A customer showed me an Oriental Rug with a black spot on the backing about the size a dinner plate, it appears like it has been wet before. She said two years ago she started smelling a smoke like odor and found this black area on the back of the rug. Could this be mold in a dormant state? Wanting to learn!
Id say she put the rug over a heat register. or dropped an iron on it then flipped it over. but a burn is a burn cant undo that
It could be mold, but I think unlikely. Examine it with a magnifier or loupe and see what it looks like at 10 to 30X. You will be able to tell if it is living growning mold. Mold will only be present if moisture is there to support it. Maybe something wet was spilled there or somehow moisture was trapped under the rug. Getting everything clean and dry is the key rather than using harsh chemicals. If it is mold, get it outside while disturbing the mold as little as possibel so that you don't put it into the air. Brush at vacuum at a location the mold won't get into living space. As a margin of safety, you may want to use a HEPA vac on other items in the room and/or use a HEPA air cleaner in the area while doing the work and for a day or two afterward. These extra precautions depend upon the extent of the mold and how sensitive or concerned the client is. Many who are not trained in mold remediation would decide to walk away if they discover it is mold. Liability issues can be extreme and your insurance likely does not cover anything that relates to mold.
Thanks! I told her she should contact a specialist to determine what to do, since I didn't have the knowledge of how to handle mold.
Sounds like a planter was there at one time - leaked and rotted through. Probably not enough mold to worry about. Bag it up and bring it outside for a look. Rug is probably shot though.
Just re-read your post. You said "oriental rug with black stain on backing". What kind of backing? If it has backing it's not an oriental rug. If you mean - black spot on the back - with nothing on the front, that would be a little odd.
