How to Kill Mold on Sheet Rock
Mold spores are unhealthy because they trigger hay fever-like symptoms, more so in some people than others. Mold grows on moist Sheetrock because of its porosity and cellulose content. You can mix a disinfectant of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and boric acid that is inexpensive and highly effective against mold on Sheetrock. However, if the mold has penetrated deeply, the Sheetrock may have to be cut out and replaced. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Technical grade (35%) hydrogen peroxide
- Boric acid
- Goggles (optional)
- Gloves (optional)
- Disposable face mask
- Primer
- Paint
- Clorox
- Saw (e.g. keyhole saw)
- Pressure washer
- Spackling paste
- Spatula
Instructions
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Repair any leaks or other source of moisture first. Otherwise, the cleanup will be only a temporary solution that won't last. This means cleaning up pooled water, fixing any broken sump pump, and repairing cracks that let in rain.
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Cut out a small, square piece of the wall where the mold has penetrated (e.g. with a keyhole saw or jab saw). Make the hole in the wall large enough to see inside with a flashlight. If you see mold inside, you may have to just take down all the Sheetrock, clean everywhere (with the antiseptic described below), and put up all new walls. Otherwise, continue to the next step.
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Inspect the square piece you cut out and see how deep the mold penetrates. Any more than a quarter inch won't be reachable with a fungicidal solution. Instead you'll have to cut out all the mold-infested walling. Cut it out with the corners at right angles. Make the cutout a shape with as few corners as you can, so that you can fit in replacement Sheetrock more easily. Use spackling paste and a smoothing spatula after inserting new sheets--which are available in various sizes at hardware stores. If instead the mold penetration is shallow, go on to the next step.
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Dissolve a cup of boric acid in a half gallon of 10 percent hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). (The 10 percent can be diluted 35 percent H2O2, which is available at hardware and health food stores.) The 3 percent H2O2 found in drug stores is not a strong enough antiseptic.
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Soak the mold with the solution thoroughly BEFORE scrubbing. Scrub only as deep as the mold is soaked. The point is to avoid sending dry spores airborne. They are the part of mold that trigger allergic reactions and lead to new mold growth elsewhere. Soak in layers. In other words, soak, then scrub away the soaked layer, then soak, and so on.
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Soak the wall thoroughly one final time after the mold is all scraped away, just to kill what you can't see. As soon as that application is dry, apply spackling paste with a long spatula to smooth out the surface and hold any remaining spores in place. Then prime it for an additional layer of protection, whether you plan to paint it or not.
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Tips & Warnings
Use a disposable face mask to avoid inhaling spores during the job. Use goggles to apply the antiseptic solution. Keep a pail of water handy in case you get any solution on your skin or in your eyes.
