Tokyo Life
"Our Tokyo" Mold Prevention
The month of June in Tokyo is wet and humid. Mold is more likely to grow during this rainy season. Mold can be black or red in color.
Areas Likely to be Moldy
- Kitchen, bathroom, toilet, and other wet surfaces
- Closets or other storage spaces
Three Conditions that Encourage Mold
- Humidity over 70%
- Temperatures of 5°C to 35°C (under these conditions, mold growth is possible all year round)
- Presence of nutrients for mold: dust, leftover food, shampoo or soap scum, sebum, etc.
How to Prevent Mold
Humidity
If humidity is kept below 60%, mold will rarely grow. Humidity that people find comfortable is between 40% and 60%. Keeping the humidity at a comfortable level at all times will help prevent mold. Opening windows and ventilating rooms is effective in lowering humidity.
Cleaning
It is important to clean your space very often. Bathrooms, for example, should be rinsed off with a shower after use. In addition, wiping moisture off of walls with a towel will help to prevent mold.
