Mold FAQ: Winning The War On Mold And Mildew

* Does bleach kill mold?

Yes, bleach kills mold. It is an effective chemical for killing all kinds of molds. Bleach is an acid, and acids are effective killers of microorganisms. However, take care in handling bleach, as acids are known to be as hard on your skin as on the molds.

Most bleach contains chlorine, a chemical that is used commercially to kill microorganisms in public water supplies and swimming pools. Chlorine is also known to be a good choice for killing molds and disinfecting your home.

Just be sure that the bleach you buy does contain chlorine, because there are several non-chlorine bleaches on the market. There are also levels of acidity for chlorine. Strong chlorine is best for killing molds.


* Can I clean and restore all the items in my home that have been affected by mold?

Yes. Things that have been affected by molds can be cleaned and restored in many ways. The easiest way is simply with detergent soaps, but detergent will only clean things that have been mildly affected by mold.

Another way to clean up mold is to use any of the chemical products available commercially. Most of these chemicals not only clean but it disinfect and kill molds or fungi. When the molds have been killed, restoring items becomes much easier.


* What should I do if I?ve cleaned the mold but it keeps coming back?

The best thing to do when molds keep coming back is to prevent its growth. This can be done by acting quickly on water leaks that will cause dampness and encourage mold growth.

Try to reduce humidity. Reducing humidity means reducing the growth of molds. Using air conditioners or dehumidifiers is one effective way of reducing humidity.

Prevention of condensation is another way of keeping molds from coming back. You can prevent condensation by reducing humidity. Increasing ventilation is another way.

Keeping your home dry will ensure your home is mold-free.

If you've significantly reduced the humidity and condensation in your home and the mold is still growing, you've most likely got a problem area in your home that you may not be aware of. Perhaps you have previous water damage that was not cleaned properly, or you may have a leaky pipe. When all is said and done, you may need to call in a mold remediation specialist.


* How do I know when the mold cleanup is complete?

The simple answer is that you'll know the mold cleanup is complete when there is no visible mold remaining. There should also be no dust or dirt remaining that could contain large amounts of mold and mold spores.

Once this has been accomplished, testing for mold is really not necessary. Leaving a few mold spores behind is not a problem if the moisture problem that caused the mold in the first place has been corrected. Keep in mind that mold spores are virtually everywhere. Even if every mold spore is removed during the cleanup, spores from outside will re-enter the house or building. However, the mold spores will not be able to grow unless moisture is present.

Maye Teasdale is editor of Mold Tip, the online guide to Mold. She also writes Mold FAQ's for PrettyGreatAnswers.com.