How to Kill, Clean and Remove Black Mold

I don't like any type of mold, but because I live in Seattle, WA in the great Pacific Northwest (If you haven't heard we are famous for our endless rain), I've had to accept a co-existence with it, even if it's only temporary.

Because mold, mildew, moss, fungus and anything else associated with a damp and dark environment are common here, I've become quite good at cleaning it up.

It's pretty easy to remove mold in just about every situation. (Not all, but we'll get to that.)

Honestly, I kind of laugh when I go to the home improvement store and see all the products for removing mold and mildew. They most often contain 1 single ingredient that you most likely already have in your home.

Are you ready to get busy, then? Let's kill, clean and remove any stains from a black mold problem that's causing you grief!

Types of Black Mold

Before you get started, you need to find out what type of mold it is before removing it.

There are two types of black mold:

1. Non-toxic black mold that grows in damp, dark areas like other types of mold
2. Toxic and dangerous black mold that grows on products made of cellulose that necessitates the services of a professional.

The dangerous type of black mold is called Stachybotrys and it produces Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that can cause respiratory distress, irritate the mucous membranes and can cause headaches, confusion, difficulty in concentrating and dizziness.

This type of mold needs to be removed by a professional mold removal company.

If you are not certain of the type of mold you are dealing with, call a professional. One sign of the toxic type of mold is if it grows on ceiling tiles or insulation.

Cleaning Precautions

Even though mold growing in your shower or bathroom isn't usually toxic, you will still want to take precautions when cleaning it.

Mold spores can be released into the air when disturbed. Any type of mold spores can cause skin and respiratory irritation.

Use one of those handy dust/face masks that you can use to cover your nose and mouth.

I use dust masks frequently when using a spray bottle because I don't want to inhale any cleaning solutions.

Tools and Supplies Needed

Tools:

• A pair of thick rubber or latex-free gloves
• A face mask or respirator
• A bucket filled with a mixture of one gallon of warm water and ½ cup of bleach
• A spray bottle that you will use only for this purpose
• A sponge with a scrubby side

Cleaning Solution:

Under normal circumstances you can use vinegar or another type of acidic liquid to kill mold in your shower or bathroom.

But vinegar won't remove stains, so you'll need to use chlorine bleach to remove them. Chlorine bleach will sterilize any surface and remove mold, mildew, fungus, bacteria AND viruses.

Make a cleaning solution of:

• 8 cups warm water
• 2 cups chlorine bleach
• 1/4 cup of Dawn dishwashing liquid

CAUTION: Remember to never mix bleach with any other cleaning products. Bleach combined with other chemicals creates a potentially deadly chlorine gas.

Mold in the Tub or Shower

1. Put gloves and the face mask on. You don't want either the mold spores or the bleach to come into contact with your skin or lungs.

2. Pour the water and bleach mixture you mixed into the spray bottle

3. Spray the tiles and don't forget to spray areas that are hard to get to, like under the step or shower door, in the corners where the walls meet the floor, inside the soap dish, etc.

4. Scrub the tiles down with the scrubby side of the sponge and then wipe with the sponge side.

5. If mold still clings to the tiles, spray them again with the solution and continue scrubbing.

6. Depending on how long the black mold has been growing, you may have to repeat these steps several times.

Mold on Patio Furniture

You can also use the bleach and water mixture to kill black mold that grows on patio furniture.

Instead of a scrubby sponge, it's best to use a soft bristled brush to get into cracks and crevasses.

Put the cleaning solution you have mixed in a spray bottle or in a bucket as you prefer.

1. Either spray the furniture with the cleaning solution or dip a soft bristle brush in the solution in your bucket
2. Scrub the furniture with the brush and rinse very well
3. Allow the furniture to dry in the sun

Heavy Duty Cleaning

If you have heavy build-up of the black mold, or you want to kill it for good, you need to use stronger cleaning solutions.

I can recommend 2 products:

Molderizer  is organic, and breaks apart the DNA of mold spores. Molderizer is used by the IAQ industry and mold remediation companies. That's a very good endorsement.

The other is called Mold Armour. Its a mold and mildew stain remover plus a mold growth blocker that removes mildew stains and provides effective long term mold and mildew stain prevention. (Helpful for those of us that have long term damp conditions!)

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