How To Remove Black Mould: Do Those Old Wives' Tales Really Work?

How to Remove Black Mould

By Ruth MacEachern

Product Manager

Black mould is an unpleasant issue no home-owner wants to see in their property. If the problem arises you need a fast and effective solution to eradicate all traces of the mould and protect your health. But what is the best natural method to remove mould?

We've probably all at one point in our lives heard of an old wives tale - pick a penny up and all day long you'll have good luck or going outside with wet hair will give you a cold but what about when it comes to our cleanliness. Is it wise to trust an old wives tale with something that could be very detrimental to our own health? 

We've tested some of the most tried and tested mould removal remedies from bleach to baking soda and found that the four most effective mould removal treatments are; 

• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Bleach
• Mould removal sprays

You want to ensure your home is the cleanest and safest it can possibly be and when it comes to getting rid of black mould you want the most effective removal you can get. So when it comes to killing black mould can we really rely on home remedies?

Toxic black mould is a dangerous fungus also knows as Stachybotrys Chartarum and has long been the curse of homeowners, appearing not just in bathrooms, but in bedrooms, behind furniture, around windows and even on floors and clothes.

Far from just being an aesthetic problem, studies have shown that mould is bad for your health, causing headaches, breathing problems and even triggering asthma. Fighting back against the problem as soon as it rears its head is, therefore, imperative.  The mould releases spores which cause an allergic reaction, and under some circumstances can also produce mycotoxins which are really bad for your health.

Luckily, there's no shortage of black mould solutions on the market today, with the average DIY store stocking a wide range of products promising to get rid of the problem. Alongside specialist chemicals, many homeowners also turn to so-called 'old wives' tales', simple, natural and, according to some, extremely effective ways of eliminating mould. But how do these shape up against modern solutions, and can any treatment actually get to the root cause of mould and eliminate the problem for good?

Four Ways to Kill Black Mould 

1) Baking soda (and elbow grease)

Dubbed as one of the more 'natural remedies' for mould removal, baking soda has been used as cure for black mould outbreaks for generations.  Many people still swear by it. Certainly this method has a lot going for it. Baking soda has a pH of around 8-8.1, which, while only mildly alkaline is too high for mould to thrive, meaning it serves as a natural disinfectant. Bicarbonate of soda is moderately effective, natural solution for all types of surfaces, both porous and nonporous.

• Add a ¼ teaspoon baking soda to 2 cups of water.
• Pour the solution into a spray bottle.
• Spray the mouldy area and scrub it with a brush.
• Rinse the area.
• Treat the area again with the baking soda solution to prevent mould from returning quickly.

The one big advantage of using baking soda is that it's relatively mild and contains no harmful chemicals. This means it's harmless to your family and to any household pets, plus there's no risk of the treatment damaging your property. What's more, as well as killing the mould, baking soda also removes unpleasant odours and it absorbs moisture, so it will keep mould at bay for a while although not permanently.  Over time the concentration of the bicarbonate of soda on the wall surface will fall away and mould will eventually return.

On the downside, while effective for minor outbreaks, baking soda is nowhere near as potent as bleach or other commercial chemical products. For serious outbreaks of black mould, then, you may want to reach for something a lot more potent.

2) Vinegar

One other common old wives' tale is to battle back against black mould with everyday vinegar. Again, there's some solid science behind this tradition. Since vinegar is acidic, with a pH of around 2.5, it works to attack the structure of the mould, breaking it down and eventually killing it.

Using vinegar could not be simpler. All you need to do is spray it directly on to the affected area, or alternatively, spray the vinegar on to a rag and then apply it on the mould this way. Wait for around 15 minutes, do it again and then finish off by wiping the area clean with a damp rag.

As with bicarbonate of soda, a major advantage here is that vinegar is a natural, non-toxic cleaner and is completely safe to use in the home. On the downside, however, it can leave a slight (if temporary) odour.  More importantly, like baking soda, it can only really be trusted to tackle mild outbreaks. Serious cases of black mould will need something stronger, such as bleach or an off-the-shelf chemical product. Plus, of course, if your home remains damp due to poor ventilation, then the problem will eventually return, no matter how hard you scrub. A whole house ventilation system from Envirovent will ensure that the air in your home is always fresh and filtered, improving your wellbeing and keeping mould at bay.

3) Bleach

When faced with a black mould outbreak, a significant proportion of homeowners will automatically reach for the bleach. Such a tactic is understandable. The chlorine in bleach is highly effective in attacking the proteins making up the mould spores, killing them and other microbes. Without doubt, it's a highly effective means of getting rid of unsightly mould outbreaks and removing surrounding stains. 

 If you do wish to try this tactic you need to be careful and protect yourself.  Wear remember to wear thick clothes (you don't mind getting ruined), rubber gloves and a face guard as both the mould and bleach fumes can be dangerous to inhale. Start by mixing one part bleach with four parts water. Use a damp cloth gently scrub until the mould is gone. Once finished, dry the area well with a soft cloth. 

Despite long being a household favourite, bleach has some major drawbacks. For starters, it gives off dangerous, toxic fumes, so should be used with extreme caution. Above all, it should never be mixed with ammonia, and children and pets should be kept away during any treatment. As well as being hazardous, bleach can also be relatively ineffective. It's not that useful when it comes to tackling mould on porous surfaces such as wood or drywall, only staying on the surface, unless used in combination with specialist detergents. 

4) Specialist sprays and cleaners

While the natural remedies featured in the old wives' tales may have their advantages, chiefly being toxic-free, affordable and quick and easy to use, they can only really be trusted to deal with minor mould outbreaks. 

For serious outbreaks, it's time to get to the DIY store and invest in some specialist treatments. Your local store will probably stock a wide range, varying in potency and price. One spray popular with property professionals, such as landlords and letting agencies, is HG Mould Remover Spray, designed to effectively remove stains on almost all surfaces. Unsurprisingly given its potency, caution is advised when using this specialist treatment.

Alternatively, basic mould and mildew sprays, for instance those made by major brands such as Dettol, promise to remove mould and remove any black staining outbreaks may leave behind. Such products are especially effective at getting rid of unsightly marks on tile grout and are also good at getting into tight spots and gaps but unless a preventative measure is put in place the mould is likely to return after a period of time.

Can we help?

If you have discovered persistent mould problems in your home and are worried about the potential risk to your health, we can help.  The most common source of the moisuture that creates conditions where mould can grow is condensation.  Improving your home ventilation will reduce humidity levels in your bathroom and kitchen to prevent condensation and stop mould growing permanently.

Enter your postcode below to find a local specialist.  They can visit your home to conduct a free survey that will identify the causes of mould and then provide you with advice about the best way to stop it for good.

By Ruth MacEachern

Product Manager

Bathroom Mould Removal 

Bathrooms can often be the worst affected when it comes to mould. One of the primary function of a bathroom requires it to often get humid, moist and damp and without proper ventilation this moisture has nowhere to escape and lingers on walls and ceilings. As time goes on the problem only gets worse, eventually resulting in damp and mould. 

It's pretty impossible to reduce the amount of moisture your bathroom generates so the best action to take is; ensure the room has adequate ventilation, incorporate an anti-mould paint and clean bathroom walls with a strong cleaner. 

Is there Mould Around Your Windows?

If you are looking for how to get rid of mould on window sills then you need to consider how the mould is taking hold. Are you providing it with the perfect environment in which to live?

Some windows come with ventilation built-in. This is something that we had to ask for when replacing our windows, it’s something that’s offered but not something they ask when they are designing your windows.

Prevention Is Always Better Than The Cure

It's always important to remember that, whether you stick with the age-old wisdom and reach for a natural remedy or you invest in a specialist chemical product, you will only ever be reactively tackling an outbreak, rather than getting to the root cause of the problem and eliminating mould from your home for good.

Seven mould prevention tips:

1) Check to see if your windows are allowing rain to seep in and if the sealant around them is damaged.  

2) Always make sure that you dry wet areas immediately. Wipe up spillages and make sure to dry floors and walls after you take a bath or shower. 

3) There are a lot of products available to aid with mould prevention, such as mould sprays and mould prevention paint. 

4) A good way to monitor humidity in your home is through a moisture meter, which can be bought from most good DIY stores. Ideally, humidity should be between 30 and 60 percent.

5) Although indoor plants improve the air quality of your home, soil and leaves also provide the perfect breeding ground for mould. Make sure you clean and move your plants around regularly, in order to prevent a build-up of mould.

6) Leaks are commonly caused by broken gutters or drainpipes. Make sure to inspect the exterior of your house regularly.

7) Finally, it is important to let air circulate through your home. Keep internal doors open as much as possible and move the furniture away from walls. Open windows on dry days to let fresh air blow into your home, which will reduce moisture and therefore help to prevent mould.

If you really want to make sure the problem goes away – and stays away! – then you need to understand what is causing such outbreaks. In almost all cases, this will be down to poor ventilation. Make sure your home is properly ventilated, then you can keep your home dry throughout the year, eliminating the damp conditions mould needs to thrive.

Remove Mould For Good!

Remember, mould thrives in damp environments. By investing in a full home ventilation system from EnviroVent, you can keep your home dry and fight back against damp, condensation and black mould.

For example the ATMOS® system gently ventilates the home from a central position on a landing. With an intelligent comfort heater built in, the incoming air is not only fresh, but also a comfortable temperature. ATMOS® draws clean air from the loft and filters it before pushing it down into the home. As the fresh, clean air gently circulates the contaminated air around your home, reducing the pollutants and irritants that can cause illness and allergies.

By installing a ventilation solution you can prevent damp building up and causing black mould meaning no more various cleaning products or time wasted scrubbing walls in order to get rid of your black mould.