Mould Prevention in Commercial Kitchens: Stop Growth Before It Starts

When mould prevention, the practice of stopping harmful fungal growth in damp, high-use environments like commercial kitchens. Also known as mould control, it’s not just about cleaning—it’s about stopping the conditions that let mould take hold. In a busy restaurant or catering kitchen, mould doesn’t just look bad. It can ruin appliances, trigger health violations, and even shut you down. And it’s not always visible until it’s too late.

Mould thrives where moisture, warmth, and organic material meet. That’s why refrigeration units, cold storage systems that often collect condensation and food debris are prime targets. A leaky drain pan under a fridge, a clogged condensation line, or even a poorly sealed door gasket can turn your cold box into a mould farm. Same goes for kitchen extractor fans, ventilation systems that pull steam and grease through ducts. If those ducts aren’t cleaned regularly, grease and moisture build up—and mould grows behind the grille, where no one sees it until it starts smelling like a damp basement.

It’s not just about the big stuff. Even small things like a cracked seal on a dishwasher, a slow drip from a water heater, or a wet mop left under a sink can feed mould over time. You don’t need a visible patch of black fuzz to have a problem. The spores are already in the air, and they’re settling on your oven seals, your extractor filters, even inside your washing machine’s rubber ring if you’re using it for linen or uniforms.

The good news? Most of this is preventable. It’s not about deep cleaning once a month. It’s about daily habits: wiping down surfaces after service, checking drain lines weekly, making sure fridge seals are clean and tight, and running exhaust fans long after cooking ends to pull out the humidity. Fixing a small leak early stops a mould colony from forming. Replacing a worn gasket on a fridge costs less than a health inspector’s fine.

And if you’ve had a mould issue before, you know it doesn’t go away with bleach spray. It comes back unless you fix the root cause—usually a hidden drip, poor airflow, or an appliance that’s not draining right. That’s why so many commercial kitchens end up calling in repair techs not just to fix a broken compressor, but to stop the damp that’s letting mould grow around it.

Below, you’ll find real guides from local repair experts who’ve seen this happen over and over. They’ve walked into kitchens where mould had grown inside fridges, behind ovens, and under dishwashers—and they know exactly what to look for. You’ll learn how to spot the early signs, what parts most often fail and cause moisture leaks, and how to keep your appliances dry so mould never gets a chance.