Don’t Use Bleach on Mold

Many people believe chlorine bleach is good way to kill mold, and for good reason.  For many years, both OSHA and the EPA recommended chlorine bleach as an effective way to remove mold.  What they have since found is that using bleach to kill mold actually does more harm than good.  Subsequently, both agencies have revised their mold cleanup recommendations to exclude the use of bleach as an effective mold cleaning agent. 

The reason for this is that chlorine bleach, even full-strength, is not strong enough to permeate porous surfaces. If you have mold in your home or business, it probably exists on porous surfaces such as wood or drywall (walls, ceilings, moldings, carpeting, etc.).  While bleach may be able to kill some of the surface mold, but it cannot penetrate down to the root of the mold.  Once the surface layer is cleaned, it’s only a matter of time before the roots of the mold spread to the surface again. 

But that’s not the worst of it.  While chlorine cannot penetrate porous materials, the water in chlorine can – meaning not only is the bleach not killing the mold, it’s actually feeding it with more water – exactly what it needs to grow.

And don’t be taken in by store-bought “mold and mildew removal” products. Most of these are just chlorine bleach with a mold removal label slapped on it. Check the list of active ingredients to see for yourself.  Another thing to check for: the label will tell you whether or not it’s suitable for use on porous surfaces.  Most of the time it’s not, and you’re back to the drawing board.

To get rid of mold on porous surfaces, you’ll have to remediate. This involves removing/cleaning the materials contaminated by the mold. Mold remediation contractors know the difference between what is salvageable and what has to be removed. They use specialized cleaning agents to disinfect and thoroughly clean infected items. Most importantly, they'll stop the source of the water that is causing the mold in the first place.

Mold is no joke – it can be incredibly harmful to you and your family. So if your bathroom countertop or bathtub show signs of mold, go ahead and try bleach. But if it’s spread to your walls or ceilings, keep your family’s health and safety in mind. Call your local mold remediation team and get the job done by professionals.