Mold killing guide:

This document explains a very common mistake in mold cleanup jobs: relying on bleach, biocides, or fungicides to "kill" toxic mold.

This is a chapter of the Mold Action Guide, a document which provides an easy to understand step-by-step guide for dealing with toxic or allergenic indoor mold and other indoor contaminants: what to do about mold.

The steps in this article series will be sufficient for many building owners who want to do their own mold investigation, mold testing, mold cleanup, and mold prevention in their home or office.

Q&A on How to Kill Mold - or Should We be Trying to Kill Mold?

These questions & amswers about killing mold and dead mold hazards were posted originally at MOLD KILLING GUIDE - be sure to read that article.

The mold reservoir needs to be found, removed, its cause corrected, and all related surfaces cleaned (or non-cleanable materials thrown out). Then using a biocide, sanitizer, or bleach solution for final cleaning is ok provided the solution is used according to the manufacturer's directions and applied safely.

On 2018-10-18 by (mod) - will mold in a dollhouse dry out and die?

Thank you so much for asking, Jennifer. This will be my first dollhouse mold consulting report.

Let's review the concerns with "dead mold":

First: in my experience, even when a moldy area appears dried out and "dead", some viable spores remain.

Second: any increase in moisture is likely to see a spurt in mold growth in the doll house since it is already inoculated with a colony of domrant dried-out but some-viable spores.

Third: even "dead mold spores" - if you could really kill 'em all - may be allergenic, toxic, or pathogenic, varying of course by the mold genera / species that are present (there will virtually always be more than one genera/ species).

The great news is that unless your doll house is bigger than any my daughters Michelle or Mara enjoyed, even if it's moldy, the total area of moldy surfaces is going to be less than 30 square feet of contiguous mold contamination. So you do not have to hire a professional mold remediator. Unless you are someone with particular allergy, asthma, or immune system vulnerabilities, you should be able to clean the mold yourself.

Use any household cleaner, and clean that off as well so that you don't leave a bleaching agent or a cleaner perfume in with the dollhouse occupants.

The bad news is that scrubbing tiny nooks and crevices in a dollhouse is some work. A small stiff paint brush or maybe a toothbrush may help.

So remove the mold.

And use the Add Image button to post some photos of the dollhouse before-and after if you can. That will let me comment further.

On 2018-10-18 by Jennifer

I was given a dollhouse that I believe has or had black mold. My question - if something like this did indeed have the mold, would the mold die once the dollhouse dried completely? thanks.

On 2018-07-20 by (mod) - health risk from mold under the kitchen sink?

Cauncey,

Apologies but I cannot really guess at what level of harmful mold might be present in a building I can't see and know nothing about. Nor can I assess the possible health risks to you.

A general answer is that IF water has run through building cavities such as walls, ceilings, floors, there is risk of a hidden mold reservoir that could be harmful - depending mostly on its total size and of course on the sensitivity and health vulnerability of the occupants.

When the building materials that may have been wet include drywall, wood, insulation, because those are friendly to mold growth, if such building cavities got wet, it would make sense to at the very least, cut a test opening or two in the most-suspect (wettest) areas to permit a visual inspection.

It is not true that "what you can't see won't hurt you" if in fact what you can't see is a large (more than 30 sq.ft. ) area of contiguous indoor mold contamination.

In general, spraying a paint on mold spots on the exterior of a wall is not an effective remedy for a building that had leaks into the wall cavity or other cavities. One needs to find and remove the mold and fix the cause.

If water soaked building walls and floors and ceilings and their cavities, or if you are having a health reaction when in your apartment, or if you are someone at extra health risk (elderly, immune impaired, asthmatic) those extra risks might deserve asking for help from your health department.

On 2018-07-20 y Chauncey

I live in a two story apartment, on the upper floor. My kitchen sink had a leak ( drip, drip, drip ) That rotted the cupboard underneath the sink.

This happened for, it looks like," years "
The water from the leak went down inside the wall to the neighbors apartment below. I told the owner, he had the sink pipes changed for rubber hose, wiped out the cupboard,and spayed primer paint on mold spots that they could see, nothing about the mold in the wall. He said that it won't hurt me.

What is True?
Is my health at risk?
Who can I ask for he?

On 2018-02-12 by (mod) - role for mold cleaners and sanitizers

Patrick

I like cleaners and sanitizers too, but I would not rely on simply a spray to "kill" mold - it's not likely that you can kill all the mold, and further, even if you could, if we don't fix the cause of its growth it just returns.

On 2018-02-12 by patrick

@Giovanni,
for the lady who thinks mold is in her car vents, etc. Concrobium makes a product that I have used for 8 years. i put it inside a fogger and d a whole crawlspace. then i go to the A/C Return and fog it as well. whole households with allergies have been cured. they make it in an aerosol too.

if you can run your ac for a while so that it is taking in air from the inside of your car, it will route this stuff through. totally odorless, toltally clear wonderful product

On 2017-10-16 by mark

how to encapsulate mold on metal studs

On 2017-09-29 by Anonymous

Thank you so much for you detailed advice - will do. Again, you have been so amazingly helpful - truly appreciate all your time and your site!

On 2017-09-29 by (mod) - find the source of mold odor in my SUV

OK so if all moldy carpeting and padding were removed and as there is a mold odor (there is no true "mildew" as that grows only on living plants) when the AC is on we need to try cleaning as much of that system as is accessible.

Start by having your mechanic look for and remove the filter that is present in most car AC systems. Use any common household cleaner to clean as much of the air cleaner box and ducting as can be accessed, then dry the system and install a new filter.

On 2017-09-28 2 by Anonymous - ever heard of mold getting car AC vents/lines?

Dan, that is exactly what happened, the air conditioning leaked condensate onto the carpet and padding and that is when I first noticed the mold was I pulled up the carpet on the passenger front floorboard where the AC was leaking water.

I pulled it up let it dry out and did not use the SUV for a week to let it fully dry. I was able to purchase (who knows if they were good but 5 stars on Amazon) an arsenal of 'mold' eliminating solutions for carpet, granted none said vehicle carpet but I'm thinking carpet is carpet, I hope.

The carpet now smells ok and no more mildew smell can be detected until I start the vehicle. I bought an online mold test kit (again amazon 5 stars - lol) to test the carpet and send to lab to see if that is really ok or is the smell just gone. I was a little surprised to get into the SUV smelling all lovely, only to turn on the car and the stench of mildew hit me and I deflated thinking I had not solved the issue.

Hence more research and I found your awesome page. I have the SUV going on Monday to check the AC and lines to see if they are clogged causing the condensate to leak onto the carpet to get that fixed. I was just wondering if they should or even could test the vents/lines for mold or if anyone has ever heard of mold getting car AC vents/lines before.

I do know the condensate leaked on the carpet I'm just surprised I smell mildew when I turn on the AC and got worried it may be more than just a carpet issue and was not sure how to verify. By the way, thank you for your fantastically quick response - you are awesome my friend!!!

On 2017-09-28 by (mod) - mildew smell that is coming from my AC in my car

Kayla,

I don't think that we can decide how much trouble is going to be involved in cleaning the car or is air conditioning the system until they have found where the mold problem resides. For example it's common for an air conditioning system in a car to leak condensate onto carpeting or carpet padding.

That could be a source of mold odor. So what's needed is some careful sniffing around to try to narrow down just where the problem is.

Unfortunately the ducting system and Automobiles is not designed for easy cleaning or replacement. I would avoid Magic Bullet Solutions such as spraying sanitizers or ozone treatments as we have not had good success with that approach and as there's often been a problem of overtreatment that caused new problems

On 2017-09-28 by Kayla

I have a mildew smell that is coming from my AC in my car when I turn it on. I have been getting sick with respiratory illnesses for two months and I'm beginning to wonder if I have mold in my AC unit.

If so, is it possible to treat by taking it to the mechanic or do replace the entire AC throughout the large SUV which I'm not even sure is possible in an SUV considering 3 row seating and all have AC lines running to it from somewhere.

I'm worried if I just take it to the dealership they will shrug and say it's just mold, deal with the odor or tell me to sell my car. I rather fix it and fix it in a healthy way. Advise please please please. Humbly thanking in advance for advise. I'm at a loss.

On 2017-05-08 by Giovanni

Thanks for your help!

On 2017-05-08 by (mod) - wash moldy plastic toys in any mild household cleaning solution

Giov:

If you simply wash plastic toys in any mild household cleaning solution any stains that remain on the surfaces will not produce detectable levels of airborne mold spores nor other particles.

IF we remove problem mold from surfaces or contents in a building (or throw out things that can't be cleaned like moldy drywall or insulation),
AND

IF we also find and fix the causes of the mold growth (usually leaks),

THEN
you have corrected the immediate mold problem, so
IF you see mold in the building again it's from a new leak and new problem that needs to be addressed.

If you use the InspectApedia search box just above you can find our article series on HOW TO PREVENT MOLD from growing in or on building contents or surfaces once the cleanup has been completed.

On 2017-05-08 by Giovanni

Thanks for your guide, but I still have a problem: I have some plastic painted toys (warhammer models) on which I found some traces of mold due to the fact that I left these models in my garage for 4 years.

To avoid damages to the paint/plastic I have put the models in a mixture of vinegar+water to cleanup the surfaces (just small areas were interested, about 1-2 cm or less). After 5 hours in that mixture I used a toothbrush to remove most of the mold.

Do you think that this will also help to prevent future mold? If something remained on the surfaces there is the possibility to find new mold? Now the models will remain in my apartment (much more drier than my garage). I hope you could help me, because I'm not able to find an answare to this queston.

On 2016-11-16 by Ektar

I had air tested because I've been sick...high counts of Asper/Pen & Chaetonium. I just ordered an ERMI test then
found out might not stand up in court. Do I hire a hygienist? I rent & have been in a hotel since Sept.

Do I have someone come & remove the hardwood furniture & things I can keep, clean it & then move it to the new
Apt or store it until I'm well?

Also I keep seeing different opinions on clothes, like adding ammonia will neutralize
the spores...aren't they still toxic? Same thing with animals seeing that I should bath them with ammonia? I will be
moving Thanksgiving.
T

hank you for your time & help
Ektar

On 2016-10-31 by (mod) - "killing" mold is the wrong objective.

Really, Anna?

First, "killing" mold is the wrong objective. That's because of many risks involved including damage to the building or materials, leaving viable mold spores that re-grow, and leaving areas of mold un-found and un-cleaned.

The right approach to indoor mold is to remove the mold by cleaning or for soft goods or drywall or carpeting, dispose of the moldy material. The source of water or high moisture that caused the mold growth needs to be found and repaired or the mold problem will recur.

No "air purifier" can remove mold from a building mold reservoir or source any more than waving your vacuum cleaner wand in the air in the kitchen will suck up dust-bunnies from under the living room couch.

On 2016-10-31 by (mod) -

Re-posting without promotional link

Anna levis said:
Products you can use to kill or remove mold.

Bleach, Borax, Hydrogen peroxide, Vinegar, Ammonia, Tea tree oil

Borax is commonly used as a deodorizer as well as for cleaning toilets and drains. Borax is also used as an insecticide, herbicide and fungicide and it can be mixed with water in a solution to kill and remove mold as it is a natural mold inhibitor.

Vinegar is non-toxic and doesn't give off dangerous fumes like bleach does.Absorbent or porous materials, such as drywall or ceiling tiles, may need to be discarded if the mold damage is severe enough.

Air purifier can be an effective solution. Place the air purifier in the room or rooms where you believe the mold is growing. It will capture 99.9% of all the airborne mold which passes through its filters, preventing the mold spores from circulating around the rest of your house.

On 2016-08-28 by (mod) - mattress in a room that mold was detected as airborne (penicillium)?

Fair question, Jason. As my expert Mark Cramer says "... well, ... it depends" (He's probably forgotten saying that) but it does - depend.

If a mattress was wet, visibly moldy, smelly, or hosting mold growth, it's history - throw it away as there is no effective cleaning method that will reach through the thickness of the entire mattress.

If a mattress was covered with bedding in a moldy room and at most might have been exposed to airborne moldy dust, then simply HEPA vacuuming it might indeed save it.

On 2016-08-28 by Jason M

How about a mattress in a room that mold was detected as airborne (penicillium)? Can the mattress be saved from rthe airborne spores?

On 2016-08-19 by (mod) -

Regrets, Anna, we don't permit posting advertisements so I had to delete your link.

Readers note: there are plenty of harmful indoor molds that are not "black" in appearance and there are some common black molds that are only cosmetic in import (Search InspectAPedia.com for COSMETIC BLACK MOLD) so Anna's exciting warning below might be a bit confusing.

But Anna is quite right that "treatments" for indoor mold such as topical sprays are not a substitute for

1. find and remove the problem mold

2. find and fix its cause

On 2016-08-19 by (mod) -

Anna levis said:
Black mold can damage your respiratory, circulatory, mental, immune and the productive systems. The other symptoms when inhaled are ingested, or touching of the mold which includes allergies, fatigue and skin as well as vision problems.

No treatment will stop or remove the mold till you permanently remove the source where it grows. You can go through these some helpful tips to kill mold by yourself.

On 2016-07-18 by (mod) - Media blasting sounded ideal for removing mold off the unsealed wood ceiling

Leslie:

Testing the mold is probably unnecessary and irrelevant as it wouldn't change the cleaning procedure.

A very minimalist approach might involve HEPA vacuuming to remove all loose surface mold and debris, followed by spray painting a fungicidal sealant on the surfaces. That approach may work fine if you also correct the cause of mold growth in the first place: leaks or condensation in the attic space. - fellow septugenarian.

On 2016-07-17 by Leslie

Media blasting sounded ideal for removing mold off the unsealed wood ceiling of my house, until I learned it required the use of an air compressor. At 72 I assembled all the materials and equipment I believed were necessary to remove the mold, and then discovered countless roof leaks.

Arthritis will not permit this woman to "scrub" the ceiling using soda paste, borax, and/or vinegar. The wood is porous - the type of ceiling found in old fashioned single-story log houses, where log beams support the entire roof structure (center beam and crossbeams). The ceiling has a low pitch.

Resources are exhausted so the roof cannot be replaced for a couple years. I've seen photos of thick soda solution painted on the surfaces. I am installing ventilation at the heights of the gable ends, as well as a in-wall AC.

This is a region of fierce winters. I have not had molds tested because there's 1000sq' of wood and it appears there are different types of molds. Have you suggestions for a disabled but determined septuagenarian?

...

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