News Desk, News Nation 360 : After the summer's sweltering bright days, monsoon showers have finally brought cooler weather. However, many face the challenge of dealing with musty odours in the sofas, curtains, and especially carpets due to the increased humidity levels during this season. Also, it pours continuously in some parts of the country - as a result, curtains, carpets, and couches often remain damp and emit an unpleasant odour. Mold can affect the structural integrity of the material and can even cause dark patches. Exposure to mold can cause discomfort, leading to irritation in the eyes, skin and even in lungs. Molds and fungi can find their way into the homes through various means and can grow on furniture and commonly found materials like paper, cardboard, wood, dust, and paint which provide suitable nutrition for the mold to grow. High moisture supports the growth of molds. Here are a few quick steps to avoid the growth of fungi and mold inside the house. Dry wet areas: If there are wet areas in the house, take immediate action to dry them. If there is continuous seepage in certain areas, make sure to get them checked or repaired to avoid unwanted microbial growth. Disinfection – A key to ensuring the house stays fresh and protected from germs: Molds such as Trichoderma Viridae, Chaetomium globosum, and Aspergillus Brasilensis tend to be present in indoor places like on furniture, carpets etc. Mold growth can really bring down the look and feel of the furniture and the growth can cause a musty, bad smell. Improve ventilation in the house: Regularly open windows and leave doors slightly ajar whenever possible. Molds find it difficult to thrive in cool temperatures, so increasing cross ventilation would help in keeping mold growth in check. Therefore, it is important to disinfect soft furnishings regularly since washing them every week is sometimes not possible. Carpets, couches, curtains