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Mobile ViewENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS - INSPECT, TEST, REMEDY MOLD: A COMPLETE GUIDE to TEST CLEAN PREVENT ACCEPTABLE MOLD LEVEL ACCURACY OF VARIOUS MOLD TEST METHODS ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT INDOOR MOLD ACTIVITY of MOLD in buildings AGE of MOLD - Old is the Mold? AIR TEST FOR MOLD: ACCURACY AIR TEST SAMPLING CASSETTE STUDY AIRBORNE MOLD SPORE COUNT ACCURACY AIRBORNE PARTICLE ANALYSIS METHODS ALLERGEN TESTS for buildings ATTORNEYS and EXPERT WITNESSES ATTIC MOLD BASEMENT MOLD BASEMENT MOLD WATER IMPACT BATHROOM MOLD BIBLIOGAPHY for ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, MOLD, IAQ BIOLOGICAL POLLUTANTS BLACK MOLD, HARMLESS COSMETIC BLACK MOLD, TOXIC & ALLERGENIC BLEACHING MOLD, Advice about BOOK MOLD, Moldy Book Cleaning BOOKSTORE - ENVIRONMENTAL BROWN HAIRY BATHROOM MOLD CACTUS FUNGI / MOLD CAR MOLD CONTAMINATION CARPET DUST IDENTIFICATION CARPET MOLD CONTAMINATION CARPET PADDING ASBESTOS, MOLD, ODORS CARPET FUNGICIDAL SPRAY CARPET STAIN DIAGNOSIS CARPET & other STAIN TESTS CARPET TEST PROCEDURE CARPETING & INDOOR AIR QUALITY CHAIN OF CUSTODY - TEST SAMPLE CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS - MOLD CLEANUP CRAWL SPACES DIRECTORY of MOLD / ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERTS DIRT FLOOR MOLD CONTAMINATION Disinfectants Disinfecting Buildings with Bleach DRYWALL MOLD DUCT SYSTEM & DUCT DEFECTS DUST ANALYSIS for FIBERGLASS DUST CONTAMINATION FROM HVAC? DUST SAMPLING PROCEDURE EFFLORESCENCE, Salts & White / Brown Deposits EMERGENCY RESPONSE, IAQ, GAS, MOLD FEAR of MOLD - MYCOPHOBIA Fiberboard Insulation Sheathing Mold FIBERGLASS INSULATION MOLD FIBERGLASS PARTICLE CONTAMINATION TEST FIELD INVESTIGATION SERVICE FIND MOLD, ESSENTIAL STEPS FIND MOLD in BUILDINGS, HOW TO FIRE DAMAGE vs MOLD DAMAGE FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-mold FLOORING MATERIALS, Age, Types FUNGICIDAL SPRAY & SEALANT USE GUIDE GAS DETECTION & MEASUREMENT GAS EXPOSURE EFFECTS, TOXIC GAS EXPOSURE LIMITS & STANDARDS GAS TEST PROCEDURES HOUSE DUST ANALYSIS HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS HIDDEN MOLD, HOW TO FIND HUMIDITY CONTROL & TARGETS INDOORS INDOOR AIR HAZARDS TABLE INDOOR AIR QUALITY & HOUSE TIGHTNESS INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT INSULATION MOLD ITCHY FABRICS LABORATORY SERVICES LAB PROCEDURES MICROSCOPE TECHNIQUES MEDIA BLASTING for MOLD REMOVAL MICROSCOPE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY MICROSCOPE SLIDE PREPARATION MICROSCOPE SLIDE PREP - PERMANENT MOUNTS MICROSCOPE TECHNIQUES for the LAB MEDIA BLASTING for MOLD REMOVAL METHANE GAS SOURCES MICROSCOPE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY MILDEW in BUILDINGS ? MILDEW ERRORS - MOLD PHOTOS MILDEW REMOVAL & PREVENTION MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS MOLD ACTION GUIDE - WHAT TO DO ABOUT MOLD MOLD ACTIVITY in buildings MOLD AGE - Old is the Mold? MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE MOLD APPEARANCE - STUFF THAT IS NOT MOLD MOLD ATLAS & PARTICLES INDEX MOLD by MICROSCOPE MOLD in the PETRI DISH, PHOTOS Mold on Books, Book Conservation MOLD CLASSES, HAZARD LEVELS MOLD CLEANERS - WHAT TO USE MOLD CLEANUP COMPANIES MOLD CLEANUP, DO IT YOURSELF MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE- HOW TO GET RID OF MOLD MOLD CLEANUP - BLEACH MOLD CLEANUP - HEALTH RISKS MOLD CLEANUP - LIMITATIONS MOLD CLEANUP - MISTAKES to AVOID MOLD CLEANUP - MEDIA BLASTING MOLD CLEANUP - SAFETY WARNINGS MOLD CLEANUP - WOOD FLOORING MOLD CLEANUP - WOOD FRAMING & PLYWOOD MOLD CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS MOLD CLEARANCE: FOLLOWUP STEPS MOLD CLINICAL REFERENCE TEXTS MOLD CONSULTANTS/INSPECTORS MOLD CONTAMINATION LEVELS MOLD CULTURE PHOTOS MOLD CULTURE SAMPLING METHOD MOLD CULTURE TEST ERRORS MOLD CULTURE TEST KIT VALIDITY MOLD DETECTION & INSPECTION GUIDE MOLD DOCTORS - ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE MOLD or INDOOR AIR EMERGENCY RESPONSE MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE MOLD EXPOSURE, FOOD HAZARDS MOLD EXPOSURE RISK LEVELS MOLD EXPOSURE STANDARDS MOLD FAQ's MOLD FREQUENCY in buildings MOLD GROWTH ON SURFACES, PHOTOS MOLD GROWTH on SURFACES, TABLE OF MOLD GROWTH in/on BUILDING INSULATION MOLD INFORMATION CENTER MOLD INSPECTORS & MOLD TESTERS MOLD INSPECTION HOME BUYERS GUIDE MOLD INSPECTION SERVICE MOLD INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE TIPS MOLD INVESTIGATION REPORTS MOLD KILLING GUIDE MOLD LAB REPORTS MOLD LEVEL IN AIR, VALIDITY MOLD LEVEL REPORTS MOLD LEVELS IN buildings MOLD by MICROSCOPE MOLD ODORS, MUSTY SMELLS MOLD on or in CARPETS MOLD ON DIRT FLOORS MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE MOLD RELATED ILLNESS GUIDE MOLD RELATED ILLNESS SYMPTOMS MOLD RESISTANT CONSTRUCTION MOLD SAFETY WARNINGS MOLD SPRAYS, SEALANTS, PAINTS MOLD STANDARDS MOLD STANDARDS - GOVERNMENT MOLD STANDARDS - WORLD WIDE MOLD TOXICITY VARIATION MOLD TEST KITS for DIY MOLD TESTS MOLD TEST PROCEDURES MOLD TEST REASONS MOLD TESTING METHOD VALIDITY MOLD TESTING SERVICES MSDS Material Safety Data Sheets MSDS Material Safety Data Sheets MVOCs & MOLDY MUSTY ODORS MYCOPHOBIA, STAINS MISTAKEN for MOLD MYCOTOXIN EFFECTS of MOLD EXPOSURE ODORS GASES SMELLS, DIAGNOSIS & CURE OZONE for MOLD OR ODORS PAINTS & COATINGS ODORS IN buildings RENTERS & TENANTS GUIDE TO MOLD ROBIGUS & Wheat Rust Fungus ROT, TIMBER FRAME SLIDE PREPARATION, MICROSCOPE SMELL PATCH TEST to Track Down Odors SOUND CONTROL in BUILDINGS STAIN & BIODETERIORATION AGENT CATALOG STAINS on BUILDINGS - QUICK GUIDE STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING EXTERIORS STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS STAINS on INDOOR SURFACES: PHOTO GUIDE STAINS & Thermal Tracking TECHNICAL & LAB PROCEDURES TRAPPED MOLD BETWEEN WOOD SURFACES VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in BUILDINGS VENTILATION in buildings VINYL Siding or PLASTIC Window ODORS in buildings VINYL CHLORIDE HEALTH INFO WATER BARRIERS, EXTERIOR BUILDING WATER ENTRY in buildings World Trade Center Collapse Dust Photos More Information |
This article offers advice on cleaning mold found on wood flooring, both when the flooring is already installed in a building and when wood flooring materials have not yet been installed in place. We discuss the pros and cons of using fungicidal sealants and bleach on wood floor product surfaces including the under-side as a mold-resistance improver, and give sources and list types of those products. We also discuss common errors made when cleaning wood surfaces, such as relying on bleach or performing expensive and unnecessary cleaning on cosmetic black mold on wood surfaces. InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers nor with topics or services discussed at this website.© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. Guide to Cleaning Mold off of Wood Flooring
At left our photo shows white and black mold on the surface of hardwood flooring. It may be possible to sand, clean, and re-finish this floor, but some exploration will be needed:
Our page top photo shows black mold on an oak strip floor near an exit door. Sanding or bleaching this mold won't fix anything - we need to find and fix the leak that caused this flooring to rot, and because the flooring is rotted, it needs to be replaced. But often surface mold on wood flooring, new or installed in a building, can be easily cleaned and future mold growth prevented, as we describe here. Question: How do I clean mold off of oak flooring that has not yet been installed?I have recently found some used quarter sawn oak 3/4" tongue and groove flooring for sale. Upon further inspection, many of the pieces appear to have a white powder film on the finished side of the strips and also black mold on the back sides where is it grooved and unfinished. Of course it is being sold at an incredible price, but I am concerned about the likeliness I will not be able to clean it properly. I will add that I will be gluing it down to concrete. Is there anything I can do myself to insure proper elimination of the mold? - Jamie Longfellow, Tallahassee, FL Answer: Physically Clean Moldy Wood Surfaces, Dry The Wood Flooring Before InstallationHere we are discussing cleaning mold off of wood flooring products that have not yet been installed in a building. If your concern is with mold on the visible surfaces of wood flooring already installed in a building, or on the under-side of wood flooring or subflooring already installed in a building, the wood surface cleaning discussed here still applies, but you should also see Hidden Mold in Flooring & Subflooring. Also see MOLD CLEANUP - WOOD FRAMING & PLYWOOD where we describe methods for cleaning wood surfaces in general. Without a mold lab test (for example using the adhesive tape mold sample procedure at MOLD TEST KITS for DIY MOLD TESTS) we don't know from the moldy flooring question above if you are seeing mold or something else on soiled wood flooring, but it is reasonable to guess that a substance is mold based on its physical appearance (see MOLD APPEARANCE - WHAT MOLD LOOKS LIKE), especially if the flooring has been exposed to water, wet conditions, or high humidity. Except where major costs are at issue that would be effected by a determination of the type of material or mold present, or where there are other reasons to test for mold, in our opinion testing is not necessary for small mold cleanup jobs (less than 30 sq.ft. of contiguous mold on a building surface). For help in deciding if it is appropriate to test for mold, see Reasons to Test for or Identify Mold and see MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE. In any case you can physically clean the surfaces to remove the mold. Physically cleaning means wiping, scrubbing with a scrubby sponge and any household cleaner. Don't waste money or time with mold killing washes, it's not necessary, and using bleach or similar agents can create a cosmetic problem or a problem with future adhesion of finish coatings on the flooring upper surface after installation. Clean the wood flooring outside in dry weather, or in an appropriate indoor workshop where air, dust, and possibly moldy dust containment can be managed or won't be a problem. Don't bring moldy wood flooring into its destination building until the flooring has been cleaned, or you risk contaminating the building with moldy dust. See MOLD CLEANUP - SAFETY WARNINGS. Watch out: be sure that your wood flooring has dried properly before it is installed or flooring shrinkage, gaps, or even more serious problems may occur. The wood should be below 18% moisture before any coatings are applied, and it should be thoroughly acclimated to the building interior where it is to be installed before it is secured in place. This can mean storing the wood in the destination building for days or longer before it is installed. See DRY THE MOLD-CLEANED SURFACE.
Our wood floor photo above shows a mold-free wood floor but its boards are cupped upwards (convex wood floor board cupping), suggesting that there was a problem moisture source above the floor (such as a burst pipe or flooding). Imagine that a wood floor board that has been more wet on one side than the other, as it dries, tends to be more expanded on the "wet" side - so will curve towards that side, while the more dry side will tend to be less expanded - so will curve away from the more dry side. Surely there are exceptions, but this general rule on the diagnosis of wood floor cupping often holds. More details are at Wood Floor Damage and at MOISTURE CONTROL in buildings. At right our moisture meter is measuring the moisture level of a different wood floor, showing that the moisture is in the danger zone for forming mold, rot, insect damage, and floorboard cupping. Leaving Stains on Some Wood Surfaces is Harmless, or of Cosmetic Significance OnlyIf an exposed flooring surface remains stained even after surface mold has been removed, you will need to sand that surface - a step typically performed after the flooring has been installed. While in general we recommend against using bleach as a substitute for proper mold cleanups (MOLD CLEANUP with BLEACH) we have successfully used bleach (with great care) to remove stains in wood floors before re-finishing the exposed wood surface. Be sure that all bleach or any other cleaning has been thoroughly removed before re-finishing a floor. Media blasting (MOLD CLEANUP by MEDIA BLASTING) can also produce a very clean wood surface with minimum damage to the wood. But be careful: inexpert use of any power-blasting or power washing method for cleaning wood can leave a raised wood grain and a very uneven surface that would be unacceptable for finishing on an interior wood floor surface. Stains that might remain on the flooring underside will be of no cosmetic import and as long as the floor is installed indoors and not exposed to water or high moisture, mold growth should not be a problem. Coating the Under-Side of Wood Flooring to Improve Mold Resistance & Moisture Resistance Before InstallationIf nonetheless you want to take steps for extra "mold proofing" you can, after cleaning and drying the wood, coat the underside with a fungicidal sealant, or even with simple quick dry shellac or a lacquer primer-sealer paint. The top flooring surface will be finished and sealed after installation unless you are dealing with a pre-finished flooring product. MOLD SPRAY SOURCES & TYPES lists some sealant products and FUNGICIDAL SPRAY & SEALANT USE GUIDE discusses warnings about using sealants on mold cleanup jobs (don't use a sealant as a substitute for actual cleaning). What about mold on pre-finished or already-finished wood flooring?If the exposed (upper) surface of the flooring material is moldy and if mold stains have penetrated the actual coating, for cosmetic reasons you'd need to sand through the coating and through the stain until the wood appearance is satisfactory. Watch out: often mold-stains penetrate rather deeply into wood materials. While the stain does not itself signify an increased risk of future mold re-growth, its appearance may be unacceptable. But deep stains can require removal of quite a bit of wood surface - something that can be a problem in wood flooring, and in particular if the flooring is a Vee-grooved pre-finished product. Sanding Vee-Grooved Pre-Finished Flooring to Remove Mold?V-grooved pre-finished flooring is not intended to ever be sanded, and if you do sand it, the result will be uneven removal of material so that the Vee-grooves are no longer consistent, ruining the finished floor appearance. In that case you'd have to fully sand the floor until it has become totally smooth before it can be re-finished. More Reading:
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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. MOLD CLEANERS - WHAT TO USE
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OTHER IAQ ISSUES: How To Find and Address Other Indoor Air or Indoor Environment Contaminants Besides MoldMold or allergens may not be the only or even the main indoor environmental contaminant. Don't let media attention to mold cause so much enviro-scare fear that other, possibly more urgent hazards go un-addressed.
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