Use undiluted white vinegar on hard surfaces in kitchens and baths. A bleach solution also works to kill mold. Mix one cup of bleach in a gallon of water, apply to the surface and don't rinse.
While it is possible to use bleach to kill mold as well, experts agree that vinegar is a much better option. Unlike bleach, vinegar can effectively kill the mold at the root, which means it's less likely to return. Vinegar is also less toxic than bleach, making it a better choice for household use.
Hydrogen peroxide kills mold effectively on materials such as clothing, floors, bathroom fixtures, walls and items such as kitchen appliances. Pour 3% concentration hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle.
Cleaning vinegar, which contains 6% acetic acid, is the best type for killing mold. White vinegar containing 5% acidity will also work just fine. If you don't already have some at home, white vinegar can be inexpensively purchased at most grocery stores.
While a significant mold infestation is best handled by a professional restoration company, you have a powerful weapon against occasional mold growth in your kitchen cupboard: white vinegar. This humble household staple can kill more than 80% of mold species, including hazardous black mold.
Distilled white vinegar is non-toxic but acts much more slowly than chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide. While it will kill the mold, the discoloration and stains may remain and require additional scrubbing with a household cleaner. Distilled white vinegar can be used safely on most porous and non-porous surfaces.
Final Verdict. Our top pick is the RMR-86 Instant Mold and Mildew Stain Remover for its versatility and effectiveness on nearly every surface. For those looking for an eco-friendly mold remover with natural ingredients, we recommend CLR Mold and Mildew Clear.
Vinegar is mildly acidic and kills up to 82% of mold species. It is also natural and one of the safest product you can use to clean. You will not have to worry about using it around children or pets. White vinegar is extremely inexpensive and has many other helpful uses around the house.
Even if you do sterilize the surface, though, enough mold spores are always floating around in the air that mold can regrow if the conditions are right. If the mold is on a porous surface, such as ceiling tiles or unpainted drywall, there is no way to completely get rid of it.
So when it comes to removing mold with vinegar, it's best to avoid leaving it overnight and stick with the 30 minutes to 1 hour sitting time.
To Prevent Mold Growth in Your Home
Keep humidity levels in your home as low as you can—no higher than 50%–all day long. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help you keep the level low. You can buy a meter to check your home's humidity at a home improvement store.
Mix one teaspoon of baking soda along with two cups of water and shake in a spray bottle. When thoroughly dissolved spray the solution onto the mold and scrub with a brush. Repeat if necessary. Once cleaned, wipe the area with a wet, clean cloth to remove the solution.
For really tough black mold removal, mix two parts baking soda with one part white vinegar and one part water. Stir the mixture until it becomes a thick paste. Spread your mixture liberally onto the surface and let it dry. Scrub away the black mold and stains, and wipe down with water.
Vinegar can kill black mold and is best used on nonporous surfaces. White vinegar is a powerhouse for cleaning, deodorizing, and disinfecting around the house. It can also kill black mold, a mold that commonly appears when there is water damage. Spray vinegar onto the moldy surface and leave it for an hour.
Even the hydrogen peroxide-based cleaning agents, that advertise that they remove stains, still leave plenty of stains behind. Seeing the mold stains left behind after you've treated and scrubbed your mold is not very satisfying and is; therefore, the reason why we recommend bleach-based cleaning agents.
Mold hates light. Other than moisture there's nothing mold loves more than dark places.
Spraying bleach on surfaces can actually contribute to the spread and growth of mold, especially on porous surfaces. You should never try to clean mold off walls. The catch is bleach does have its place when eliminating mold on impermeable surfaces like glass, metal, treated wood, and plastic.
Many different organisms have been recorded to gain their energy from consuming fungi, including birds, mammals, insects, plants, amoebas, gastropods, nematodes, bacteria and other fungi. Some of these, which only eat fungi, are called fungivores whereas others eat fungi as only part of their diet, being omnivores.
Mildew refers to certain kinds of mold or fungus. The term mildew is often used generically to refer to mold growth, usually with a flat growth habit. Molds include all species of microscopic fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments, called hyphae.
Hydrogen peroxide will remove mould but it won't kill it. So unless you take steps to prevent it from returning it will almost certainly reappear. Prevention will entail understanding why the mould grew in the first place and establishing the underlying cause for that growth.
Regular 3% hydrogen peroxide is effective at killing surface mold, and only needs to be sprayed on and left for 10 minutes or until it stops fizzing. Repeat as necessary until the visible mold is gone, taking care to not over-wet the surface.
This will tell you if you can clean the mold yourself, or if it's reached a point where you need to bring in the pros. If the outbreak is less than 10 square feet, the EPA says it's safe to handle the cleanup yourself (FEMA sets the limit at 25 square feet, so there's some wiggle room).
Pine-Sol already consists of two agents, propylene glycol and benzoic acid, that are instrumental in eliminating stains and odors while knocking out bacteria and mold. Therefore, if you're looking to do a deep clean, you can use undiluted Pine-Sol to utilize its full strength.