How to Remove Black Mold With Bleach & Water

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Things You'll Need

  • Bleach

  • Pail

  • Scrub brush

  • Paper towels

Black mold can grow in any area of the home where there are damp and poorly-lit conditions. Some varieties of mold are toxic; at minimum, many people are allergic to black mold. One of the easiest ways to clean up black mold is with household bleach and water, which will kill the mold. However, this is only truly effective on solid, non-porous surfaces such as tile. Cleaning with bleach is of little use on porous surfaces like drywall, for example.

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Step 1

Open doors, windows and skylights to create good ventilation while you are working. Turn on any ventilation fans available. Black mold spores and concentrated chlorine fumes are a health hazard and require these measures.

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Step 2

Mix together bleach and water in a pail, using a proportion of one part bleach to three parts water.

Step 3

Scrub the infected area with the bleach solution until you have a liquid bleach-and-mold scum. Wipe that away with paper towels.

Step 4

Apply more of the bleach-and-water solution onto the affected area. Let sit for several minutes to disinfect and whiten out the residual stains.

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Step 5

Wipe up any remaining bleach-and-water solution with paper towels, and throw all used paper towels away. Allow the affected area to dry in good ventilation and plenty of light for at least three to four hours and preferably six to eight hours.

Tip

Do not use cleansers that contain bleach, like Ajax or Comet, as a substitute. The level of bleach present in these powders is not high enough to serve as an adequate disinfectant for black mold.

Warning

Always wear rubber gloves and a respirator when cleaning black mold with a strong concentration of bleach. Safety goggles are recommended as well.

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