Well, you got the bleach. You have a moldy area on your wall or ceiling, and you wonder, does bleach kill mold? Let’s make it short: yes, bleach or sodium hypochlorite kills mold. But there are a few things to pay attention to when using chemicals. This article gives you five tips on how to kill mold with bleach.
Do not mix bleach with other chemicals, especially ammonia
Mixing bleach with ammonia is especially dangerous because it can create a toxic gas called chloramine. Chloramine is formed when chlorine and ammonia mix with organic matter. This gas can cause serious damage to your organs, especially your lungs and esophagus.
If you don’t want to use chemicals to remove mold, there are natural cleaning products that eliminate mold safely and effectively.
Wear protective equipment when using bleach
When you are dealing with mold, it is important that you remember to protect yourself. Mold spores travel through the air and can make you very sick. They may cause symptoms such as rashes, headaches, vomiting, and more. To protect yourself, wear a mask (for your mouth) as well as goggles (to protect your eyes). You should also wear rubber gloves so that you don’t get bleach on your hands. If you do get bleach on your hands, wash it off immediately with soap and water.
Be very careful when using bleach on wood, use bleach only on non-hard porous materials.
Bleach will kill surface mold, but if the moisture levels in your home are high enough for mold to be growing on your walls, you have a bigger problem on your hands than just what’s on the walls. Bleach itself is a powerful cleaner that can kill anything from dust mites to E. Coli bacteria. It is also toxic and corrosive, which means that even though it kills mold, it can also damage or eat away at many surfaces of your home.
Mix the bleach solution with water
Mold can be killed with household bleach. Bleach contains sodium hypochlorite, which kills mold on contact by destroying the cell structure of the mold. You need to use a concentration of bleach-containing 8oz of bleach to a gallon of water for it to be effective at killing mold. Be sure to mix it well so that the bleach is evenly distributed throughout the water.
Dry the surface thoroughly after cleaning
Dry the area with a wet/dry vacuum or by wiping it down with clean towels. Be sure to use ventilation fans and open windows when you clean moldy areas to prevent spreading spores to other areas of your home. Once you’ve finished cleaning, run an air conditioner or dehumidifier in the room to help keep humidity levels low as the surface dries out completely.
The bottom line is bleach does kill mold. Just make sure to follow the instructions that come with your cleaner and never mix bleach with other cleaning chemicals. Injuries from mixing cleaning chemicals are very common, and you should always be sure to read the label and know what you’re mixing and how to do it safely.