What Kills Mold? Bleach vs. Vinegar

Mold is a common yet overlooked issue in many homes. It appears in the most inconvenient places, disrupting your daily routine and creating an ongoing battle to keep your living spaces clean. Not only is mold an unsightly nuisance, but it is a serious issue that can pose significant risks.

Below, we will explore whether vinegar or mold is a more effective method for killing mold to ensure that your home remains a clean and mold-free environment.

The Damaging Effects of Mold

Buildings offer numerous areas that provide the three essential nutrients for mold to grow: darkness, moisture, and organic material. These conditions create the perfect environment for mold, allowing it to spread quickly and become a persistent problem.

The presence of mold can result in extensive property damage and serious health effects for those exposed. Mold causes structural damage by feeding on common building materials including wood and drywall. These building materials contain cellulose, an organic material, that mold uses as a food source. As the mold eats away at these materials, they weaken, increasing the risk of structural damage. Mold is also a threat to the areas surrounding the infestations as mold disperses its spores.

While property damage is a major concern when dealing with mold, the possible health effects are a bigger cause for alarm. The longer you and your family are exposed to mold, the risk of experiencing health effects increases. Mold exposure can lead to health issues such as:

• Allergic Reactions
• Respiratory Issues
• Sinus Issues
• Lung Infections

Having a prompt response to the sight of mold is crucial to prevent the infestation from spreading to other areas as well as causing property damage or negative health effects. If you notice significant mold growth in your property, it is best to call professional technicians for mold removal and remediation services. However, if you find smaller amounts of mold in your home, you can remove it yourself with household products, such as bleach or vinegar.

Does Bleach or Vinegar Kill Mold?

Bleach and vinegar both have unique properties, making them effective in killing mold spores. Vinegar, a mild acid, removes mold from porous materials like wood, drywall, and fabrics by disrupting the mold’s cellular structure. This way of removing mold is preferred and recommended very often, as it is safer and more efficient in killing mold by penetrating the porous materials.

On the other hand, bleach is a strong disinfectant that can kill mold growth on non-porous materials such as glass, tile, and metal. Bleach destroys the mold’s organic material and has a higher PH, inhibiting mold growth. Since bleach is better for non-porous materials, it only cleans the surface of affected materials. If you use bleach to remove mold growth, there is a good chance that the mold will return.

Removing Mold with Bleach

According to conventional wisdom, bleach kills mold growth. However, bleach only kills the mold on the surface without affecting the membrane underneath. To effectively remove mold growth and prevent it from returning, the underlying membrane needs to be killed and removed. Bleach cleaners are not able to kill this membrane, as its chemical structure prevents it from penetrating porous surfaces. For bleach to be beneficial in removing mold, it should be used to remove small amounts of mold that have formed on non-porous surfaces.

Another issue with using bleach is that it can promote mold growth. When bleach comes into contact with mold colonies, the mold may recognize it as a threat and respond by using it as a food source. This reaction can cause the mold to grow back more quickly and aggressively. Even the EPA advises against using bleach for mold removal.

Removing Mold with Vinegar

Vinegar is an effective and versatile solution for removing mold from various surfaces. As a mild acid, it can kill 80% of mold species commonly found in homes and also assist in preventing mold. When using vinegar to remove mold, follow the steps below to ensure you are being safe and efficient.

1. Prevent exposure to the mold by wearing protective gear such as gloves and a mask.
2. Pour white distilled vinegar into a spray bottle. Avoid diluting the vinegar, as this will reduce its effectiveness.
3. Spray the vinegar directly onto the moldy areas.
4. Let the vinegar sit for at least one hour to allow the acid to penetrate and break down the mold.
5. Use a cleaning brush or a sponge to scrub the moldy area, removing the mold residue.
6. Wipe away any remaining vinegar or mold residue using a clean cloth or rag. You may need to rinse the area using warm water to fully remove the vinegar.
7. Dry the surface completely using a dry cloth or towel. Mold thrives in damp environments, so ensuring that the area is fully dry helps prevent mold growth.
8. Repeat these steps as necessary, or consider reaching out to mold removal professionals.

Removing Mold from Your Home

Removing mold from your home can be a challenging task, especially if the infestation is extensive or persistent. While using vinegar or bleach can be effective for smaller, isolated areas, larger mold problems often require professional assistance. Mold can spread quickly and hide in hard-to-reach places, making it difficult to fully remove without the necessary methods and equipment.

If you find that mold keeps returning despite your efforts or that it is widespread, it’s wise to consult with a professional mold remediation service. These experts have the tools and knowledge to assess the extent of the problem, safely remove mold, and address underlying issues to prevent future outbreaks. Ensuring a thorough and effective mold removal process is crucial for protecting your home and your health.

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.