As Winter turns into Spring, many homeowners find themselves with an unpleasant surprise lurking on the drywall around their windows: mold.
Mold can also form in any environment which sees a consistent moisture level.Bathrooms can be mold incubators all year long.
Because you have a much higher risk of developing airway inflammation and infections when mold is present, you’ll want to know how to kill mold on drywall.
The good news is that if you kill the mold right away, you can usually save the drywall.
If the mold has been lingering there for awhile, you might need to replace the contaminated section.
Your best option is to be proactive and create less of a moisture-rich environment by keeping condensation to a minimum and running dehumidifiers in bathrooms or other high risk environments.
If the mold is already there, then you can kill it with these useful options.
1. Use a Bleach/Water Combination.
Using a mixture of 0.5 cup bleach to 1 quart water, take a scrub brush and lightly brush the drywall until all of the signs of mold disappear.
You’ll want to wipe off the surface once it has disappeared, but make sure you don’t rinse the surface. By leaving the bleach on, you’ll be able to kill the spores which may be in the drywall.
Expose the drywall to sunlight if at all possible.
2. Use Borax To Scrub Away The Mold.
Borax has a higher pH than baking soda or vinegar, which makes it the best option for killing mold. You’ll want to use 1 cup of Borax for every gallon of water you use.
Take a vacuum and remove as much freestanding mold as you can.
Then scrub the mold with your Borax solution until the signs of it disappear from the drywall. Wipe away any excess moisture and allow the drywall to then dry.
Don’t rinse off the mixture.
Vinegar is an even safer option, but it only kills about 80% of household molds that may form.
It may be non-toxic, but it may also be ineffective.
If you do use vinegar or baking soda, make sure you leave your preferred cleaner on the mold for several minutes before scrubbing it away to achieve best results.
You’ll then want to apply vinegar on the affected drywall every few days for a couple months to make sure no spores decide they want to grow.
3. Ammonia Can Kill Mold As Well.
Ammonia should be considered an option of last resort if the mold is on your drywall.
It is a rather toxic chemical and it doesn’t absorb into the drywall very well.
Never use ammonia on a wall that you’ve already cleaned with bleach because the combination of these two chemicals creates a gas that is toxic.
Always use clear ammonia if this is the method that you prefer.
4. The Pros And Cons Of Using Hydrogen Peroxide On Mold.
Hydrogen peroxide is about as effective on mold as bleach.
The problem is that it can even cause white paint to fade or alter its color.
Before you clean a wall with this option, you’ll want to spot test a surface that is out of sight to make sure your drywall won’t be affected.
You’ll want a 3% solution that you can apply directly to the mold, so that’s good news because that’s the solution you’ll find at most department stores.
Spray the hydrogen peroxide onto the mold directly and then allow the surface to sit for at least 10 minutes.
Scrub the area to remove the mold and then wipe it down to remove any residual mess.
Repeat as necessary to remove any lingering mold.
5. Sandblasting The Mold Is Another Last Resort Option.
If the mold has penetrated through your drywall and into the studs or wooden wall supports, then you’ll need to cut out the affected drywall.
It will be wet and crumbly and there will be spores of mold that will come out as you are cutting.
Make sure you are wearing breathing protection for this task.
You can apply a bleach solution to wood to remove mold, but that won’t always get rid of all of it.
Sometimes sandblasting wood to remove mold is your best option. This type of work typically requires a general contractor to perform it in most jurisdictions.
You may also be required to apply for a building or remodeling permit in order to complete this task.
It is very effective and creates a safe foundation for your new drywall, but is expensive and labor intensive.
Knowing how to kill mold on drywall can keep you and your family safe from breathing inflammation and infections that mold can cause.
Don’t let your mold just sit there untreated. It will continue to spread and you will experience a higher risk of sickness when it does.
Use these options to kill it off today so that tomorrow your lungs can be much happier.
