Australians returning to the office are finding their work attire covered in an unpleasant white mould that costs a fortune to dry-clean.
Soaring humidity thanks to a rainy La Nina summer and poorly-ventilated homes provide the perfect conditions for bacterial growth.
Tens of thousands of workers on the east coast are going back to their desks as relaxed Covid rules led to cancelled work from home orders.
But when opening their wardrobes and shoe drawers for the first time in months, many were shocked to find tiny white spores stuck to their clothing.
SAS Australia star Simone Holtznagel shared her frustration on Monday after her $3,000 leather Givenchy bag was covered in white mould from Sydney’s humidity
Heavy rain and warm summer temperatures combined to turn bedrooms into the perfect bacterial breeding ground.
In Sydney, humidity levels spiked to 91 per cent on Tuesday, far higher than a regular summer even in the city’s temperate climate.
Occupational health scientist Brad Prezant said poorly-ventilated wardrobes were one of the first places mould tends to grow when the humidity rises.
‘Once the humidity gets over 80 per cent, that’s when it contributes to fungal growth,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
‘What’s happening is we’re seeing humid air going into your wardrobe and condensing on surfaces.’
Mr Prezant said leather shoes, which are porous and allow moisture to seep through, were particularly vulnerable to mould growth.
SAS Australia star Simone Holtznagel shared her frustration on Monday after her $3,000 leather Givenchy bag was covered in the same white mould.
Unlike more aggressive black mould that grows in the corners of bathrooms or on ceilings, white mould can be easily brushed or wiped off surfaces and then the clothes washed or dry-cleaned – but could of course grow back.
Australia’s humidity stays high throughout the summer months largely thanks to La Niña – a climactic phenomena that brings more rain, floods and cyclones.
Mr Prezant said leather, which is porous and allows moisture to seep through, was particularly vulnerable to mould growth
Australian meteorologists declared a La Nina weather event back in November 2021, characterised by cooler temperatures but higher humidity.
Mr Prezant said many Australians homes also leave themselves open to mould growth with household habits that encourage high humidity – such as cooking and using cheap electrical dryers.
‘You have to bear in mind you have outdoor-generated moisture and indoor-generated moisture,’ he said.
‘Every time we boil spaghetti, wash dishes or use an indoor dryer we are creating moisture.’
He said condensing dryers, which take the hot air generated from drying clothes and condense it into water, helped reduce humidity but were expensive to run and out of the financial reach of many families.
‘The main solution is good ventilation,’ he said. ‘You can do that by keeping your closet open or by using a dehumidifer.
‘If you’re aggressive over the humid months, you can probably also keep the mould at bay by wiping it off with a surfactant [such as mould solution cleaner].’
Mr Prezant added mould would be less likely to grow on properly treated furniture, such as a table with a shellac cover, than on unfinished wood.
He said when professionals often use an industrial dehumidifier when they go into a home to rectify flood damage, and the same process would work for mouldy clothes.
But he added that task was made harder in high-humidity climates such as Queensland and NSW.
‘If you were in Tasmania in winter you could get away with just taking the outside air and using it to heat your house,’ he said.
‘If it’s very humid you need to seal the building or home and make it very dry before you use a dehumidifer.’
In some situations there’s no going back, he added – such as when furniture is exposed to moisture for such a long period of time it starts to dry rot.
‘In most homes, unless you have a chronic leak you only see staining on clothing or furniture.’
As well as causing ripe conditions for mould growth, Australia’s La Nina nightmare has also been blamed for triggering a spike in eczema cases.
Eczema is a health condition that makes your skin chronically red and itchy and can occur at any age.
Hot and humid conditions are well known irritants of the condition.
Dermatologists say a humidity level of 30 to 50 per cent is the most ideal for people who are prone to eczema.
The La Niña event has seen increased rainfall along Australia’s east coast leading to high humidity. Pictured are stormy skies over Sydney
