If you are considering mold removal the question of does bleach kill mold has probably come up. Many homeowners and contractors use bleach throughout the home to address mold and mold staining.
The effectiveness of bleach at disinfecting mold is still a hot topic among mold professionals and homeowners.
Is Bleach an Effective Mold Disinfectant?
I find the mold killing directions put forth by bleach manufacturers to be confusing. Maybe it’s just me, but I always thought water encouraged mold growth. But the application direction label says to mix warm water with the bleach before applying. Keep in mind most bleach is already 90% water, so adding more water (3/4 cup of bleach per gallon of water) will dilute the chlorine. Won’t this also cause it to be less effective?
Bleach is Very Corrosive
Again the killing mold with bleach directions says to not use a garden sprayer or spray bottle when applying bleach. This is for two reasons, the first is that bleach will most likely enter your lungs, eyes, and mouth or splash on your skin and clothes. But, the main reason, put forth by the manufacturer, is it will corrode the metal parts of the trigger assembly and make it less effective. I think the first reason should be the main reason.
Does Bleach Destroy Wood?
Our corporate headquarters is located near the Great Smokie Mountains, and we have lots of log home cabins in the area. It seems many people clean their log cabins with bleach before applying finishes. This is a big no no according to Perma-Chink® Systems, Inc. the maker of a product called Lifeline™. Here is what they say about bleach and its effect on lignin.
“Chlorine bleach destroys lignin, a component of wood that hardens and strengthens the cell walls. Once the surface cellular structure loses its integrity, film-forming finishes like Lifeline™ have no sound wood to bond to, and can peel off.” Read article.
If bleach can do that to log cabins, I imagine spraying bleach on the wood in your crawl space is not good. The destruction of lignin will weaken your joists and subfloors and can lead to the need for replacement.
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Watch This Video About Crawl Space Moisture
If you have a crawl space with vents make sure to watch this video. The concept of having vents in a crawl space for ventilation makes sense. Air flow is a good thing. However when the air being introduced into the crawl space carries humidity with it, particularly when the humidity is 60% or greater – it sets off a chain reaction in the crawl space leaving you with mold, inefficient heating and cooling in the house and unhealthy indoor air quality. In many parts of the country the humidity is consistently above 60%. In North Georgia, for example, the amount of annual rainfall qualifies it as a rainforest.
The solution to keeping your crawl space and the home above it healthy is very simple. You have to reduce or eliminate the sources of moisture with the goal of controlling humidity. The crawl space dehumidifier is a critical component because it’s the only thing that can consistently remove humidity and keep it below 60%.
– Robert Hughes, Owner, Crawl Space Ninja Alpharetta, GA
1 thought on “Does Bleach Kill Mold?”
Yes, I have often characterized North Georgia as the Amazon forest of the northern hemisphere. And that’s not entirely a good thing.