True or false: does bleach kill mold?
Of all the questions asked about mold and mold treatment, the most frequently asked is: Does bleach kill mold? Bleach does NOT kill mold. It doesn’t even disinfect mold spores. The only thing that bleach does is change the color of the mold by damaging the roots of the mold. Bleach is not an effective way to remove mold and only provides a temporary solution by slowing its growth.
What does bleach do?
Like all types of plants, the only way to kill mold is by destroying the roots. When you use bleach, all you’re doing is saturating the roots with a chemical that doesn’t destroy them, but only damages them enough to slow growth. To effectively get rid of mold, it is necessary to disinfect the materials in which the mold has grown. Chlorine bleach does not do this because it does not kill spores.
Some may find this surprising, as bleach is known to work well to kill viruses and bacteria. One of the reasons chlorine bleach doesn’t kill mold spores is that bleach is made primarily from water. Water is a prime requirement for mold growth and trying to get rid of it with a product that is 99% mold (i.e. bleach) is not very effective.
Bottom line: never use bleach to kill mold. If you try to use bleach to remove mold, you may unknowingly be putting your health at risk because you think you have destroyed the mold even though it continues to thrive.
Effective methods of mold destruction
For your health and safety, it is critical that you act quickly as soon as you realize you have a black mold problem. You’ll want to dry the area the best you can first. You will then need to use a detergent or soap (preferably one without ammonia) and scrub the infested area well. If you discovered mold growth on the wood, you will probably need to sand the area to ensure that you have completely removed it.
Once you are sure the mold has been removed, you can use a bleach and water solution to disinfect the area. Remember that bleach does not kill mold, so use it only after the mold is completely removed.
Finally, you need to take steps to ensure that mold does not grow back. To prevent further mold growth, be sure to keep the area very dry. Keep your eyes open and always be on the lookout for mold growth, especially on organic materials like soap suds, paper, dirt, and wood.