My Family Experienced Toxic-Mold Exposure and Had to Move

By the look of our home and the way we went about our daily routine, you’d never think we’d develop mold. 

Our suburban ranch house was clean, well-maintained, and uncluttered, with stain-free walls and ceilings. We dried the floor after supervising enthusiastic toddler baths and replaced the dishwasher after one leak. But in our case, regular maintenance didn’t prevent toxic mold.   

Two decades ago, heavy rains created a small, one-cup leak on our bathroom floor. A strong odor, similar to that of wet socks, radiated from the shower wall within days. My husband discovered black mold after he removed the baseboards and part of the wall.  He cleaned and discarded the moldy debris, but within a week we couldn’t breathe well enough to sleep in our bedroom. 

Published on Jun 1, 2023 by Insider.