New Furniture Guide - A guide to replacing furniture pieces that were contaminated from a toxic mold exposure
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Living Room Dangers *Couches | Kitchen/Dining Dangers Pressed board dining chairs and tables | Sleeping/Bedroom Dangers Mattresses | Bathroom/Utility Dangers Vinyl Shower Curtains |
Safer new furniture options Just remember this is only a guide based on the science of how mold grows and is attracted to certain porous items. It is not intended to be an exact replacement for every single item in your home. I totally understand that a lot of these items can be expensive, however when it comes to your health you have to make expensive changes. Just remember, expensive and quality items might cost a lot upfront but they last a lifetime and if you do the math, you usually save money by buying furniture items that are always in style and that are going to be saved if they are exposed to future mold. |
Living Room - Better Options *Couches - Couches will always be something that will attract mold and will have to be thrown out after any exposure. For this reason, it's important not to invest too much money into expensive couches. We all have to have a couch, though, so my recommendation is to NOT have a real couch for two years "AFTER" you've left the moldy environment. I suggest temporary options like air mattresses, or they even have blow up couches. After two years, I HIGHLY recommend buying a couch or sectional with detached cushions and making sure all of the cushion covers are removable and can be washed in the washer. Because it's been past two years and I now have a sectional couch, I take my cushions apart every month and wash them in a light cold wash of two cups of ammonia and water and put the covers back on.
| Kitchen/Dining Better Options Dinettes - Choose solid hard woods that are generously sealed, metal or glass and avoid reclaimed woods and faux wood materials. Instead of Wood, Butcher Block or Vinyl Countertops - choose stone, concrete or stainless steel options | Sleeping/Bedroom Better Options *Mattresses - Just like couches, mattresses are always going to be a piece of furniture that is both necessary as well as will attract mold spores and mycotoxin. It is recommended to spend 2 entire years "WITHOUT" a mattress or foam mat of any kind so that your body can detox properly. For this 2 years it is recommended to sleep on blow up mattresses and wash them once a week in ammonia in the bathtub and hang to dry. After 2 years it is up to your discretion as to the type of mattress you can afford or buy. Just remember, if you have another mold problem again spending thousands on a mattress will automatically be wasted money. Bunk Bed Cots - should be wiped down with either antifungal essential oils weekly or ammonia. Always use some sort of mattress pad that can be taken off weekly and washed in ammonia. These are ideall for children ages 4-15 for multiple family members trying to detox.
| Bathroom/Utility Better Options Shower Curtains - Instead of vinyl shower curtains that promote mold growth and also contain dangerous VOC's and harmful endocrine disrupting plastic chemicals, opt for a mildew resistant, fabric liner instead that you can wash in ammonia, borax or baking soda. Here is the "one" I recommend: Shower Hooks - Instead of wooden or inferior metals that rust or grow mold replace shower curtains with rust-proof stainless steel versions. Stainless steel DOES NOT grow mold and is non-toxic. Here are the ones I recommend: |