How To Remove Black Mold From Walls & Drywalls

In the context of this article, we’ll be discussing how you can remove black mold from your walls and drywalls.

Black mold is one of the most common household molds in the world. They are characterized by their black and dark green shades and can be found growing on floors, ceilings, and walls.

How To Get Rid Of Mold On Walls Permanently

Just like other mold species, they can grow in areas that are high in humidity and dark. Their spores are practically everywhere, and they land on any environment fit for growth.

If there’s an area of your home that supports mold growth, then you’ll find them growing there.

Stay with us.

Black Mold On Wall

Since you’re reading this article, we can assume that you have black mold growing on your walls. Besides learning how to get rid of them, we’re pretty sure you’d like to know why they are growing in the first place.

Knowledge of this will help you understand how to get rid of them and prevent a reoccurrence in the future. Keep in mind that mold can grow on both interior and exterior walls.

Below are some of the major reasons why black mold is growing on your walls.

Humidity: Mold can thrive in areas that have above 60% humidity. Unluckily for many homeowners, the humidity levels in their environment go past this level.

Condensation: This can happen naturally outside the perimeter walls of your home. As the moisture in the air touches the exterior walls, it becomes cooler and turns to liquid.

Once the walls are constantly moist, mold can begin to grow on them.

Water leaks: Holes in the roof and busted pipes can all contribute to water leaks. These leakages can soak up your walls to create the perfect growing environment for mold.

How To Remove Mold From Walls With Vinegar

Vinegar is one of many household products that can be used to kill and clean black mold from walls. The best part about using vinegar is that it can absorb the foul-smelling odor molecules that are produced by mold.

• How Clean Mold Off Walls Naturally

Follow these tips to remove mold from walls using vinegar.

Here’s what you’ll need –

• White vinegar
• Some water
• A spray bottle
• A brush
• A dry towel

Step 1: Prepare the vinegar

To make a vinegar solution, mix equal parts of water and vinegar in a bowl, then pour the solution into a spray bottle.

Shake the bottle thoroughly so you can get the right blend. Once your mix is right, you can proceed to the next step.

Step 2: Spray the affected areas

Using the spray bottle, apply the solution across the mold-infested areas of your wall and leave it to sit for a few minutes. Vinegar works fast and can kill mold quickly, so your wait won’t belong.

Make sure you spray enough of the solution on the affected areas. Remember, vinegar isn’t as strong as bleach when it comes to stain removal, so you’ll need to get it all in.

Step 3: Scrub the walls

By now the vinegar solution must have done a good job of dislodging the mold from the walls. It is at this point that you can put your back into it and begin scrubbing off the loosened and dead mold off the walls.

Vinegar isn’t as harsh as bleach so there won’t be much discoloration after scrubbing. If there is, well you just have to repaint.

This isn’t so bad, as it gives you the chance to repaint with a strong sealer that prevents moisture from seeping through your walls.

Step 4: Rinse the wall

After all the scrubbing has been done, you can use water to rinse off the mold particles from the wall. One of the major reasons water is needed for a rinse is because vinegar has a harsh smell. Not necessarily offensive, but harsh.

A good rinse will help clear the vinegar smell off faster.

Step 5: Dry the walls

The final step to removing mold from your walls with vinegar is to get a dry towel and wipe the walls. This will soak up the remaining moisture from the walls and further eliminate the smell of the vinegar.

Removing White Mold On Walls In Bedroom

Your bedroom is supposed to be where you start and end your day, which is why it should be the most comfortable room in your home. However, white mold growing on your bedroom walls can change all that!

Some people have asked – Can mold on walls make you sick?

The answer is yes since mold can cause allergies and make respiratory illnesses worse. Besides, having mold on your walls is an eyesore, and getting rid of it should be a top priority.

Follow these tips to remove white mold from bedroom walls.

Step 1: Move all the furniture away

You wouldn’t want cleaning solutions or white mold particles splattering all over your mattress or any other furniture you have in your bedroom.

Even dead mold spores can cause allergies, so don’t allow any bit of it to get on your furniture.

Clear out the area before you begin cleaning.

Step 2: Apply a cleaning solution on affected areas and scrub

There are commercial mold cleaners you can use to remove white mold from your bedroom walls. Apply them on the walls as instructed by the manufacturer and allow them to sit for a while to break down the mold.

After the mold has been broken down, you can scrub the areas with a hard brush to dislodge the mold. The next step is to wipe the walls with a towel to remove as much mold as you can.

You can also sweep the walls after brushing to dislodge more mold.

Step 4: Vacuum the area

Use a portable vacuum cleaner to scoop up all the dead mold that has fallen on the floor or still hanging on the walls.

Go round as many times as necessary to make sure no mold particles are left behind.

Knowing When Mold Grows Inside Walls

If the mold infestation is deep inside the walls, then you have a much bigger problem on your hands.

This is because surface mold can easily be seen and dealt with, but mold growing inside the walls cannot be seen, which means you wouldn’t even know you have an infestation in the first place.

Which leads to the question – How do you know when mold is growing inside your walls?

Like most homeowners in the United States, your walls are probably made of gypsum, also known as drywall. If this is the case, then there are several means by which you can tell if mold is growing inside.

The first is by drilling holes in the wall and taking a look inside to see if mold is growing in there. Since the hole is small, you will need a flashlight for better visibility.

This approach is very direct and will tell you in an instant if mold is growing in your walls.

The problem with drilling holes in your drywall is that there’s a chance of damaging electrical or plumbing systems while you’re at it.

Another way you can identify mold growth within your walls is by conducting an odor test. Don’t worry, it’s not a complicated test, all you have to do is sniff around your electrical outlets.

Mold produces an offensive musty odor, so if it is growing within your walls, you can tell from the smell coming through these outlets.

The only downside to this approach is that there may not be any electrical outlet or opening around the area where the mold has infested.

It’s worth a shot all the same.

Another pointer to mold growth in your walls is an existing moisture problem. As we already know, mold will always grow in areas that are damp or humid.

If you discover watermarks on your walls, or your walls have experienced water damaged and left unattended for a while, then there’s a big chance mold has begun growing in your walls.

At the end of the day, the best way to know if mold is growing in your walls is to hire a professional mold inspector. They have all the experience and tools required to sniff out mold growth anywhere around your home, even inside the walls.

Killing Mold Inside Walls

Now that the mold infestation has been discovered Inside your walls, how do you kill them?

Most experts will suggest tearing the walls down and replacing them. As effective as this approach is, it is expensive and can be an inconvenience to residents.

If you’re not ready to break down your walls, then your best bet is to make the environment unfit for mold growth, and they will eventually die.

• Treating Mold In Walls

Here’s what you can do –

• Fix the moisture problem that encourages their growth
• Use a dehumidifier (Humidity levels below 50% will kill mold)
• Keep the area well ventilated
• Use cleaning solutions that can penetrate the pores in the walls

These measures will help you kill mold growing inside walls.

How To Remove Black Mold From Drywall

Mold needs a few things to grow and survive. These include moisture, warmth, darkness, and a food source. Unluckily, the paper face on a moist sheet of drywall serves as an ideal food source for mold.

It doesn’t take long for mold to spread, as long as the drywall provides them with what they need, then their colony will grow quickly. When this happens, you will discover that the mold has begun to eat deep into your wood framing, wall cavity, and even your flooring.

If you’re experiencing such problems, don’t panic. There are many things you can do to tackle mold on drywall by following some simple steps.

According to the EPA, any mold growth below a 10-foot space can be easily handled by homeowners. That being said, a larger infestation may require the help of a professional mold removal service.

So, let’s get into it. Here’s how to remove mold from drywall.

Why Do I Have Mold In My Drywall?

To perfectly understand what you need to do to get mold off your drywall, you need to first have an idea why they are there in the first place.

Mold thrives on moisture, which means they will find your drywall suitable if it is damp. Secondly, the paper face on the drywall is a good food source for mold, so growing a colony there is ideal.

Dampness on your drywall could be a result of leaking pipes, humidity, and condensation.

How To Kill Mold On Drywall

Before you begin cleaning, you need to decide if the drywall is worth saving or not. In some instances, removing the mold-infested wall is a lot safer and effective than cleaning it.

You might actually find it less time-consuming in some situations.

If your drywall is soft, then the mold has most likely destroyed it beyond saving. In a case like this, it is advisable to get rid of it, eliminate the mold underneath, dry it out, then replace it.

Cleaning Mold From Drywall

If after a careful assessment you conclude that the drywall can still be saved, then follow these easy steps to kill and remove mold from your drywall.

1. Determine The Source Of Moisture

The first thing you need to do before removing the mold from your drywall is to find the source of the moisture problem. Remember, removing the mold while the moisture problem remains means that the mold will grow back in no time.

The source of the moisture could be a leaky window, pipe, or a bad roof. It could also be water vapor piercing through your concrete floor.

Whatever the moisture problem is, make sure you solve it first, then you can proceed to clean.

2. Get All The Items You Will Need For Drywall Mold Removal

Mold removal is a dirty job, and mold itself is a health hazard. This is why you’ll need to get some protective gear before you begin.

A pair of rubber gloves, goggles, and a facemask will all be useful in drywall mold removal.

Keep in mind that mold removal can send many mold spores into the air, so your eyes, nose, and mouth all have to be protected.

If you don’t put on your safety gear, you will be exposed to irritations and respiratory complications caused by the mold.

Besides protective gear, you will also need a few other items. One of such is a HEPA filter, which can be used to reduce the number of airborne mold spores.

You are will also need some plastic sheeting to guard the rest of your home against mold spores.

Below are some other important items you will need for drywall mold removal.

• A cleaning brush (medium-bristled)
• A spray bottle or bucket
• A cleaning solution
• Cleaning wipes or clean dry cloth
• Wet/Dry Vacuum with HEPA filter and brush attachment
• Plastic sheeting and tape

3. Remove The Surface Mold from the Drywall

The first mold you’ll come across on your drywall is those lodged on the surface. They are the ones you should handle first.

You can use a HEPA vacuum to suck up the surface spores, then follow up with a brush, which will be used to break up as many of them as possible.

Brushing off surface mold requires you to apply some pressure. Your medium-bristled brush can do the trick.

When you’re done with this, you can move on to the next step.

4. Kill the Mold

Now that you’ve vacuumed and brushed off as many surface mold spores as you can, proceed to kill the mold itself. Thankfully, there are many products you can use to do this.

Some of the most popular products for killing drywall mold include bleach, baking soda, and white vinegar.

These three can be used independently with water to make a potent solution that will effectively get rid of drywall mold. However, bleach is great at removing surface mold alone, it doesn’t penetrate deep enough to tackle mold from the roots.

Make a 2:1:1 solution of baking soda, white vinegar, and water. You can make this solution in a bucket then pour it in a spray bottle, or apply it directly from the bucket.

Now spray or brush down the solution into your drywall and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. When that time elapses, brush across the surface to dislodge as many mold particles as possible.

If you’re using concorbium, allow the drywall surface to dry, soak the brush into more concorbium, then brush again.

5. Wipe Off The Residue

There would be some mold residue left after vacuuming and brushing, which is why you need to take it a step further by wiping off the leftovers.

You can use regular household wipes to do this. You can equally grab a clean cloth and go across all the treated areas. If need be, replace the cloth with a fresh one then wipe the area again, just to be sure you get them all.

6. Air-Dry The Walls

So, the mold spores have been killed and all the residue is gone. The next step is to allow the walls to dry out completely.

The best way to do this is with a fan. Keep it on for as long as necessary to remove any remaining moisture. You can also leave your windows open so some fresh air can come in.

A box fan would work better than a ceiling fan in this instance. You can point it directly at the wall for better and quicker results.

It is recommended that you keep the fan on for about 24 hours after cleaning so the wall is 100% dry.

7. Cover the Stains

After the walls have been dried, you may find some discoloration on the drywall. This doesn’t mean the mold has not been killed or removed, it just shows the extent to which mold has affected your drywall over time.

Thankfully, these stains can easily be removed. All you will need is a mold-killing primer.

This product forms a protective coat to hide the stains while killing any leftover spores on the process.

When you have completely covered the stains with the primer, you can now paint over the drywall surface. Use mold-resistant paint to prevent them from coming back.

Mold-resistant paints are high in alkaline pH, which makes it impossible for mold to grow on them.

Borax For Mold On Drywall

Bleach, vinegar, and white vinegar can all be used to clean mold off your drywall. But there’s another product you can use, and it’s called borax.

If you don’t have a box of it at home, you can simply buy it from a store near you.

Follow these steps to kill mold on your drywall using Borax.

Step one

Use a HEPA vacuum to remove as much mold as you can from the surface.

Step two

Mix a cup of borax with a gallon of water to create your cleaning solution.

Step 3

Dip a brush into the bucket containing the borax solution, then use it to scrub the affected areas.

You have to do this repeatedly until all the mold has been scrubbed off.

Step 4

After the mold has been scrubbed off, you need to go over the surface with a clean cloth to remove the remaining moisture. Doing this will also scoop up any leftover mold on the drywall.

Preventing Mold From Growing On Your Drywall

Now that your drywall is free from mold, you can take steps to ensure they never come back. The only way to do this is to make the environment as unconducive as possible.

This will mean keeping humidity levels below 60%, fixing all leakage problems, and keeping the area well ventilated.

Conclusion

There you have it guys, that’s how to remove black mold from walls, and within it. Remember, a moisture-free home is a mold-free home.

Drywall mold isn’t hard to get rid of. All you need to do is follow the tips provided here and you’ll be fine.

Remember, if the mold infestation has spread beyond 10 feet, then you may need to call the pros to handle it.

Good luck!