Okay I don't know what is the politically correct forum for this...as I didn't sea a 'mold' forum, I trust someone will move me.

About two years ago I bought a new refrigerator with an ice maker unit. Apparently, lucky me, the hose attachment at the nut at some point started to drip, although I have no idea when.

I first noticed a few days ago that the trim board by the refrigerator looked dirty and what appeared to be whitish crust on on it. It seemed to get worse rather quickly.
I finally pulled the refrigerator back and aack! A 2ft x 2ft area of the plaster was all wet and had crud on it, and the trim all dirty and crud covered all round the back. It broke off the trim like powder with a scraper. The back plaster near the floor also broke into powder.

I went downstairs and got to the impossible-to-get-to area in the corner and looked up, and there the floorboards were all soaked and some white streaks in them.

It took me quite awhile to find out what was causing the problem, then I saw the dripping. Obviously I disconnected the hose, and will have to address that problem but what in the world do I do about the mold? I can't rip the floorboards out. IS it mold? Someone talked about effervescense showing as powdery buildup on concrete, but I didn't know if it did that on plaster.
There are alot of warnings online about mold spores telling you to wear a respirator, etc, etc..........
No idea what to do at this point, besides air it out and/or possibly spray it with bleach.

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If it were my house, I would first mix a bleach and water solution and start scrubbing and then put a fan or portable heater near it for it to dry, if the stain didn't come out, do it again. If the wood does not have to be replaced, I would leave it alone. Mold need moisture and cellulose to grow, as soon as the the moisture goes away, so will the mold

 

im going to personally say it is mold/mildew but more than likely NOT black mold that everyone fears since this is not likely to grow in an area with ANY air circulation present.
As the first poster said use bleach and water as bleach is the ultimate killer of all that is unsanitary.
you may never get rid of the black stain from the mildew and it may look like your just smearing it around but as long as you get air circulating it will die and you can then kilz and paint.

if your really worried just remove the sheetrock and patch. it behind a fridge so the patch job doesnt have to be pro.

as for the floor boards just get a fan or even better a dehumidifier in the area. I had a major leak from my first floor that soaked the floor board in the apartment below it (to the point where when you stepped on them water came up) and i left a fan and a dehumidifier running circulation style for two days and you would never know it happened.
the white streaks are just water run marks, dont worry about them.
youll be okay.

THOUGH if the wall is an outside wall to the house you may want to pull the sheetrock since the insulation behind it may be soaked and then that can get bad if left in there,

if you have any question i can help with just PM me.

g luck

 

Ok I read your post! The powder is everfecence from the salts in the plaster. Like said bleach and dry it with a fan