UKCMS Issues Health Warning - Keep Carved Pumpkins Outdoors
Press release for immediate release on 14th October 2026
UK Centre for Mould Safety Issues Health Warning:
Keep carved pumpkins outside this Halloween
Families are being urged to carve pumpkins as close to Halloween as possible and keep them outside once cut, to avoid introducing an unnecessary additional source of mould and fungal material into their homes.
The warning comes from the UK Centre for Mould Safety (www.UKCMS.org), a free science-based information and guidance service created to support households experiencing water damage, mould and damp issues affecting their health.
The advice comes as part of a list of 15 ways to avoid mould growing in our homes this autumn and winter.
Lisa Malyon is an indoor air campaigner after her own near-death experience living in a home with water damage and mould. Lisa founded www.indoorairaware.co.uk – a community interest company – and more recently www.ukcms.org to protect public-health. She comments:
"The colder months are a high-risk time for mould to find places to grow in our homes, and we must do everything in our power to avoid that happening. Keeping carved pumpkins outside is one way we can avoid introducing new mould into our homes.
“As soon as a pumpkin is carved it starts to decompose, creating the perfect environment for mould to germinate and grow. As a fungal colony develops, it can produce spores and microscopic fungal material that can be released into the air we breathe.”
The UK Centre for Mould Safety is one of the services delivered by www.indoorairaware.co.uk, which is supported by an advisory board of professors and experts spanning the built environment and human biology. Three members of the advisory board are quoted below.
Dr Abigail Whitehouse, Senior Clinical Lecturer in Children’s Environmental Health at Queen Mary University of London and Honorary Consultant in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine also comments:
“Respiratory health is influenced by the air we breathe and the conditions in the homes where we spend our time. Damp and mould exposure is associated with respiratory symptoms and can worsen asthma in susceptible occupants.
“Keeping decaying organic material outside is a simple, sensible way to avoid an unnecessary indoor source of fungal material. It is one small preventative step alongside keeping homes adequately heated, ventilated and free from damp.”
Professor Malcolm Richardson, Honorary Professor of Medical Mycology at the University of Manchester, comments:
“When a pumpkin is carved, its protective outer rind is breached, exposing moisture-rich organic tissue that provides a suitable substrate for fungal colonisation. Common fungal genera, including Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium and Alternaria, can proliferate under favourable conditions, producing microscopic spores, hyphal fragments and other fungal particles that may become airborne, be inhaled or settle within household dust.
“Viable spores can remain dormant until sufficient moisture, suitable temperatures and available nutrients allow germination and the establishment of new fungal colonies. This is particularly relevant in homes affected by condensation, inadequate heating or water damage, where moisture conditions may favour microbial growth.”
15 ways to avoid mould growth in our homes
Mould spores are microscopic and are in our air everywhere we go. If conditions allow, they can very quickly grow into a colony, which can become a health hazard by reducing the air quality for occupants.
We must keep our homes clean, dry, warm and well-ventilated to avoid mould.
Lisa’s top 15 healthy home tips:
1) Always ventilate every morning and evening and after doing anything that involves water (cooking, cleaning, bathing).
2) Do the ‘daily detox’ - all windows and internal doors wide open to allow dust and other chemical pollutants to be swept out by the air.
3) Maintain a steady temperature - 18-21 degrees Celsius in occupied rooms and 16 degrees Celsius in unoccupied rooms
4) Keep ‘wet’ stuff to ‘wet rooms’ with ventilation running (dry laundry in the bathroom or kitchen, not in dry rooms.
5) Fix and dry water events immediately - spills, leaks, burst pipes - water must be dried within 24-48 hours. After this time, mould is likely to grow.
6) Never place furniture up against walls - moisture may become trapped. Air flow is required.
7) Where possible, dry laundry outdoors or in a tumble drier - this zaps moisture and stops if entering your home.
8) Grab yourself a few hygrometers - these help you to know how much moisture is in your air - open the window to let excess moisture out.
9) Dust with an M-class or H-class vacuum - don’t ‘dust’ your home in the traditional sense as this just moves dust around - vacuum it straight up from surfaces.
10) Close doors to stop moisture from wet rooms entering dry rooms. Always keep the bathroom and kitchen doors closed to the rest of the home.
11) Keep trickle vents on windows open at all times (where present). Passive ventilation is important for air changes.
12) After using a wet room (bathroom / kitchen / laundry), use a microfibre cloth to dry it down. Dry towels outside or in the tumble dryer if possible.
13) Avoid using excess water indoors - protect your home from getting wet, or water seeping into concealed areas – avoid using a mop and bucket of water – hand clean using a microfibre cloth. When using a steam iron, do so next to an open window.
14) When using a condenser tumble dryer, always ventilate well - they only collect 85% of the moisture at best, so the rest of the moisture will escape into your home.
15) Keep food waste (including carved pumpkins) outdoors - don’t give mould a chance to grow inside our homes.
Top 5 mould-safe tips
1) Never use any products that claim to ‘kill or eradicate’ mould indoors - remove it carefully with soapy water and a microfibre cloth - use a vacuum to remove contamination from the surface and the air before and after (see safe removal advice at www.ukcms.org).
2) Never use vinegar - many moulds are unaffected by vinegar, and it leaves behind an acidic environment, which many types of mould require to grow.
3) Never use a dehumidifier or anything that moves air around in a room where there is visible mould - this will spread it further. Dehumidifiers should only ever be used to prevent mould in mould-free homes.
4) Never attempt to clean large areas of mould - seek professional support directly or via your landlord. See the sizing chart at www.ukcms.org
5) Avoid spending time in any areas with visible mould - do everything you can to reduce exposure by carefully removing the mould.
Catrin Moore, Professor of Global Health and Infection Diseases at City St George’s Hospital and advisor to the World Health Organisation on antimicrobial resistance, comments:
“As we enter autumn we need to protect our health, particularly our respiratory health by preventing avoidable illness and, in turn, reduce the pressure on the health service. Many of us who have coughs and colds at this time of year want antibiotics, however these medicines shouldn’t be used for viral or fungal diseases and should be protected for treating severe bacterial infections.
“With the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, we need to protect our armoury of antibiotics and use them wisely. By reducing our exposure to mould, we are protecting our health and the wider population.”
The True Cost of Mould
● The World Health Organisation found that people living in damp or mouldy-affected buildings can have up to a 75% greater risk of respiratory symptoms and asthma.[1]
● Government health guidance estimates that, in 2019, damp and mould in English homes was associated with around 5,000 cases of asthma and 8,500 lower respiratory infections in children and adults.[2]
● The health risk is especially important for babies and children, older people, pregnant women, people with asthma or other lung conditions, and anyone with a weakened immune system.2
● In 2023–24, around 1.3 million households in England were living in damp homes. More than 600,000 of those households included someone with a health condition.[3]
● BRE estimated that the most serious damp and mould hazards in English homes cost the NHS £38 million every year. The estimated cost to remove those Category 1 hazards was £269 million - a clear case for prevention and early repair. These are estimates based on 2021 BRE research.[4]
● Government guidance is clear that the underlying cause must be addressed; removing visible mould alone is not enough.2
-ENDS-
For more information on preventing or safely removing mould, contact Lisa Malyon at Lisa@indoorairaware.co.uk or 07525204402.
Notes to editor
· Lisa Malyon is a public health innovator and founder of www.IndoorAirAware.co.uk and the UK Centre for Mould Safety www.ukcms.org after she was hospitalised when living in a home with hidden water damage and visible mould.
· Indoor Air Aware and UKCMS is supported by a growing team of 33 expert advisors spanning the built environment, health, mycology, behaviour psychology and policy.
· Lisa also launched www.wattswatt.co.uk – the national energy information service – to help households access energy at the best value and avoid mould and damp this winter.
· The UK Centre for Mould Safety’s free navigator handholds homeowners and tenants dealing with water damage and mould. Users can find professional surveyors, water damage restorers and mould remediators in their local area via the directory.
[1] World Health Organization (WHO) (2009) WHO guidelines for indoor air quality: dampness and mould. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe. Available at: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789289041683
[2] Department of Health and Social Care, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and UK Health Security Agency (2026) Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home. Updated 1 April 2026. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/damp-and-mould-understanding-and-addressing-the-health-risks-for-rented-housing-providers
[3] Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (2025) English Housing Survey 2023 to 2024: health and housing – fact sheet. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-housing-survey-2023-to-2024-health-and-housing-fact-sheet/english-housing-survey-2023-to-2024-health-and-housing-fact-sheet
[4] Garrett, H., Mackay, M., Nicol, S., Piddington, J. and Roys, M. (2021) The cost of poor housing in England: 2021 briefing paper. Watford: Building Research Establishment (BRE). Available at: https://files.bregroup.com/research/BRE_Report_the_cost_of_poor_housing_2021.pdf