Black Mold

Merrill asked:


I am a college student, and I unplugged my fridge to defrost it when I went home for winter break like I was told to, but I shut the door before I left and forgot about an open jar of mayo in there. When I got back, there was black mold spotting the inside door and the bottom two racks. I have cleaned it out for the time being with dish soap and water, but I don’t have any money right now to buy bleach. I am planning to bleach it after I get paid next week, but in the meantime, is it okay to store food in there?

I have since thrown out the mayo, if anyone was wondering.

Black Mold

kl asked:


For about three and a half months, the refrigerator in my apartment at school sat dormant – plugged in, but turned off. The only things I left inside were an unopened bottle of wine and an empty Brita pitcher.

When I moved back in, I was horrified to discover a massive amount of black mold – probably at least 20% of the surface area of the interior. When the landlord suggested I leave the fridge off to save electricity, he failed to mention that keeping the door open was required to prevent this from happening.

So, the question: assuming that this mold grew from nothing but the moisture that was inside the fridge, and not a bunch of months-old food, just how toxic or non-toxic is it likely to be? I plan on mixing up a 10-1 water-bleach solution and going to town on it, but should I also being looking for a respirator? And there aren’t any windows anywhere near the kitchen, so ventilation is almost non-existent. Any tips on how to handle this safely?

Black Mold

Octav asked:


The food i store in my fridge grows mold very quickly, in a matter of days,if i keep it in a closed container. Is it normal?

What is the best way to store my food in the fridge, for it to stop developing mold, and why does it appear?

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