Is removing and throwing away everything that may have come in contact with mould justified?
An over simplified answer is no. However, it should be recalled that the mitigation actions should be designed upon the needs of the occupants and their known sensitivities. An additional consideration is the cost of cleaning and testing. Hard surfaced items can be readily cleaned and disinfected. Many soft goods can be laundered or dry cleaned. The paradox is that most soft goods could contain mould spores prior to any mould amplification within a building simply from the item manufacture, transport, storage or use and therefore the definition of “clean” is difficult, as there is often no background level known. Due to costs of testing before and after cleaning and the costs of cleaning a judgment for cleaning versus disposal can be based upon the answer to the question. Can the item be replaced for $250 or less? It can be argued that almost anything can be cleaned and restored, but the costs involved require these techniques to be reserved for items the occupants highly value includi
