Can Air-Dry Clay Grow Mold? — Spinning Pots

Anything that has even the slightest amount of moisture will most definitely be prone to mold growth. Air-dry clay is no exception to this. As a regular crafter, you must have heaps of unused air-dry clay lying around in the crafting studio without being used for months and even years. While most crafters fear that their air-dry clay will become hard and unusable, there is another fear that lurks beneath the shadows. It is the fear of your air-dry clay becoming moldy.

So, can air-dry clay really grow mold? Let us understand the clay in-depth.

Moisture and Clay Equals Mold Growth

The biggest enemy of your air-dry clay is moisture. While moisture is important to ensure that you can knead and mold your air-dry clay, the very same moisture could also be a platform for mold growth. Add to this improper circulation, and voila, there is a substantial amount of mold growth in your clay.

Do not doubt that the mold spores are present in your clay from the very start. Even packaged air-dry clay could hold a good amount of mold spores that might have made their way through during the packaging. However, these spores only grow after being exposed to the right conditions.

If you happen to store your air-dry clay in a room with relatively high moisture…