has really gone [8]. If a garment still smells of mould after several washes, it is better to let it go [1].
Why do many people with CIRS give up more of their belongings?
Expert view Guidance from indoor environment professionals who work with the Shoemaker model is simple: if microbes have grown on a soft or porous item, the item is thrown away [8]. This approach is based on clinical experience in treating chronic inflammatory response syndrome and has not been studied.
The general Finnish guidance says the same thing more mildly: if belongings still cause symptoms after cleaning, it is better to let them go [1, 2]. The difference is how sensitive you are. If you have become ill, you are probably more sensitive than the average person.
Start with the things you need most and leave keepsakes until last. According to Hengitysliitto, you can also laminate important letters and cards [1].
Can you sell or recycle mouldy belongings?
No. According to Hengitysliitto, damaged items go straight to a waste station. They must not be sold on or taken for recycling [1].
Remember these
Test yourself: Can you explain why you can save a glass vase but maybe not a sofa? And why it is better not to take all your belongings into a new home at once?
What next?
- Read how to choose a safe new home.
- Read the actinomycetes guide.
- Read about the difference between active, dead and dormant mould.
References
- Hengitysliitto (Finnish Lung Health Association). Kodin kosteus- ja homevauriot: opas arjen tueksi [Moisture and mould damage in the home: a guide for everyday life]. 3rd updated edition. Helsinki: Hengitysliitto; 2024. PDF
- Suomen JVT- ja Kuivausliikkeiden Liitto ry, Työterveyslaitos (Finnish Institute of Occupational Health). Ohje siivoukseen ja irtaimiston puhdistukseen kosteus- ja homevauriokorjausten jälkeen [Guidance on cleaning and cleaning of belongings after moisture and mould damage repairs]. Helsinki: Työterveyslaitos. Accessed 8 November 2026. PDF
- Tampereen Tilapalvelut Oy. Ohje irtaimiston puhdistamiseen [Guidance on cleaning belongings]. City of Tampere indoor air guidance for public buildings, appendix 4; updated 28 February 2023. PDF
- US Environmental Protection Agency. A brief guide to mold, moisture and your home. Accessed 8 November 2026. epa.gov
- Górny RL. Filamentous microorganisms and their fragments in indoor air – a review. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2004;11(2):185–197. PubMed
- Sosiaali- ja terveysministeriö, THL, Tukes, Valvira, Työterveyslaitos. Homeentorjuntakemikaalien käyttö ei ole suositeltavaa [Use of mould-control chemicals is not recommended]. Press release, 19 February 2013. stm.fi
- US Environmental Protection Agency. Ozone generators that are sold as air cleaners. Accessed 8 November 2026. epa.gov
- Indoor Environmental Professionals Panel of Surviving Mold. Surviving Mold Indoor Environmental Professional Panel: consensus for microbial remediation 2020. Medical Research Archives. 2021;9(1). doi:10.18103/mra.v9i1.2327
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