Mold. We all dread this toxic substance yet here we are, talking about it. Mold is in every home, apartment, office and other building in minor amounts. If mold accumulates to the point that it is visible or if you have a mold inspection performed that indicates the presence of this substance, you might be tempted to use bleach.
Below, we explain why using bleach in an attempt to destroy mold is a mistake no homeowner should make.
Most people assume chlorine bleach will kill mold simply because that is what they heard from a family member, friend or co-worker. Perhaps you have seen a parent, spouse or roommate use bleach in an attempt to eliminate mold in the past. Bleach certainly has the potential to work in some instances yet it will fail to exonerate the mold positioned on a porous surface. In fact, bleach can even worsen mold problems.
Chlorine bleach generates fumes that move through the air and harm people as well as animals. Bleach also creates a by-product known as dioxin. This by-product is tied to cancer. The bottom line is adding bleach to mold doubles the toxicity of your living or working space.
Mold is already pretty toxic. Why bother adding even more toxic chemicals when the mold is already toxic enough in and of itself? There are numerous safer approaches to take, the best of which is to rely on the mold removal specialists for a thorough cleaning.
Chlorine bleach loses its potency in surprisingly little time. As an example, if you were to leave a cup of chlorinated water on the kitchen table for a couple days, the chlorine would evaporate fairly quickly. This phenomenon also occurs in the bleach container itself. The evaporation process shows it will be difficult to determine if the chlorine bleach solution remaining in the bottle is actually potent.
After all, you have no idea how long the container sat in the store before you purchased it. This means there is a good chance the application of bleach to mold will do absolutely nothing. Old bleach might kill a bit of surface mold yet it might also worsen the problem.
Bleach is incapable of killing mold positioned on porous surfaces. In fact, bleach can even contribute to the growth of such mold. Take a close look at the label on your bleach container and you will likely see it is meant for non-porous surfaces. In other words, chlorine bleach is only capable of attacking surface mold.
Mold has the potential to grow roots down deep within porous surfaces like drywall and wood. As a result, bleach will not help in the full extermination of that pesky mold in your basement, bathroom, kitchen or elsewhere. The only component of chlorine bleach to move below the surface is its water. Water that moves below the surface has the potential to spur additional mold growth.
Now that you know bleach can’t kill mold, it is time to address this problem the right way. Reach out to our mold removal aficionados and we will find the mold in your home, pinpoint its source and perform a comprehensive removal. Those who live in NW Ohio and SE Michigan can contact Mold & Air Quality Professionals by dialing (734) 755-3457. Those who live in NW, central or lower Michigan can reach us at (231) 679-2622.