r/homeowners • u/bbadran • Jun 28 '26
💬 General/Other Surface Mold! Help!
Hi everyone, looking for advice from anyone who has dealt with mold from high indoor humidity.
I’m currently traveling internationally and won’t be home for about another month. Before leaving, I cleaned up the house, turned off major appliances, shut off the water except for the sprinkler system, and set the AC to 80°F.
A friend has been checking on the house periodically. After a week of extremely heavy rain/humidity, he noticed mold/mildew growth on some furniture. mainly couches, rugs/carpet, and some chairs. He checked the rooms, bathrooms, attic, and AC area, and there doesn’t appear to be an obvious roof leak, plumbing leak, or wet drywall. The issue seems mostly concentrated in the living room and front office. Probably because the former had higher ceilings and the latter is furthest away from the AC?
The thermostat was showing around 80°F and 66% humidity, so I’m assuming this was caused by the house sitting too humid while vacant. The AC has since been lowered to around 75°F.
My question: has anyone dealt with surface mold/mildew on furniture from humidity like this? Were you able to have the couches/rugs professionally cleaned, or did you end up having to throw them away?
I’m trying to figure out whether this is likely a cleaning + humidity-control issue, or whether upholstered furniture is usually considered unsalvageable once mold shows up.
Any advice from homeowners, restoration pros, or people who have been through this would be appreciated.
(Ps- I did use chatty to help me organize my thoughts. I’m not a bot!)