Found some mould hidden under dish

[Daftsheep]

I have some of those little earthenware type dishes you get with certain cheese bakes and desserts that I didn't throw out. I'd washed them and some are in the cupboard while a couple are sitting on top of a wooden freestanding
shelving thing in my kitchen. They've been sitting there for ages but I just lifted them up and discovered a patch of green mould with little dark specks in it underneath them on the wood. It must have been caused by condensation developing under the warm dish after I'd washed them.

Am I OK to clean it off somehow or do I need to ditch it all? Any advice? Thanks.

Wash it, let it dry off throughly, and store it upside down next time (so the unglazed parts are exposed to air circulation)

I've had this as well. I think the problem is, they glaze the top and sides of the dishes but not the base. Being porous, the earthenware absorbs water when it's washed and then if it doesn't completely dry out before you put it away, the inside of the earthenware remains damp (if you store it on its base) and mould grows.

I don't think the mould would grow through the glaze to where you might put food, but I tend to chuck the dishes out when they get like this because I don't want the mould spores floating around my kitchen.

However, I like those dishes and find them useful, so now I store them on a wire rack (the sort you cool cakes on) when not in use so the air can circulate around them and they can fully dry out.

Earthenware pots are never 100% waterproof and therefore not the best pots to use for wet foods / flowers etc. When you wash them they absorb water which then evaporates away. It's absolutely classic for the shelf underneath to show mould. It's washable away but may well leave a stain. I suggest you stack the dishes on a skillet so there's air circulating underneath to prevent future moulds.

And please do not wash earthenware dishes, mugs etc in a dishwater ever. The steam can lift the glaze off the surface.

Hi I'm happy to chuck out the dishes but it's the shelving I'm wondering about, can it be cleaned of the mould and saved or do I need to get rid? Thanks

If the shelf surface is Formica type the mould should wash off fine. For wooden shelves there may well be a stain. You could rub back the paintwork and paint over.

Thanks it's wood. I'll see what I can do.