The first step to stopping mold is to remove the source of moisture. Check pipes and fix leaks or any other water and moisture issues. Then, dry all of the wet items thoroughly. Next, use soap and water to scrub the mold off of damaged non-porous items.
Moisture Control is the Key to Mold Control
If wet or damp materials or areas are dried 24-48 hours after a leak or spill happens, in most cases mold will not grow. Clean and repair roof gutters regularly.
Mold can return to any surface even after cleaning. It is a life form like bacteria. All it needs is the right conditions to live and multiply.
Hydrogen peroxide, commonly used to disinfect wounds, is active against a wide variety of micro-organisms including mold. It acts by releasing oxygen at a rapid rate, which kills mold by oxidizing the surface and breaking down proteins and DNA.
Vinegar is better at killing mold because it can work on both porous and nonporous surfaces. It also terminates molds at their roots so the mold won't return and is also safer than bleach. You can even combine it with baking soda to make it more effective.
Using gloves and goggles, add one cup (8 ounces) bleach for every gallon of tap water. Bleach (the active ingredient is chlorine) can reduce mold and bacteria on treated surfaces. Transfer the bleach solution into the second spray bottle (use gloves and goggles).
Can Mold Inside Walls Make You Sick or Does It Need to Be Exposed? Yes. Even if you can't see it, mold can make you sick. Spores can spread throughout your home, even from relatively contained areas like inside the wall.
While painting over mould may temporarily disguise the problem, paint alone will not kill mould. Instead, the mould will continue to grow underneath the paint until it begins to show through. It may also cause the paint to bubble or flake, ruining the finish. If possible, it's best to remove the mould before painting.
Black mould spores need moisture to cultivate fungal growth. If the relative humidity in the home is over 50%, then excess condensation sets the stage for invisible mould spores to settle back onto the substrate and start the cycle once more.
Vinegar is good at killing plant matter, that much is true. But it can rarely penetrate deeply enough to kill fungi like mold down to the root. That's why it usually isn't truly effective in cleaning black mold, green mold, and most kinds of common house molds.
How to remove mould and keep it away permanently. The only effective way to permanently get rid of mould problems is by reducing the build-up of moisture in your home. This can only be achieved through better ventilation.
Mold hates light. Other than moisture there's nothing mold loves more than dark places. An easy prevention against mold growth is opening your blinds and shades. If it's warm enough out, open the windows.
Thus, exposure to the toxicity of black mold can cause harm to our physical health. Cleaning it yourself risks a greatly increased chance of acquiring damaging health conditions by unsettling the toxins into the air. Depending on the frequency of mold exposure, an individual's health can be severely compromised.
If you're wondering what kills mold on walls, some of the best solutions are white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, bleach, and commercial mold removers. Note that you should only use a bleach solution when dealing with moderate to severe mold damage, and make sure not to combine bleach with other cleansers.
Always remember, mold needs heat/humidity or a water event to thrive. Don't feed it more by putting bleach on it! As a toxic cleaning chemical, bleach can be corrosive on surfaces, and when mixed with other chemicals it has the ability to produce harmful fumes.
Black mold is a type of fungus that looks dark green or black. There are many kinds of black mold, but when most people refer to it, they're referring to Stachybotrys chartarum (S. chartarum). It grows and spreads on materials that contain a lot of cellulose, including paper products, wood products and drywall.
Musty Smell
If you think there's mold in your walls, get on your hands and knees and smell the electrical outlets. This might sound silly, but it may help you sense mold if it's growing within walls. Outlets have better access to the area behind the walls. Thus, smelling them can help identify the mold problem.
For large amounts of mold, the only method that kills mold 100%, every time, is removing all of the mold-infested materials entirely, and replacing them with new materials.
The best way to prevent mold is to control moisture. Keep the indoor humidity below 60% relative humidity, ideally between 30% and 50%.
If you have a mold allergy, your immune system overreacts when you breathe in mold spores. A mold allergy can cause coughing, itchy eyes and other symptoms that make you miserable. In some people, a mold allergy is linked to asthma and exposure causes restricted breathing and other airway symptoms.