How to Get Mold off Bathroom Walls
Moisture is a constant nemesis to the bathroom walls. Everything from drips to shower steam will produce a perfect environment to initiate mold growth on walls. What starts as an occasional gray spot on the wall eventually grows to large black splotches. Controlling mold is important to the health of you and your family. Bleaching agents and a scrub brush will rid the wall of mold and mildew. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Gloves
- Safety glasses
- Chlorine bleach
- Liquid detergent
- Sponge
- Sand paper
- Primer
- Mold-resistant paint
- Powdered oxygen cleaner
- Wood polish (if needed)
Instructions
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Removing Mold from Painted Walls
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1
Mix 2 cups chlorine bleach, 1/2-cup liquid detergent and 1 gallon of water. Use a gloved hand to wipe this mixture on the moldy wall surface with a sponge. Allow it to sit for five to 10 minutes.
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2
Scrub the wall with a sponge to remove the remaining discoloration caused by the mold spores. Rinse with clear water and let the wall dry.
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3
Prepare the wall for repainting by sanding it with fine sand paper. Paint the wall with a moisture-resistant primer using a medium-sized paintbrush. Allow the primer two to four hours to dry. Add two coats of mold-resistant topcoats. Wait two hours between layers to produce the best coverage.
Removing Mold from Wallpapered and Panelled Walls
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4
Mix 1 cup powdered oxygen bleach cleaner with 1 gallon of warn water. Soak the molded wall with the mixture using a scrub sponge. Allow the oxygen cleaner to sit for 10 or 15 minutes.
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5
Scrub the wallpaper or panel surface with the sponge. Use a vertical scrubbing motion when cleaning these surfaces; this will prevent the wallpaper from tearing and the paneling scratch free.
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6
Rinse the wall with clear water and let the surface dry for one or two hours. Spray a wood polisher and buff the wood paneling with a soft cloth.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Clean areas of mold as soon as you notice their appearance.
Thisoldhouse.com offers an important video that can show the extensive damage mold causes and the extent of fixes needed if not dealt with properly.
Keep the area well ventilated.
Wear safety glasses and gloves when working with bleaching chemicals.
