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New Furniture Guide - A guide to replacing furniture pieces that were contaminated from a toxic mold exposure

If you follow our "SAVING YOUR POSSESSIONS - Guide" you'll notice that most of the furniture you owned at the time of the exposure was prone to mold growth.  One thing I learned very quickly after getting rid of all my possessions is that I DID NOT want to repeat the mistake of buying new furniture that would only increase my risk of harboring mold in the future but would also set me up to lose thousands of dollars "all over again" if this ever happened to me in the future.  For this reason I decided to share my experience about furniture pieces that will always be magnets for mold and also give you safer, new buying options that will lessen the liklihood of mold infestations as well as save you money down the road in case you need to do another clean up and move to another mold free environment.  (Take it from me, I moved twice! already and having non-porous furniture made it easier to clean the items and keep them and move to a safer environment without the massive loss of possessions I first encountered).

Living Room Dangers

*Couches
Couches with attached cusions
*Living room chairs
Cardboard furniture
Wooden baskets
Wooden boxes
Candles
Artificial flowers/plants
Carpeting
Non washable rugs
Canvas paintings
Unfinished wood
Dry Clean only curtains
Fake wood blinds
Books
Bean Bag/Foam Chairs
*Futons
*Lamp Shades
Wooden/porous home decor
Stuffed real animals
Feathers
Fabric Ottomans
Wicker Furniture/Lamps
Rope Accents
Reclaimed Wood (any kind)

Kitchen/Dining Dangers

Pressed board dining chairs and tables
Pressed board cabinetry
Fabric cushioned chairs
Removable chair cushions
Wooden organizers
Wooden boxes
Wooden Utensils
Faux Flowers & Plants
Bread Baskets
Pressed board microwave carts
Pressed board storage shelves
Unfinished wood
Reclaimed Wood (Super trendy)
Wooden Butcher Blocks
Butcher Block Counter tops
 

Sleeping/Bedroom Dangers

Mattresses
Padded Headboards
Reclaimed wood furniture
Reclaimed wood walls
Reclaimed wood headboards
Bean Bag chairs
Shag Rugs
Carpeting
non washable area rugs
Candles
Throw Pillows
Padded Benches
Pressed Board Furniture
Baskets
Wooden Boxes
Yarn Throws & Blankets
Stuffed Animals

Bathroom/Utility Dangers

Vinyl Shower Curtains
Wooden shower hooks
Unfinshed wood laundry folding tables
Pressed Board Shelving
Pressed Board Storage Units
Wood/Wicker baskets
*Fuzzy Toilet Covers
Carpeting in wet areas
Wicker Decor
Wicker tables & cabinets
Wicker cabinet doors
Candles
Faux flowers & Plants
Cushions
Padded Benches
Wooden soap dishes
Faux Wood Blinds
Upholstered chairs
Canvas Art
Butcher Block countertops
Any Unfinished wood
Any Reclaimed Wood
 

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. 

Blow Up Couches


Outdoor Metal Seating
(For temporary indoor use)


*Living room chairs - Just like couches, living room chairs will always be an issue as most living room chairs that are stylish are upholstered and look beautiful, however you will need to practice a 2-year detox period as I have mentioned many times.  For this two-year period, you should not furnish your home with "known" furnishings that attract and harbor mold so that you can detox your body from biotoxin exposure.  For this reason you should buy temporary furniture that can replace upholstered versions and search for thin cushion, washable covers and finished structures like finished wood or metal.  Below is a perfect example of a great "2 year" chair to keep in your living space during this detox period.



Instead of Cardboard furniture - purchase real wood furniture that is sealed with polyurethane or beeswax or metal furniture.  Cardboard or fiberboard furniture is "food for mold" and increases spore growth in indoor environments.  Completely avoid name brands like "Sauder" etc.  Make sure that all of the under or inner parts of the furniture are sealed and NOT raw wood.  If they need to be sealed absolutely DO NOT bring them to the moldy home before you seal them up prior to bringing them in to a clean environment.


Instead of Wooden baskets or Wooden boxes - Use metal or heavily sealed wooden boxes as a replacement for living room storage items.


Instead of Candles - Keep candles out of your home unless they are 100% beeswax and essential oils (beeswax is anti-mold and essential oils kill mold spores and neutralize mycotoxins).  If you don't have money to replace all of your candles with the beeswax and essential oil versions, you can opt out of candles all together and purchase 100% pure essential oils and an essential oil diffuser.  I highly recommend you ONLY use a nebulizing diffuser like the ones below.  They don't add water to the air (which can trigger mold growth). 


Instead of Artificial flowers/plants - opt for "real plants" that actually clean the air in your home.  You can read an article we posted some time ago about plants that actually detox the air and inhibit mold growth.  If you are concerned about plants and soil becoming a source of mold in your home you can also read our article on how to mold-proof your plants, pots and soil for indoor environments HERE. 

Peace Lillies - BUY HERE
Spider Plant - BUY HERE
Mums - BUY HERE
Gerbera Daisy
  http://amzn.to/2sIs6DH-
Weeping Fig - http://amzn.to/2rb6HAI
English Ivy - http://amzn.to/2rRplj7
Philodendron - http://amzn.to/2rRsBuW
Snake Plant - http://amzn.to/2s1iINg
Umbrella Tree
 

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 Fiber Board Cabinetry - choose new locations where they have solid wood construction or buy kits like this one where you can replace your old cabinetry with sealed/solid wood options.

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



Instead of Padded Headboards - either opt out of headboards or choose mold resistant versions like "well sealed" hard wood (with no raw wood exposed on the back or bottom) or metal styles

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:


 

Is mold making you sick?  Put the effects of Toxic Mold behind you!!

Do you think you might have mold in your home, place of business or school? Are you or someone you love suffering from an unknown illness that doctors can't diagnose?  Is mold making you sick? Go to our Step by Step and start Surviving Toxic Mold.