Bleach Does NOT Kill Mold!

3/24/2017 (Permalink)

Most people think that bleach with completely get rid of their mold problem. In fact, bleach will only  remove the color or stain of mold and will, in some cases, will allow toxic mold to grow where it was not present before. Read below to see how mold is properly cleaned and the affects that bleach has on mold. 

Mold - that scary four letter word that no home or business owner ever wants to hear. If you do end up in the unfortunate situation that mold is growing in your building, what do you do? Many have been told “simply wash down the affected area with a bleach solution”. Yes, bleach is a powerful product that can sanitize surfaces and kill bacteria, however, bleach does not kill mold!

A bleach mixture is a great solution to use when cleaning your non-porous shower stalls or wiping down your hard surface countertops. However, using bleach on a porous surface such as wood or drywall where mold is traditionally found, is a different story.

Mold is a term that refers to fungi that grow in the form of multicellular thread-like structures, which grow into colonies. On a porous surface, the mold colonies grow into the pores of the material, much like a tree’s roots grow deep into the ground. Bleach is only able to kill what lies on the surface of the porous material, leaving what lies below the surface to continue to grow. To the eye, it appears that you’ve killed the mold that is growing, but unfortunately this is not true. The mold will then grow back stronger, deeper, and spread more since it’s embedded into the pores of the material.

If your home or business are affected by mold, call us today at 314-858-1688. SERVPRO of West Kirkwood and Sunset Hills will completely restore your property from mold damage with the correct equipment and solutions.