Durban !! My headboard STINKS

[daveob]

A strange title, I know, but I need some help here.

Durban and coastal residents, and furniture experts may be able to enlighten me here.

We moved from GT to KZN's South Coast 4 months ago, bringing all our furniture along.

About 2 months ago, we detected a strange odour in the bedroom ( yes, we do shower and wash the bedding !! ). Checked everywhere for dead bugs, mice, etc, etc. Nothing.

Started airing the room daily with windows open and fan on, but still no change - just getting worse.

Tonight I found the cause - the headboard. !!!

Now all the backing panels that are visible from the front, are made of good old fashioned hardboard with a oak veneer on the front side to match the oak used for the main sections of the headboard.

But there are 3 back panels that are not visible from the front - these are of a different material. I assume used by the manufacturers to reduce costs. About 3 mm thick ( like the hardboard ) but are light brown in colour. When wiped with a damp cloth, they have a light wood colour.

Problem is that both sides of these panels, at the back and inside the storage section of the headboard, is now coated with a very fine dark grey powder. It is extremely dry and powdery. It is blotchy in places, so I assume it is some form of fungus or mould. The floor and skirtings behind where these panels are, is also coated with this powder - about 3 mm thick.

So what could this be ? Is the board some sort of pressed organic material (pineapples / sugar cane / etc ) that rots at the coast ? Although I can't see any "breaking down" of the panels, so the powder must be growing on the panel ?

The powder wipes off the board with a damp cloth without leaving a stain.

Is this powder dangerous ? I have 2 little ones running around the house.

Can these boards be treated, or should I strip and dump, replacing with conventional hardboard ?

We did own this very same headboard in Gauteng for about 8 years and never experienced this before, so it must be related to the coastal humidity / conditions.

Any advice really appreciated.