These Indoor Toxins Thrive In Winter. Here’s Where They're Hiding

It begins with a feeling that something is "off." That’s when the symptoms pop up like unwanted guests. You know the ebb and flow of your body, and mold toxins can silently wreak havoc on it.

You might be surprised what your wallpaper is hiding. Humidity collecting between the wallpaper and Sheetrock are all that mold needs to have a party. Consider removing wallpaper and making sure that you have a fan that vigorously ventilates your bathroom. And be sure to use it each time you shower!

One client—let's call him Frank—came in to see me a few months ago with intermittent dizziness and nausea as well as changes in his depth perception that made it difficult to read and focus. When we figured out the symptoms got worse when he was driving, he avoided using his car for a few weeks and his symptoms began to subside. He drove his car again, and his symptoms returned. It turned out that a few months before, he'd had his carpet cleaned, and they closed up the car in the heat rather than ventilating it, causing mold to grow in the vehicle.

Roof leaks are a common space that mold spreads, via the drywall, ceilings, and floors. I have another patient who’s an eager do-it-yourself type. He noticed a roof leak that had been going on for months and took it upon himself to repair it. When he opened the ceiling, his family got much sicker. The leak had triggered a massive growth of toxic mold. Inadvertently, he had spread the mycotoxins throughout his home, where his wife and children became quite ill.

If you do discover mold at work, tell your supervisor immediately. Your employer may be responsible for remediation. OSHA also has guidelines for removing mold from workplace environments.

If you think your children are being exposed at school, or you are a teacher with concerns about your classroom, the EPA does have indoor air quality guidelines3 you can reference when you bring it to the administration’s attention. There have been a number of schools in the news that have recently addressed mold problems, from New Jersey and South Carolina to Connecticut and New York.

Here are a few tried-and-true ways to prevent and treat mold at home.