Certainly there are there are some differences between mold and mildew. Molds as well as mildew are two dissimilar kinds of fungi. These fungi grow on dump or moist places. It is quite difficult to differentiate between molds vs. mildew because both the fungi have significantly similar characteristics. These fungi are considered to be bad as well as beneficial at the same time. This is perhaps because both are used in medications; however, they may also lead to certain diseases. One of the few ways to distinguish both the fungi is through its color; as Molds demonstrate more colors as compared to Mildew.
Mold
Molds are in fact commonly found fungus which dwells on rotted vegetables as well as fruits. These molds usually look slimed but some types of molds are also fluffy. Considering this factor may perhaps help you in understanding the difference between mold and mildew. Molds are colorful and are more often seen in red, black and green color. Most types of molds also contains mycotoxins which is a kind of toxin that may lead to allergies as well as other health issues in people who are sensitive or with weak immune system. These people may suffer from coughing, asthma and head pain. If any person gets exposed to mycotoxins there are chances that he/ she may experience irritation of eye as well as difficulties related to respiration. As mentioned above some molds are also useful as they are synthesized with other ingredients to manufacture medications. They are used in producing medicines such as penicillin as well as antibiotics such as Penicillium chrysogenum. Lovastatin is also a kind of medication that is also produced out of mold and is prescribed to people for reducing cholesterol level. Some molds are also adopted for producing edible items such as cheese, beer, bread, sausages and soya sauce etc.
Mildew
Mildew is another kind of fungi which also grows in moist places such corners or walls of toilets, bathtubs etc, or even the external walls of houses during rainy season. These mildews produce a certain kind of odor which perhaps may serve as another factor to find the difference between mold and mildew. Mildew is categorized in two common kinds which are downy or flossy mildew or powdery mildew. These two kinds of mildew grow on different surface for example downy mildew grows on agricultural plant whereas powdery mildew grows on flowering plants. It should be known that mildew also grow on paper as well as fabrics; these funguses are usually either gray or black in color. Chemicals that are good in absorbing moisture can be adopted in order to prevent mildew from growing on fabrics, these chemical may include silica gel etc. Basements are considered to be ideal environment for development of mildew as they are usually damp and do not have proper ventilation.
Conclusion
Both the fungi spread through their spores which are present in air always. It should be known that a person may also be affected with neurological issues if he or she is exposed to large quantity of molds consistently for considerably longer period of time. Though both the kinds of fungi bear considerably similar characteristics, we can find the difference between mold and mildew by looking at the color as well as texture of these fungi as mildew are more often gray or white.
