Does Bleach Kill Mold?

9/23/2020 (Permalink)

Contrary to popular belief, bleach just removes the color of the mold, not the roots.

If you have mold in your home or business, a well-meaning friend or family member may have told you to scrub it with bleach. There is an old school belief that bleach kills mold, because to the naked eye, the visible mold is gone. The problem is that the bleach just removed the color of the mold, not the roots.

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Heath Administration” and the ESA (Environmental Site Assessment) updated their guides and stopped recommending the use of bleach for mold problems.

There are 3 main problems when it comes to using bleach on mold:

1. Chlorine bleach rapidly loses it’s effectiveness over time. Think about a chlorinated swimming pool. You don’t just put chlorine in once at the beginning of June and leave it all summer. Chlorine needs to be constantly replaced because it evaporates. The same concept happens with containers of bleach as well. Even though they are tightly sealed, chlorine can still escape from the plastic. There is no way of knowing how long the container of bleach has been sitting on the shelf in the store and quickly losing it’s mold killing power.

2. It is toxic and corrosive. When you use bleach, it produces fumes that pollute the air and can be toxic to humans and pets. Bleach deteriorates materials and fibers of porous substances.

3. Bleach does not kill mold on porous surfaces. Chlorine bleach can kill surface mold. Unfortunately, mold usually grows deep roots into wood or drywall and these roots will not be affected by the bleach. The bleach stays on the surface, and the water you mixed with it will seep into the cracks and help feed the mold.

You can use bleach to temporarily kill the mold on the surface. But in the long run, for the health and safety of the people and animals in your home, you should call a professional company that specializes in mold remediation.

The professionals at SERVPRO of Crawford and NE Venango Counties are highly trained and certified in mold remediation. We will utilize special cleaner and equipment to ensure the mold and the mold spores are gone. We can assess and treat mold-infested areas safely and effectively. 

If you need our help, call us today! (814) 350 7651

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