Argh! Mold/mildew under sideboard

[holidayseeker]

I have just had an invasion of ants into my dining room and whilst catching them all I moved my sideboard to discover all underneath was black mold/mildew and on the back of the sideboard was chalky looking powder just at the bottom.

I have used Dettol disinfectant and scrubbed all the floor and got it all off apart from a little bit of black in the laminate groves and wiped down the back of the sideboard.

I am now leaving it to air but it still smells musty but now also mixed in with Dettol so is there anything else I should be doing?

It was disgusting even though I thought it was only a couple of months ago since I last moved it out for cleaning (this probably sounds bad but it's really heavy to move). I think the problem started as I've been using a steam mop recently and I wonder when I go along the opening at the front of the cupboard the steam is getting trapped.

is it a solid (concrete) floor?

is there plumbing that could leak on either side of the wall? Bath, radiator, downpipe?

do you drape wet washing in this room?

Thanks for the reply. Yes it's a concrete floor with laminate on top. Today I have had the French doors open to air and I think the smell has reduced and when I smell inside the cupboard it now just smells of wood rather then fusty so hoping this will sort itself out with plenty of airing.

I suspect the concrete floor is damp.

Do we have to lift up the laminate to check?

if you can. Or you may detect damp along the skirting.

If not a plumbing leak (pipes buried in or under concrete floors are a great nuisance when they leak, or it might be a dripping radiator or shower tray on the other side of the wall) it might be rainwater penetration around a door or window. You may see the laminate is swollen where it is, or has been, especially wet; or you may see woodlice, which feed on damp and rotting wood.

Thanks for your help.

There is no mould on the skirting board that is fine but under the cupboard there were a few dead wood lice.

The wall is an external wall and the radiator is on the other side of the room.

look at the outside wall on a rainy day. If the gutter or downpipe is blocked or leaking, water may cascade down the wall, or splash up from the ground, making the wall wet, especially if it is an older house without cavity walls.

Great thanks I'll have a check next week when it is meant to rain.