Mold Types
Types of Mold: An Identification Guide
You cannot confirm a mold species by eye, but behavior, color, and location narrow it down quickly. Each guide below covers what a common indoor mold looks like, where it grows, the toxins it can produce, its health effects, and how to remove it.
Stachybotrys chartarumBlack mold
Color: Dark green to charcoal blackWhere: Cellulose held near saturation for a week or more
Identification & removal
Aspergillus fumigatusAspergillus
Color: Velvety blue-greenWhere: HVAC, dust, insulation, compost
Identification & removal
PenicilliumBlue-green mold
Color: Fuzzy blue-greenWhere: Water-damaged drywall, wallpaper, carpet dust, food
Identification & removal
CladosporiumThe common household mold
Color: Olive to green-blackWhere: Window frames, fabrics, bathrooms, damp walls
Identification & removal
ChaetomiumWater-damage mold
Color: White to gray, darkening to olive or blackWhere: Chronically wet drywall, wallpaper, baseboards
Identification & removal
TrichodermaWater-damage alarm mold
Color: Bright to bluish greenWhere: Soaked wood and drywall, HVAC, paint
Identification & removal
Aspergillus nigerBlack Aspergillus
Color: White base with black spore headsWhere: Damp walls, food, soil, bathrooms
Identification & removal
Aspergillus flavusYellow-green Aspergillus
Color: Yellow-green to limeWhere: Stored nuts, grains, corn, damp walls, HVAC
Identification & removal
Aspergillus versicolorSlow-growing Aspergillus
Color: Variable green, sometimes with orange or pink tintsWhere: Gypsum board, carpet, damp walls
Identification & removal
AlternariaAllergy mold
Color: Dark green to brown or grayWhere: Showers, windows, damp walls, drains
Identification & removal
FusariumWater-system mold
Color: White, pink, red, or purple tintsWhere: Humidifiers, drains, water-damaged materials, houseplants
Identification & removal
MucorFast-growing white mold
Color: White to gray, darkening with ageWhere: Damp carpet, food, HVAC, soil
Identification & removal
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