How to Clean Mold: Mistakes to Avoid
Nobody wants mold.
If you’ve discovered a mold problem in your home, you may be eager to clean it up yourself and save money.
If you don’t know how to clean mold, trying to remove it on your own could make the problem worse and cause potential health hazards. But if you’re going to go the DIY route with mold cleanup, you at least want to do it right. Here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid when removing mold.
This is a widely believed myth. We get so many customers inquiring about why the bleach treatment didn’t work and their mold came back.
Bleach will change the color of your mold to a clear and/or white shade (just as it does to your clothing). Unfortunately, all you have done is to create an environment for the mold’s continued growth. You also may have possibly ingested bleach fumes and airborne mold spores (which is not a healthy thing to do).
Usually, within three to four months of bleaching, the mold will return — and do so with a vengeance.
What DIY mold cleaning products to use instead
The only cleanser that Comprehensive Mold Management recommends is borax, a white powder you can purchase at most groceries in the laundry/detergent section.
For cleaning mold, mix, one cup of borax with 1 gallon of hot water. Apply the borax solution to the area with mold.
Do not apply the solution to a porous material, such as drywall. These types of surfaces absorb water easily, which will only exacerbate the mold problem by keeping the area moist.
After you apply the borax solution, scrub the area with a rag or a wire brush until the mold is gone. Wipe the area off and make sure it dries thoroughly. You can repeat the application of the solution. Borax prevents new mold from growing, so you don’t need to fully rinse it away.
Once this is complete, run a dehumidifier or a fan to dry out the area within 24-48 hrs.
Mold-resistant paint
You may think that painting an area with mold-killing paint will solve the problem. It seems like a quick fix. But it’s not the solution to eradicating mold.
If mold is still present, it can continue to grow beneath the coat of paint, and sooner or later will make itself visible again. While the area may look better temporarily, painting can make mold removal more difficult.
In addition, any health problems caused by mold will continue, because the mold is still there.
The first job is to get rid of the mold. Properly clean the surface. Rectify any moisture issues to ensure mold growth will not return. Once the area is dry and mold-free, you can apply a mold-resistant paint.
How do you know the mold is gone?
For homeowners, the big challenge of DIY mold cleanup is not knowing if you’ve completely eradicated the mold.
• If you haven’t eliminated the root of the moisture problem that led to mold growth, it’s inevitable that the mold will return.
• Mold spores are small and can spread easily. When cleaning, if you don’t set up the proper containment, mold can spread to another area of your home.
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