True or False - Does Bleach Kill Mold?

Of all the questions asked about mold and the treatment of mold, the one most often 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 it. Bleach is not an effective way to kill mold and provides only a temporary solution by slowing its growth.

What Does Bleach Do?

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Like all types of plants, the only way you can really kill mold is to destroy the roots. When you use bleach, the only thing 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's necessary to disinfect the materials the mold grew on. Chlorine bleach does not do this since it doesn't kill the spores.

Some may find this surprising since bleach has been known to work well in killing viruses and bacteria. One of the reason's why chlorine bleach doesn't kill mold spores is that bleach is made mostly out of water. Water is a main requirement for mold growth and trying to get rid of it with a product that is 99% mold (ie. bleach) isn't very effective.

To recap: Never use bleach to kill mold. If you try to use bleach to kill mold, you may be unwittingly putting your health at risk because you'll think you've destroyed the mold even though it continues to thrive.

Effective Mold-Destroying Methods

For your health and safety, it is essential that you act quickly as soon as you realize that you have a black mold problem. First you'll want to dry out the area the best you can. Next you will need to use a detergent or soap (preferably a non-ammonia type) and thoroughly scrub the infested area. If you discovered the mold growth on wood, you'll probably need to sand the area to guarantee that you've completely removed it.

Once you know for sure the mold has been removed, then you can use a bleach and water solution to disinfect the area. Remember that bleach doesn't kill mold, so only use it once the mold has been completely removed.

Finally, you need to take steps to make sure the mold doesn't grow back. To prevent further mold growth, make sure you keep the area very dry. Keep your eyes open and always be on the lookout for mold growth, especially on organic materials like soap scum, paper, dirt and wood.

True or False - Does Bleach Kill Mold?

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