Let me first answer the question as to why you should care about mold being brought into your home from overseas.
Closets and storage areas are often the environment where a mold contamination starts. There tends to be less air movement in closets and items piled together. It is also a place where contents often sit for extended time without being looked at.
Take leather items as an example. Leather, which is dead animal skin is a great food for mold, Put a contaminated purse or shoes next to your other shoes, purses or golf bag next to the contaminated items and the mold spreads.
Outside of your home, mold growth on imported products is also a major problem. It can affect the bottom line of manufacturers, vendor suppliers, warehouses, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers. Millions of dollars are lost every year to mold growth.
The more important problem is the effect that these products can have on health
The shipping process exposes products to moisture and condensation. Products of organic materials such as clothes, leather products, wooden products can develop mold anywhere from the foreign production line to the destination home in the United States.
Products can be exposed to moisture while on shipping ships, docks, in storage containers, in warehouses, shipping trailers, warehouse distribution centers, home delivery services or in stores.
Products Prone to Mold Growth
Although mold will grow on a wide range of products including wooden pallets; leather products, textile, food products and paper goods are especially prone to mold growth. This is because these materials not only readily absorb or adsorb the moisture but they are also a ready source of nutrients for mold growth.
Many Moldy Products can be Salvaged
While some mold may be visible on a product, it does not necessarily mean that the product has been damaged. Many products can be cleaned and restored to original condition. The important issue to consider is not storing the item with other valuables that can become moldy
For more information about what to do with mold damaged contents, go to the number one question in the article: goo.gl/1tgWo1