Mold growth on painted surfaces such as the walls of your home or business can look very unpleasant, and aside from aesthetics, mold can pose serious health risks such as asthma and other upper respiratory issues. It is important to understand when it is acceptable for you to clean moldy areas in your home and when you should call a professional mold removal company. You should also know that how mold should be removed will depend on the type of material your wall is made of and how much mold has contaminated the surface.

The reason for the growth of mold on painted surfaces such as walls is due to extra moisture. Anytime there is extra moisture, the organic compounds from which the wall is made from allows for the formation of mold. Oil-based paints are the most susceptible to mold as they have more of these organic compounds.

The size of the mold affected surface in your home or business is also very important. The Environmental Protection Agency suggests that you can clean a surface that is about 10 square feet, in other words approximately three by three feet. If you are dealing with a larger area of the wall that has been affected by mold, you should contact a mold removal company.

Here are a few reasons why these surfaces should be cleaned by professional mold removal technicians:

• You can make sure that you are not harming your health or the health of your loved ones by cleaning the mold improperly, especially if the surface area is too large and you don’t have the proper equipment to do so.
• You can spread the mold even further by not cleaning it properly.
• There might be mold hidden inside, below, or behind the surface.
• There might be an issue with excess moisture that has not been addressed.
• You will need to remove the mold from your wall before you paint it. If you paint a wall that is moldy, the paint will peel and may cause even more mold as it will get trapped below the paint.

Cleaning Mold from Painted Surfaces

If you are in fact dealing with a small area that has mold, you can follow the below instructions for a clean-up process you can do yourself.

Make sure that you have the proper equipment first. Here is what you will need:

• Rubber gloves
• N-95 mask
• Goggles
• Bleach (household)
• Water
• Buckets
• Sponges or disposable rags
• Spray bottle
• Towel or dehumidifier
• HEPA vacuum

These are the steps you should follow before starting the mold clean-up at your home or business:

1. The moisture source needs to be identified, corrected, and fully dried.
2. You should have all the personal protective equipment mentioned earlier ready and ensure that the area is well ventilated.
3. All carpets, wallpaper, and any other wet items should be removed and properly disposed after you’ve double bagged them in 6-mil or thicker polyethylene bags. All other items such as large furniture or any other belongings should be properly covered and sealed with plastic and tape.

The removal of mold from painted walls should be done as follows:

• Start by filling a bucket with soap and water. Fill another bucket with 1 gallon of warm water and 1 cup of bleach.
• Take the soapy water and fill a spray bottle or a sponge with it and wet any moldy areas. Then take another sponge or a rag and wet it in the diluted bleach. Wipe down the wall area with this solution.
• Next, wait about 10 to 15 minutes for the bleach solution to soak. Then, take a clean sponge or rag and soak it in soap and water and wipe down the moldy wall area with it. Keep rinsing the sponge in the bucket until the whole area has been cleaned. Make sure to dry the whole area thoroughly with a towel or by using a dehumidifier.
• Finally, use a HEPA vacuum to clean any leftover dust or mold. Make sure to empty the vacuum into a sealed plastic bag.

Mold can be an unsightly nuisance at your home or business, but it can also be harmful for your health. Therefore, it is important to react as soon as you encounter mold at your property. If only a small area has been affected by mold and you can clean it up yourself, make sure to follow the steps outlined earlier. If the area is larger, reach out to a reputable and certified mold removal company so they can remove it properly and you will not have to worry about the mold returning or spreading further and causing costly damage.

Call a Mold Remediation Professional

Are you experiencing mold on a painted surface at your home or business? Make sure you call a mold remediation professional immediately to contain and remove the mold growth. These professionals will find and remove all mold from your property and fully restore the damaged areas, and they know how to treat painted surfaces affected by mold.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.