How to Clean up Mold
Mold in your home is dangerous. It is possible to clean up many types of mold. Some mold, like black mold, may be more difficult to clean. If you are unable to remove all of the mold from an item, discard it if possible to prevent the mold from spreading. When possible, seal off the moldy area from the rest of the home. You can only do this if the room has a window, as you will need fresh air to circulate while you are cleaning up the mold. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Heavy duty trash bag
- Bleach
- Mild detergent
- Borate-based detergent
- Sponge
- Gloves
- Respirator
Instructions
-
-
1
Remove all moldy items, if possible. For instance, if you have mold in your bathroom, remove the tiles that are moldy. You may have to throw out certain items if they are too moldy to be cleaned properly or if they aren't able to be cleaned. Place the moldy items in a heavy duty trash bag. Seal the bag and throw it away.
-
2
Scrub the remaining moldy areas. Use a solution of one part bleach to ten parts water on hard surfaces that can tolerate bleach. You may be tempted to increase the bleach, but this won't be more effective and it may damage some surfaces. Rinse the area and dry completely. Skip this step if the surface isn't able to be bleached.
-
-
3
Clean the area thoroughly using a mild dish washing liquid or laundry detergent and warm water.
-
4
Apply a borate based detergent to the entire area once it has dried completely. Some laundry detergents are borate based. Just check the labels on detergents until you find one that has borate as an ingredient. Dab it onto the surface with a sponge and allow it to dry without rinsing it.
-
5
Vacuum the area thoroughly if the mold was in a room with carpet. Set your vacuum on the setting as close to the carpet as possible.
-
6
Wash anything that has mold on it and is washable in the washing machine on the hottest setting possible. Hang it up to dry instead of putting it in the washing machine.
-
7
Check the area often to make sure that mold hasn't reappeared. If you notice more mold, consider calling a professional mold removing service to clean the area.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Use a stiff brush or hard toothbrush to clean uneven areas.
Wear gloves and a respirator when you are cleaning up mold.
Always test a small area of the surface with the various cleaners before putting them on the entire surface.
Never mix bleach with any other household cleaners. Doing so may cause toxic fumes.
