Mysterious silky growth on floor

[ThaiWai]

It covers about a 12" tile but is now expanding every night.  It is starting to pile up like a snow drift against the refrigerator leg.  It's white and mildy iridescent and almost appears crystalized but it's not frost.  You can see the dogs footprint in it for scale.  It is very easily removed.  There are no bugs in or around it.  It seems like moth silk or some other organic material.  I'm leaning towards aliens but open to suggestions.  

[mahjongguy]

Assuming that it's a fungus, I'd mop the floor with bleach.

 

[GroveHillWanderer]

This is what I got by doing a Google Lens search:

 

"The white, powdery, and somewhat crystalline substance near the refrigerator in the image, described as easily removed and not frost, could be several things based on the provided context and common household issues:

 

White Mold:

This is a type of fungus that can appear as a white, fuzzy, or powdery substance, often confused with salt deposits. It thrives in moist, humid environments and can grow on various surfaces, including organic materials like those found in or around a refrigerator. 

 

Efflorescence:

This is a crystalline salt deposit that forms on surfaces like concrete or masonry when water containing dissolved salts evaporates, leaving the salts behind. While more common on building materials, it's possible for minerals to be carried to the surface by moisture and leave a residue. 

 

Mineral Deposits from Hard Water:

If you have hard water, mineral deposits like calcium can accumulate, especially in areas where water evaporates, such as around a refrigerator's ice maker or water dispenser. These deposits can appear as a white, powdery, or scaly residue. 

 

Refrigerator Defrost Drain Line Issue:

A frozen or restricted defrost drain line in the freezer can cause a build-up of ice and potentially lead to a white, powdery substance being expelled or accumulating near the appliance as the ice melts and refreezes or as minerals are left behind. 

[ThaiWai]

15 minutes ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

This is what I got by doing a Google Lens search:

 

"The white, powdery, and somewhat crystalline substance near the refrigerator in the image, described as easily removed and not frost, could be several things based on the provided context and common household issues:

 

White Mold:

This is a type of fungus that can appear as a white, fuzzy, or powdery substance, often confused with salt deposits. It thrives in moist, humid environments and can grow on various surfaces, including organic materials like those found in or around a refrigerator. 

 

Efflorescence:

This is a crystalline salt deposit that forms on surfaces like concrete or masonry when water containing dissolved salts evaporates, leaving the salts behind. While more common on building materials, it's possible for minerals to be carried to the surface by moisture and leave a residue. 

 

Mineral Deposits from Hard Water:

If you have hard water, mineral deposits like calcium can accumulate, especially in areas where water evaporates, such as around a refrigerator's ice maker or water dispenser. These deposits can appear as a white, powdery, or scaly residue. 

 

Refrigerator Defrost Drain Line Issue:

A frozen or restricted defrost drain line in the freezer can cause a build-up of ice and potentially lead to a white, powdery substance being expelled or accumulating near the appliance as the ice melts and refreezes or as minerals are left behind. 

I tried Google lens first and it said frost.  I said it's 30 degrees in the kitchen and it doubled down and said frost.  It's not frost.  IT'S ALIVE!

[ThaiWai]

35 minutes ago, mahjongguy said:

Assuming that it's a fungus, I'd mop the floor with bleach.

 

I'm leaning fungus too and I can clean it but that doesn't really answer the question which remains What is this fascinating stuff exactly.

[Crossy]

Have you tried the Thai Biodiversity group on Facebore??

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/thai.species.id

 

[GroveHillWanderer]

7 minutes ago, ThaiWai said:

I tried Google lens first and it said frost.  I said it's 30 degrees in the kitchen and it doubled down and said frost.  It's not frost.  IT'S ALIVE!

It says frost if you don't include the descriptive text. Once you use a screen shot including the accompanying text, it suggests white mold.

[Schoggibueb]

I would guess too, its fungus.

 

If so, take 70% Ethanol (not higher or lower) and clean EVERTHING that has got cotact with. Spray it, let it have contact for min. 60sec. , then clean. As it's a living organism, your dog can drag it around while walking through it. So that's not really helpfull.

 

70% Ethanol -> the reason is, that it has to have the 30% (distilled / boiled water)  that the ethanol doesen't evaporte too quickly. So a higher percentage of Ethanol istn't better... And have all windowas and doors open when you spray! Do it stepwise - max 0.5sqm. And take a break if you fell dizzy...

 

Tables, chairs etc - take them outside and clean them there too. Sunlight is helpfull

It's really important that youre not too lazy and leave certain items or spots whithout cleaning. 

 

Try to keep the contaminated sourrounding as dry as possible. If you have an AC - set to dry mode 24hrs, during cleaning and after that for a few days, regardless of the electricity bill! 

And even then, the chance that it will come again ist still high. Sorry to tell you this. 

 

Side info:

I worked earlier as a service engineer on lab equipment. So fungus can be a pain in the neck... Especially in an incubator where expensive cells were breeding and had to be dumped because of fungus. I had success, but an incubator isn't a kitchen or household.

 

I wish you good luck.