The Best and Worst Methods for Clearing Mold

by Matthew Harrison

Are you struggling to remove mold from walls, ceilings and other surfaces? The Government estimates that up to a quarter of homes in England could be suffering from damp and mold. So, you’re not alone.

Everyone who’s tried knows that clearing mold away can be difficult. To make matters worse, there are so many products and hacks that it’s hard to know what works and what doesn’t. To help sort the good from the bad, cleaning expert Matthew Harrison at PriceYourJob.co.uk outlines the best and worst methods for clearing mold and explains how to stop it from coming back.

Why is it So Important to Remove Mold?

Mold is a fungus, and certain types, including black mold, can be damaging to your health. They release spores and toxins that can cause rashes, allergic reactions, breathing problems and inflammation. If you leave the mold, it will grow and spread around the home, leaving you exposed to serious respiratory illnesses and skin conditions.

The Best Methods for Clearing Mold

There are a number of effective ways to remove mold from surfaces around the home, but these are the ones that are known to work the best:

Mold and Mildew Cleaners

An off-the-shelf mold and mildew cleaning product is one of the best and easiest methods for clearing mold. However, there are two different types of mold remover, so it’s worth checking the label of the product you’re buying:

• Chloride-Based Mold and Mildew Cleaner: This uses a chloride compound, such as Sodium Hypochlorite or benzalkonium chloride, to kill mold and remove black stains. It can be used on tiles, grout and silicone sealants, so it’s well-suited to clearing mold from bathrooms and kitchens. You should open windows when you’re using it, and you mustn’t combine it with other cleaning agents, as this can be dangerous.
• Biocidal Mold and Mildew Cleaner: This typically uses an ammonium compound as a biocide and disinfectant to kill spores and prevent mold growth. There is no bleaching effect with this mold remover, so you will still need to clean the staining away after the biocide has done its job. However, these cleaners are usually more suitable for use on textiles, timber and plastic.

White Vinegar

If you’re keen to use a natural cleaner and to avoid harsh chemicals, white vinegar is a good solution. Its antifungal and antibacterial qualities mean that it’s capable of killing mold, although it’s thought to only be around 80% effective, and it can be slower at treating mold than shop-bought products. However, it’s safer to use on fabrics than some shop-bought removers and can be used without needing to dilute it.

Lemon Juice

If you’re keen to use a natural mold remover but can’t stand the pungent smell of vinegar, you could use lemon juice instead as it holds the same mold-clearing properties. It’s best to use it undiluted and leave it for a short while to allow it to work before you wipe the mold away.

Tea Tree Oil

Another natural antifungal and antibacterial agent is tea tree oil. Like vinegar and lemon juice, it does need a bit of time to work. The best way to use tea tree oil is to dilute it in water and pop it into a spray bottle.

Baking Soda

Mold prefers a slightly acidic environment, so baking soda’s alkaline pH can be good for clearing it away. It also neutralizes the stale smells that mold creates. Baking soda can be used as a paste to help scrub mold from surfaces or as a spray. It’s an eco-friendly cleaner that’s safe to use on most surfaces and isn’t harmful to pets and children. However, baking soda isn’t as effective as other natural solutions, so you may need to do more scrubbing. Therefore, it’s only suitable for tackling small patches of mold.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide can help to break down mold, and diluted, it can be used on fabrics (provided you do a patch test first). Although it’s quite good at removing mold, hydrogen peroxide isn’t quite as effective on hard surfaces as a shop-bought mold and mildew cleaner. That said, it doesn’t produce nasty fumes, so it’s a better solution than household bleach.

The Worst Methods for Clearing Mold

Bleach

While bleach isn’t the very worst method for cleaning mold, there are better products you can use. It doesn’t work well on porous surfaces and can discolor and damage some surfaces. It’s also worth remembering that it’s a harsh chemical, so you do need to wear cleaning gloves and keep rooms well-ventilated.

Brushing and Scraping

Brushing and scraping at patches of mold will release spores into the air. This risk spreading the mold to other surfaces, and you could end up breathing the spores in.

Soapy Water

To avoid using harsh chemicals, you might decide to use a mild detergent, such as washing-up liquid, with warm water. But even though it may help to clean up some of the mold, it won’t be able to remove it all and is unlikely to kill the spores.

Steam Cleaning

Steam needs to be really hot to kill mold, so many domestic steam cleaners just aren’t effective. Steam cleaners also raise the moisture levels in a room. So, you risk creating the perfect environment for mold to grow back quickly. Pressurized steam can force spores into the air. Low-steam cleaners can work without increasing humidity too much, but you may need to follow up with a natural or chemical mold cleaner to be sure you’ve removed it all.

Painting Over It

Mold is unsightly, and if you’ve struggled to remove it from your walls and ceilings, you might be tempted to paint over it. Although this can cover up the horrible black stains, it won’t kill the mold or tackle its root cause. So, it won’t be long before the mold returns.

How to Clear Mold Safely

It’s best to don some rubber gloves and wear a mask to reduce close contact with chemicals and mold spores. If the mold is extensive, it’s wise to call in specialist cleaners rather than try to tackle it yourself.

What Causes Mold Growth?

If you remove mold from your home without treating the cause, it will grow back. The following are all common causes of mold:

• Roof leaks
• Blocked gutters
• Cracks in brickwork and render
• Moisture from boiling kettles, cooking and showers
• Poor ventilation, including blocked air vents

How to Prevent Mold Growth in Your Home

If you’re looking to stop mold from growing back, these are the essential steps you should take:

• Practice good home maintenance, including inspecting your roof regularly and clearing out gutters every six months.
• Install extractor fans in your kitchen and bathroom to remove excess moisture.
• Hang your washing outside whenever possible.
• Use a dehumidifier if you’re drying laundry inside or notice condensation on surfaces.
• Put the heating on when it’s cold to reduce condensation.
• Open your windows daily to ventilate the home.

Final Thoughts

So, now you know what methods do and don’t work for clearing mold from your home. Numerous methods work, but some are more effective than others. You should also make sure you pick a method that’s suitable for the surface you’re cleaning. Where mold is extensive or hard to remove, specialist cleaning services are the best and safest way to tackle the problem. Once you’ve successfully removed the mold, it’s important to take steps to stop it from coming back.

Matthew Harrison has worked in the cleaning industry for over twenty years. Matthew currently specializes in professional floor cleaning as well as commercial cleaning, and he is also regularly featured as a cleaning expert for a range of reputable publications.

Photo of Mold in wall by Sergei Starostin and photo of person disinfecting room by Roger Brown from pexels.com