Does Bleach Kill Mold Spores?

You may know that damaged pipes, weather catastrophes, heating or ventilation issues, and malfunctioning household appliances can cause water damage to your home. But did you know that if this water damage isn’t taken care of immediately, it can ultimately destroy your home both structurally and aesthetically? Due to its high endurance, mold and mold spores infestations are common and are one of the most concerning problems to many homeowners when water damages occur. Mold spores infestations can be a threat to both your home infrastructure and your overall health. At Matrix Remediation, an IICRC certified cleaner for mold inspection and removal, we can ensure that your water damage is taken care of, and that your home is left structurally and aesthetically the way it should be. One of the most common questions we get is, can bleach clean mold spores? Here’s your answer.

Molds are fungi that cultivate in building materials both indoors and outdoors . They grow best in warm, damp, and humid conditions, and reproduce by releasing mold spores into the air. Unlike molds, mold spores can grow dry conditions, and under extreme environmental duress. They can then spread fast in moist environments. Molds come in all shapes, sizes, and colours ─ ranging from black to orange, and yellow to green. A problematic and common mold that occurs inside of houses is black mold, or Stachybotrys chartarum . Black mold has a distinctive mildew and musty odour. When exposed to mold and mold spores, allergic reactions such as wheezing, rash, watery eyes, runny nose, and coughing are common for many people. Over time, inhalation and accumulation of mold spores into the lungs can lead to severe respiratory problems .

Due to its potential threats to your health and home, many people decide to undertake swift actions to eliminate mold problems in their home themselves. The most widespread chemicals that the public uses are ordinary household cleaning products such as bleach. Bleach is generally made of chlorine or oxygen, and is usually taken as the "go-to" products by many to fight mold infestations due to its availability and low costs. When in contact, bleach can, in some cases, kill mold and mold spores . To start cleaning the mold and mold spores with bleach, you first need to ventilate the area by opening doors and windows. Then, ensure that you are well protected from the chemicals by wearing gloves and eye protection. Create the bleach solution by mixing the right amount of bleach and water, and apply it to the moldy surface and then scrub using cloth or sponge.

Although bleach is effective for killing mold and mold spores on non-porous materials such as shower stalls, it cannot penetrate porous materials such as walls and woods. This means that although the surface of moldy walls and woods might look clean, the mold spores inside of the pores remain. In fact, using bleach to overcome mold infestation in porous materials would exacerbate mold growth, as it is made of 99% water and thus, increases the moisture of the surface. Bleaching some materials to kill molds are also not recommended since while it could kill the mold spores, it could also damage the appearances of the surface. Furthermore, using bleach to clean mold spores could be hazardous as toxic gases such as nitrogen and phosphorus are produced. Lastly, using bleach is not environmentally friendly as it is corrosive, poisonous, and generally non-biodegradable.

To conclude, while it is tempting to resolve mold infestation in your home on your own, it is always best to call a professional company. Bleach could eliminate mold infestation on some non-porous surfaces, but it could also exacerbate the conditions for non-porous surfaces, destroy the aesthetic look of the surface, or be improperly applied, resulting in the mold and mold spores continuing to live inside your home. To ensure that your house is in good care, contact Matrix Remediation. We are always happy to help you regain your clean, mold-free home. You can call us at 1-888-885-8683 or email us at info@matrixremediation.com.