# Effect of exposure to mold and mildew for many years **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 2, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-exposure-to-mold-and-mildew-for-many-years/714026 "2015-03-02T17:49:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-exposure-to-mold-and-mildew-for-many-years/714026/1 "2015-03-02T17:49:08Z")
Let’s say a healthy person lived for several decades in an environment of rampant mold and mildew - clothing, walls, carpet, surfaces, etc. The mold/mildew cannot be killed. There is no option of relocating to a mold/mildew-free environment. Would he or she develop immunity? Develop severe vision/respiratory issues? Die? Body would "ignore the mold/mildew? ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-exposure-to-mold-and-mildew-for-many-years/714026/2 "2015-03-02T21:32:11Z")
Certain kinds of mold can cause cancer with constant exposure. ---
**Author:** ![JerrySTL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e274bd/32.png) [@JerrySTL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JerrySTL)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/effect-of-exposure-to-mold-and-mildew-for-many-years/714026/3 "2015-03-02T21:51:15Z")
Most mold and mildew is harmless unless the person has an allergy to it. A lot of the mold and mildew hysteria comes from companies that can make a profit from cleaning it up.