Bleach can kill mold, but it’s not always the best option for elimination. While bleach may easily take care of mold growth in a shower or tub, it’s not a good idea to use it to address a mold problem in wood or drywall.

Mold growth is one of a homeowner’s worst nightmares. If left unaddressed, it can contribute to serious health problems and degrade important materials in your home.

Your home is your safe space and one of your biggest investments, which makes it extremely important that you have the

right insurance

policy.

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is here to tell you what you should know about using bleach to address mold growth in your home.

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Does bleach kill mold?

Yes, bleach is usually capable of killing mold. But depending on where the mold is, using bleach might not always be the most effective approach.

Bleach is most effective at killing mold on non-porous surfaces, like sinks, showers, tubs, or tile. Even then, however, using bleach isn’t recommended, because prolonged exposure can be harmful to your health. In its gas state, bleach can give off dioxin, which is a known carcinogen.

If you are handling bleach, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearing protective gear like gloves, goggles, and an N-95 respirator to protect yourself. The CDC also cautions to never use bleach and ammonia together because they can give off toxic vapors.

Bleach becomes even less effective if you’re dealing with mold that’s growing on drywall or wooden posts and beams. These porous materials can allow mold to root itself deeper inside the material.

If you’re using bleach to scrub these surfaces, you won’t be getting to the root of the problem—you might just make it worse. The bleach itself can even cause additional damage to the material you’re trying to protect.

However, if your home experienced flooding after a natural disaster, you might have limited options when it comes to what you can use to clean up the mold. If bleach is what you have on hand, you can use it to address mold in more moderate to severe cases. Dish detergent can work, too.

For minor mold and water damage, you might not need bleach at all.

Key Takeaway Bleach can kill mold, but extended exposure can be harmful to your health, so it’s not recommended as your primary elimination method.

MORE:

Does renters insurance cover mold?

How do you effectively treat mold growth?

The term “mold” comprises a diverse group of organisms. What they all have in common is that they thrive in moist conditions.

To properly get rid of mold growth, you need to investigate how extensive the problem is and what conditions allowed it to grow where it did in the first place.

Severe mold damage can be dangerous to handle on your own. Extensive mold growth in your home will often require a professional mold remediation specialist’s help.

The CDC recommends

hiring professionals affiliated with or certified by:

National Environmental Health Association (NEHA)

American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)

Institute of Inspection

Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC)

American Council for Accredited Certification (ACAC)

If you have no other choice but to address your mold problem yourself, these are the steps the

CDC

recommends.

Wear protective equipment. You want to protect your skin, eyes, nose, and mouth from toxic water sources and mold spores.

Open all interior and exterior doors while you work. That includes cupboards, too. This will promote better airflow and help more spaces dry out. When you need to leave your house, try to leave as many doors or windows open as possible.

Remove as much water and moisture as you can. Mold can spread quickly under the right conditions, so you’ll need to work quickly. Get rid of wet items and standing water. If you can’t completely clean and dry your home within 24-48 hours, you should assume mold is growing.

Use fans and dehumidifiers to help with the drying process if you can safely use your electricity. If mold growth has already started, don’t use fans—they can spread mold spores.

Use water and a detergent to clean areas, and remove any visible mold you see. Dry areas as quickly as possible.

Throw away any flooded items that can’t be cleaned and dried within 24-48 hours.

Inspect your home carefully after cleanup. If you can still smell mold or mildew odors or have health issues like asthma or allergies that worsen when you return home, you likely haven’t eliminated all the mold.

Another important consideration: have your HVAC system inspected before turning it on again. You don’t want it to spread mold spores throughout your home!

MORE:

How much water damage will total a car?

Will homeowners insurance cover mold removal?

Whether your home insurance policy will cover mold removal depends on your level of coverage and what caused the mold growth in your house.

If your home insurance includes perils like a burst pipe and this is what brought about the mold, you’d likely see some coverage from your policy.

However, if the mold growth came as a result of a noticeably leaky pipe that was never repaired, your home insurance company could consider this homeowner negligence and deny your claim.

If the mold growth in your home happened as a result of flooding from outside your home, this is rarely covered by home insurance alone. You’d need a flood insurance policy such as that from the National Flood Insurance Program (

NFIP

MORE:

Does homeowners insurance cover bellied pipes?

How to find affordable home insurance

When the unexpected happens to the place you call home, you want peace of mind that your home insurance will have you covered. That’s why it’s important to understand what your policy does and doesn’t cover before disaster strikes.

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FAQ

Can bleach kill mold spores?

While bleach can kill mold spores, it’s not necessarily recommended because extended exposure can harm your health. However, if it’s all you have on hand, it can be used to clean up mold.

Handling mold can be dangerous, so for moderate to severe mold damage, it’s highly recommended to hire a mold remediation professional.

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