Things You'll Need:
- Plastic gloves
- Eye goggles
- Filter dust mask
- Old clothes (long sleeves and pants)
- Large trash bags
- Plastic sheeting
- Non-ammonia soap or detergent
- Stiff brush
- Hot water
- Bleach
- Paper towels
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Step 1
Identify and eliminate the source of the moisture before you begin addressing the mold or mildew.
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Step 2
Evaluate what needs to be thrown out and what can be saved. Porous materials, such as paper and fabric, should be discarded, especially if severely contaminated with mold. Other materials that usually trap mold include sheetrock or wallboard, wood, ceiling tiles and carpets. Nonporous materials, which include metals and plastics, can usually be saved.
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Step 3
Put on protective materials, such as long pants and sleeves, gloves and eye goggles. The clothes you wear will either need to be disposed of or washed immediately after you finish cleanup in hot water.
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Step 4
Remove items that are going to be discarded. Wrap all items in plastic bags or with plastic sheeting before removing to prevent further contamination.
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Step 5
Dry wet materials before cleaning. If you cannot dry an object within 48 hours, consider throwing it out. Do not use fans if mold spores are present, as you risk spreading the spores.
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Step 1
Use paper towels to remove as much of the mold as possible from the surface.
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Step 2
Use a stiff brush and scrub the item with soap or commercial cleanser and hot water.
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Step 3
Rinse with hot water.
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Step 4
Disinfect the area by coating it with a 10% bleach solution. This solution can be made by mixing about 1 and 1/2 cups bleach to one gallon of water. Using straight bleach is not more effective and should be avoided.
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Step 5
Allow the areas to dry naturally overnight.
