How to Get Rid of Mold on Walls - 5 Best Mold Removal Methods
Are you wondering how to get rid of mold on walls? Mildew and mold require certain conditions to grow on a wall. High humidity and lack of ventilation in a room create favorable conditions for these microbes. Mold is very dangerous to one's health. For this reason, you should take appropriate steps to remove it as soon as you notice its growth. You can use both a store-bought mold removal spray, and home remedies. Check the best methods.
What causes mold on walls?
Mold on walls is a problem one mustn’t ignore. There are three main possible reasons causing its growth:
- insufficient ventilation system,
- overly cold external walls of the building,
- a malfunction of the plumbing system.
A malfunctioning ventilation system in the building is one of the most common causes of mold. Note that high indoor humidity that leads to water condensation is a key factor in its development. Such dampness creates perfect conditions for pathogens to grow.
Fungus can also appear when the walls get cold. It usually happens in a corner of a room, and is a result of the lack of insulation, or improperly designed system. Damp patches appearing in such places might lead to mold and mildew growth. Any noticed condensation should be carefully removed. But this doesn’t guarantee mold won’t grow anyway.
Getting rid of mold on walls might also be needed if the plumbing system malfunctions. If it leaks, even slowly dripping water might become a serious issue. The wall gets damp along the pipeline over time, and mold is likely to appear in the exact spot. External treatment by using chemical mold removal sprays and home remedies might remove new patches temporarily. To get rid of the problem effectively, one has to tear the wall open and repair the piping.
What’s the difference between mold and mildew on a wall?
Mildew and mold on a wall are two different phenomenons that require different actions to get rid of them. In both cases, the patches appear on the wall if air humidity in the room is high for a long time. Mildew is much easier to remove, as it doesn’t penetrate internal structures of the wall, and grows only on the surface. Thanks to this, you can easily remove mildew by using appropriate products designed to kill mold. Mildew can be recognized by fuzzy black patches appearing on the wall surface.
Mold is much more difficult to get rid of, and its appearance carries more serious consequences. It penetrates the material, not only wood, but also concrete, so its complete elimination is time-consuming. In case of a high concentration of fungus, surface cleaning only slows down its growth and removes external patches. If you want to get rid of mold completely, you need to tear the walls open, dehumidify them and apply adequate chemicals.
How does mildew or mold on walls affect one’s health? Can mold make you sick?
Mold on walls never makes a good combination with the health of the people living in an affected room. Mold, or even mildew on a wall not only decreases the aesthetics, but most importantly, has an impact on proper functioning of anyone who spends their time in such an interior on a daily basis. Substances released by mold and mildew during its growth are the most harmful elements. People residing in an infected room risk various health issues, such as:
- respiratory system diseases,
- eye irritation,
- sore muscles and painful joints,
- exhaustion,
- allergies.
How to get rid of mold on walls?
If you want to avoid health issues, make sure to react as soon as you notice anything on the wall and take action immediately. Mold on walls, even the smallest one, mustn’t be ignored. To remove it, you can use store-bought chemicals, various proven home remedies, or hire a professional service.
If it’s caught in its initial stages, mold can be removed from walls using hydrogen peroxide or tea tree oil – and these aren’t the only homemade solutions. Note that home remedies are equally effective against mildew.
Removing mold using hydrogen peroxide
How to remove mold from the wall? Home remedies prove to be quite effective against this problem. Hydrogen peroxide is the most popular solution. You can mix it with white vinegar in 1:1 ratio. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle – e.g., an old empty window cleaner bottle. Thanks to this, the solution is much easier to apply.
Cover the mold patches with the mixture thoroughly and leave them for several minutes. During this time, the hydrogen peroxide begins a reaction and removes the harmful fungus. Afterwards, carefully clean the spot using a sponge or a cloth. Also, dry the wall out and make sure to improve ventilation in the room.
Throw away the sponge or the cloth you used to remove the mold. If left in the household, it might spread the harmful fungi in another spot.
Removing mold on walls using grapefruit seeds extract
Mold removal sprays aren’t just chemical products. Using citrus fruit extracts is an effective home remedy. Grapefruit seeds extract is perfect for this purpose. Add about 20 drops of the product to half a liter of clean water and stir thoroughly. This way, you made a strong mold remover. As an additional advantage, its smell is not irritating.
Put the solution in a spray bottle to spread it precisely on the wall. Leave the sprayed surface to dry, and then clean it using a damp cloth. Make sure to dry the spot out and throw away the cloth you used for cleaning.
How to get rid of mildew using salt?
You can remove mildew from walls using cooking salt – a product that can be found in any household. Kitchen salt has antifungal and disinfecting properties, so it’s perfect against unwanted stains on walls – just like when cleaning curtains. To use it, you need to make a paste. Just mix salt with a small amount of water. The pulp created this way is a great remedy against mold. Just spread it over the stains and wait until it dries. Then wash the spot with warm water and dry it.
Removing mold using tea tree oil
How to get rid of mold on wall using a home remedy? Tee tree oil is your answer. Mix a few drops of the oil with soapy water. Spray the infected area with the mixture and leave it for about three days. Wash the spot with warm water afterwards and dry it thoroughly.
Baking soda, vinegar, and garlic – a mixture against mold on a wall
A mixture of vinegar, garlic, and baking soda is a solution which will easily remove moldy stains on the wall. These ingredients are known for their antifungal properties. That’s why baking soda is often used for cleaning an oven or a dishwasher. What’s more, garlic is commonly used in gardening. It’s effective against aphids and diseases such as grey mold. Garlic-based sprays can be used to save a lot of plant species.
As for using these ingredients against indoor mold, the method is quite peculiar. The moldy spot should be thoroughly covered with baking soda. Then, it should be sprayed with a mixture of vinegar and garlic extract (which can be prepared by pouring boiling water over a few garlic cloves). Then, leave the spot for a few hours to dry. As the last step, wash and dry the surface thoroughly.
📍 Mold on walls – how to get rid of the problem?
Mold on walls is a tiresome and harmful issue. How to remove mold from walls? You can use both home remedies and store-bought chemicals. But if the mold has penetrated the wall structures, the only solution involves tearing the plaster down.
📍 What kills mold on walls?
Removing mold from walls often means you have to break the wall structure. Usually, the plaster has to be removed, at least one meter around the affected spot. Certain chemical products such as mold removal spray might be useful. If it's just mildew, or mold in its initial stages, you can also try proven homemade remedies to quickly get rid of the problem.
📍 Why is mold growing on a wall?
Mold on walls is usually a result of high air humidity in the room. Insufficient ventilation might also contribute to the issue. A humidity of over 60% creates optimal conditions for mold growth. In such a case, you can typically observe water condensation on the windows.
📍 How fast does mold grow on walls?
Mold develops quickly on walls, if the conditions are favorable. If the humidity in the room exceeds 80%, harmful fungi grow rapidly. It means that the problem might appear within several days.
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