About Mildew/Mold:
Many people refer to 'mildew' as the commonly occurring fungi that grow on damp clothing or bath tiles. In reality, such growth is typically a filamentous mold (genus: Aspergillus) of the types likely found on water-damaged building materials.

Mildew is the type of fungi that form a superficial, usually whitish growth on plants and various organic materials.

Mold can grow on almost any substance as long as it has a carbon-based food source, moisture, oxygen, and the temperature is between 40 and 100° F.

Most molds reproduce by forming spores that disperse into the air in search of more food and moisture (a reproductive activity similar to seed dispersal from plants). Due to the diversity of mold in our environment, outdoor air normally always contains some level of these airborne mold spores.

Mold growing on glass, ceramic tile, metals, or other inorganic materials is not obtaining nutrients from these substrates. In these cases, mold is feeding on microscopic organic matter that is on the surface or trapped in tiny pores of the material. Bath-tile mold is an example: Mold is typically consuming organic dust, dirt, debris, skin flakes, body oils, soap scum, etc., and the ceramic tile is simply a foundation for the colony.

Mold has been implicated as a major cause of Building Related Illness (BRI) and Sick Building Syndrome (SBS). Studies have shown that exposure to indoor mold can induce respiratory illness in adults, and can cause early onset asthma and allergies in children.

Inactive spores are all around you, too small and insignificant to be seen with the naked eye. You cannot rid your home of inactive spores, nor can you prevent them from entering.

When you dry and disinfect active mold spores, they do not actually die. They return to their inactive state, harmless but capable of activating again. For this reason, you should always vacuum immediately after cleaning up a mold problem, in order to remove the spores that caused the problem in the first place.

Source: MoldAndMildewRemedies.com

How to Get Rid of Musty Smells
Common answers

• Turn on your exhaust fan to remove excess humidity
• Put a space heater in the room to dry it out.
• Remove rugs and spray everything with a bleach solution. Allow the solution to sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Wipe using a clean cloth dipped in warm water.
• Just like vinegar, lemon's high acidity can wipe out groups of molds and fungi. Mix natural lemon juice with some water to create a potent cleaning solution.
• A smelly sludge from soap, shampoo, shaving creme, toothpaste and hair can build up on the inside of your drain pipes. An effective homemade remedy to alleviate this problem is to pour a cup of baking soda inside the drain. Follow this with a cup of vinegar, then let the solution set for thirty minutes. Finally, pour a kettle full of boiling water- if you have metal plumbing- or a kettle of hot tap water- for PVC plumbing- down the drain to help remove and rinse the sludge away. Do this at least once a month, and your drains should smell fresh.
• Place a bowl of white vinegar in an out of the way place in the room where the odor is strongest. Within 24 hours the odor will be almost undetectable. Within 48 hours it will be gone completely. It does not mask the odor but gets rid of it.
• Place a plate or bowl of plain charcoal used for grilling near the smell.
• Spray with Febreze
• Check for leaks around your tub or shower spouts allowing water to get behind the tile or wall.
• Clean inside HVAC ducts and exhaust fan ducts.

Mold: (Phylum: Ascomycota)

Genus	Characteristics
Alternaria	A large spore mold that can deposit in the nose, mouth and upper respiratory tract causing an allergic response. Indoors, it is often found in carpets, textiles, house dust and potentially damp areas like window frames and showers. It can also be found in plant soil.
Aspergillus	Usually found in warmer climates in areas of water damage or extreme dampness. Aspergillus species are also commonly found in house dust. Many species produce mycotoxins which may be associated with disease in humans and some animals. Also found in building materials and in fall leaves and other decomposing matter like compost piles.
Cladosporium	The most commonly identified outdoor fungus, but it can easily enter into the house through the HVAC and other airflow entryways. Cladosporium also has an indoor species that grows on textiles, wood and other porous, damp areas. Both indoor and outdoor species are triggers for hay fever and asthma symptoms.
Penicillium	A very common mold known to cause allergies, hay fever and asthma. Species may be found growing on wallpaper, wallpaper glue and decaying fabrics in water-damaged buildings or homes. It is also found in carpet and in interior fiberglass duct insulation. Some species can produce mycotoxins.
Stachybotrys	Pronounced (stack-ee-BOT-ris), this is an especially toxic black mold that produces airborne toxins (mycotoxins) that can cause serious breathing difficulties, memory and hearing loss, dizziness, flu-like symptoms and bleeding in the lungs. Stachybotrys requires excessive moisture to thrive (usually running water) and is a slimy black mold. Fortunately, stachybotrys is not found in homes as often as the other molds listed above.

Source: Indoor Air Quality and Your Health at National Allergy

Table 2. Common types of moldy and decay fungi in buildings

Taxonomy

Mold Kingdom: Fungi Phylum: Ascomycota Order: Eurotiales Family: Trichocomaceae Genus: Aspergillus blue mold,

Powdery Mildew Kingdom: Fungi Division: Ascomycota Class: Leotiomycetes Order: Erysiphales Family: Erysiphaceae Genus: Blumeria Powdery Mildew

Downy Mildew Kingdom: Chromista (Straminipila) Phylum: Heterokontophyta Class: Oomycete; Order: Peronosporales; Family: Peronosporaceae; Genus: Peronospora; mildew (tobaco, onion) downy mildew

See:
MoldAndMildewRemedies.com
DoctorFungus.org/
Indoor Air Quality and your health.
Musty Smell in Clothes
How to clean a washing machine.