Are Mold Spores Resistant to Bleach in Nantucket Home?

1/26/2016 (Permalink)

Black mold spores on the baseboard in this bathroom on Nantucket, MA. Will using bleach kill this mold? The answer may surprise you.

Recently we received a call from a caretaker on Nantucket because they noticed some mold growing on the baseboard in one of the bathrooms and they wanted to know if bleach would kill the mold spores. Unfortunately, I had to give him the bad news that bleach will not kill mold spores.

Then I followed by explaining  that the idea that bleach kills mold spores is one of those myths that has made its way into the do-it-yourself community, leading homeowners and property managers to believe that they can actually kill a mold problem by spraying a bleach solution onto a wall and then wiping it clean. But while the area appears to be clean and rid of the black fungus on the surface, this particular method actually makes the situation worse.

When mold and bleach interact, the mold spores react as if they are being attacked. Spraying the fungus down with bleach causes the mold to shoot off spores to protect itself. So as you are wiping the surface, you are actually spreading the mold spores further out.  If the cloth is used in other areas of the home, it can spread the mold to areas that were unaffected (otherwise knows as cross contamination).

Mold thrives on moisture, and since the primary component of bleach is water, the solution actually feeds the fungus rather than kills it. Another reason bleach is no match for mold is because its chemicals, which include chlorine, do not penetrate through the porous areas of the sheetrock or wood where the deep roots of the mold spores are located.

Still another reason not to use bleach to combat a mold problem is because the solution is highly acidic, which can threaten the integrity of porous materials. The acidity levels in bleach wreak havoc on the fibers that compose most home building materials such as drywall and baseboard. And not only will the bleach compromise the integrity of the material, it will spread the mold spores to otherwise unaffected areas. Because this damage is occurring beneath the surface, it goes unseen and unnoticed.

While bleach can erase the unsightly black marks of mold spores on the surface, the fungus is still present in the wall. Mold has deep roots and can permeate to the outer areas of the wall, as it seeks out moisture and a food source. Since bleach can only clean up the ugly surface marks and not completely kill the roots, it is not a recommended solution for mold remediation.

SERVPRO of Upper Cape Cod & The Islands never uses bleach on any of its mold remediation projects. Our professionally trained crews understand the problems that can arise out of using bleach on  mold spores. With years of experience responding to property owners with mold in their homes or businesses, handling mold projects throughout Massachusetts, our staff can properly and completely clean up any mold situation with the right products and equipment.  As a certified mold remediation company, SERVPRO of Upper Cape Cod & The Islands requires our staff to be trained and able to explain the different types of methods that can be used to clean up mold for our customers. We never sell our services based on fear but rather on information. If you need any help with eradicating a mold issues please feel free to contact us for an estimate.