How to Remove Mold With Hydroxy Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is composed of water and oxygen, and therefore considered by some to be a safe alternative to many products believed to possess harmful effects. There are a number of uses for hydrogen peroxide, such as a bleach substitute, household cleaner, and even as a kind of plant fertilizer. Due to its bleach-like properties, however, hydrogen peroxide is also extremely useful in killing and cleaning mold.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution
• Empty spray bottle
• Sponge or washcloth
• Hot water (optional)

1. Test hydrogen peroxide on an inconspicuous area. Before using hydrogen peroxide on any surface, it is important to test it on the same surface to be sure permanent damage will not be done to walls, cloth, or other material. If no visible difference is made by peroxide application, it is usually safe to proceed.

2. Examine the mold. This is important to determine the best course of action. If mold is dry, there is a bigger possibility that mold spores will be released into the air when cleaning is attempted. For this reason, it will be important later to soak the mold before cleaning it. If mold appears damp already, this should not be a large problem and cleaning can proceed normally.

3. Spray mold with hydrogen peroxide. If desired, peroxide can be sprayed directly onto mold at its original 3 percent concentration. However, the solution can be mixed with hot water if dilution and heat are desired (sometimes heat can have added effect in killing germs). Whichever method is used, however, dry mold will need to be sprayed until damp and left to sit for two to three minutes before proceeding to step 4.

4. Wipe the sprayed area with a sponge or washcloth. It may be necessary to scrub relatively vigorously to completely remove the appearance of mold.

Tips & Warnings

• Wash your hands thoroughly after dealing with mold to prevent inhalation or digestion of mold spores. Wearing gloves during the cleaning process is also an effective way of keeping spores off hands, but wash the gloves if they will be used again at any time later.
• Take care not to inhale or ingest mold, as this can be damaging to your health. Always use a breathing mask that covers the nose and mouth when available.

References

• Household Uses of Hydrogen Peroxide
• Removing mold on basement walls using hydrogen peroxide