How to Remove Black Mold

Let’s talk about how to remove black mold in the home. Black mold, sometimes referred to as toxic mold since it produces toxins that can cause serious health problems, is a common household mold. Because it’s associated with so many health problems, it’s imperative to take care of home mold removal as soon as you realize you have a mold problem. Black mold grows and spreads rapidly, so each day you delay allows dangerous mold to spread to other areas of your home and further endanger your health and the health of your loved ones.

Techniques to Remove Black Mold

There are a number of techniques used for black mold removal, depending on where the mold is growing.

Removing mold from non-porous surfaces – It’s easiest to remove mold from non-porous surfaces, like tubs, toilets, tile, metal, and glass. Use an antimicrobial cleaner designed to remove black mold, available at most home improvement stores, and a rag or scrub brush to clean the moldy surface. Clean the moldy area thorough and clean at least a square foot of the surface surrounded the moldy area, to make sure you’ve removed all mold spores.

Removing mold from porous surfaces – Removing mold from porous surfaces, like drywall, wood, insulation, carpet, and ceiling tiles is much more difficult. In fact, it’s often impossible to remove mold completely from such surfaces and the materials usually must be removed and replaced instead.

Sanding and encapsulation – Sometimes you find mold growing on a surface that cannot be adequately cleaned but that also cannot be removed and replaced, such as the wooden studs inside a wall. In such cases, experts often recommend sanding the moldy wood to remove as much mold as possible, then applying a mold sealant to kill any remaining mold and prevent it from spreading (a technique known as encapsulation). However, sanding moldy wood is considered a fairly high-risk technique, since it disperses many more mold spores into the air than simply cleaning mold with a rag. For that reason, it’s recommended that you call in a professional if you have moldy wood that you think might need to be sanded. Most mold removal professionals offer free in-home consultations, so you can get some free professional advice even if you think you want to do the work yourself.

When You Need Help with Home Mold Removal

In addition to calling in a mold removal professional if you have moldy wood that might need to be sanded, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends calling in a professional to assist with the job when:

You have mold covering an area greater than three feet by three feet.
You have mold in your heating and air conditioning ducts.
You have mold that has occurred after flooding with water that may have been contaminated by sewage.
You have symptoms of mold-related health problems.
You have a health condition like asthma, emphysema, or an immune system disorder that might be made worse by exposure to mold. (talk to your doctor if you aren’t sure whether or not it’s safe for you to remove black mold on your own)

Of course, even if none of the above applies to you, you might just feel uncertain about doing the work yourself or prefer to have a professional take care of it for you. We recommend scheduling a free in-home consultation with a home mold removal professional, even if you plan on doing the work yourself, because every homeowner can benefit from some expert advice. For a list of experienced mold removal professionals in your area, follow the link.

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