To remove mold from a hard surface, fix the water problem first, put on gloves, goggles and an N-95 respirator, scrub the mold off with detergent and water, and dry the surface completely. That is the EPA's advice, and it works on tile, glass, metal, sealed wood and most painted surfaces. You can do it yourself when the moldy area is under about 10 square feet. Bigger areas, mold on drywall or carpet, and mold after a leak or flood are better handled by a specialist, and our guide to mold remediation in Charlotte explains what that work involves. This page covers the steps, the cleaners that help and the ones to avoid, and how to keep mold from coming back.
Can you remove mold yourself?
You can remove mold yourself when the patch is small, on a hard surface, and the moisture that caused it is fixed. The EPA's rule of thumb is that most homeowners can clean an area under about 10 square feet, roughly 3 feet by 3 feet. That covers most shower grout, window sills and bathroom ceilings.
Call a specialist instead when:
- the moldy area is bigger than about 10 square feet
- the mold is on drywall, ceiling tiles, carpet or insulation, which usually have to be cut out
- there has been significant water damage, or water from sewage or a flood
- the mold is in your heating and cooling system. The EPA says not to run the system if you suspect it is contaminated, since it can spread mold through the house
- you smell mold but can't find it, which often means it is inside a wall
- anyone doing the work has asthma, allergies or a weak immune system. The EPA suggests talking to a health professional before cleanup if you have health concerns
How do you remove mold safely, step by step?
Removing mold safely means three things: protecting yourself with the right gear, cleaning the mold off the surface rather than just killing it, and drying everything completely so it can't grow back. These steps follow the EPA's guidance for a small area, under about 10 square feet, on a hard surface such as tile or sealed wood.
- Fix the moisture. Stop the leak, wipe up condensation, or improve ventilation. If you skip this, the mold comes back.
- Protect yourself. The EPA recommends an N-95 respirator, long gloves that reach the middle of your forearm, and goggles without ventilation holes. The CDC adds rubber boots for bigger cleanups.
- Open a window and keep children and pets out of the room.
- Scrub with detergent and water. Use a stiff brush or a scrubbing pad. Bag the cloths and throw them away afterward.
- Dry the surface completely. A fan helps. The EPA says wet areas should be dried within 24 to 48 hours to stop new growth.
- Throw away porous things that are moldy. Ceiling tiles and carpet may need to go, because mold can be impossible to remove from them.
- Don't paint over it. The EPA says not to paint or caulk moldy surfaces. Clean and dry them first, or the paint will peel.
What should you never use or mix on mold?
Never mix bleach with ammonia or with other cleaners. The CDC warns against it, because the mixture can give off toxic fumes. Don't paint or caulk over mold, and don't sand or dry-brush it, which puts spores in the air. Bleach isn't recommended by the EPA as a routine part of mold cleanup.
Other things to skip:
- Bleach on porous material. Bleach won't fix moldy drywall, wood that has rotted or carpet.
- Running the heating or cooling system when you suspect mold inside it.
- Fans blowing across dry mold before it is cleaned, which spreads spores around the room.
Is vinegar or bleach better for removing mold?
Neither is the most important part. The EPA's advice for hard surfaces is to scrub mold off with detergent and water and dry the surface, and it does not recommend bleach as a routine practice. If you do use bleach, the CDC says to use no more than 1 cup of household bleach in 1 gallon of water, on hard surfaces only, and never mix it with other cleaners.
Vinegar is a mild acid that many people use on mold. Neither the EPA nor the CDC recommends it in the guidance we used, so treat it as one option for light surface mold, not a fix for anything bigger. Whatever you use, physically removing the mold and keeping the surface dry does more than the cleaner itself.
How do you stop mold from coming back?
Mold comes back when the moisture comes back, so stopping it means keeping things dry. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50 percent, fixing leaks as soon as you find them, and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours.
Practical habits that help in a humid Charlotte summer:
- Run the bathroom fan during showers and for a while after, and wipe down shower walls.
- Use the air conditioner or a dehumidifier to keep humidity down. A cheap humidity meter shows you whether it is working.
- Vent the clothes dryer outdoors, and use kitchen exhaust fans when cooking.
- Check under sinks, around toilets and at the water heater every few months for slow leaks.
- Keep gutters clear and downspouts pointed away from the house.
- Look in the crawl space and attic at least once a year. Our page on crawl space mold remediation covers that space in detail.
When is mold removal a job for a professional?
Mold removal becomes a job for a professional when the area is large, the mold is inside building materials, or the moisture problem is hard to fix. A specialist can contain the area so spores don't spread, remove and replace moldy drywall or insulation, and find leaks behind walls. The EPA suggests choosing a contractor experienced in mold cleanup, checking references, and asking them to follow recommended guidelines.
What to ask when you get quotes:
- What exactly is included: containment, removal, cleaning, drying, and any repairs?
- How will you find and fix the moisture source?
- Do you follow the EPA's mold remediation guidance?
- Can you give me references from recent jobs?
- What happens if the mold comes back?
Our mold remediation cost guide shows typical prices, so you can tell whether a quote is in the usual range.
Questions people ask
Can I spray vinegar on mold and leave it?
Many people spray vinegar on light surface mold and leave it for a while before wiping, but the mold still needs to be scrubbed off and the surface dried. Leaving dead mold in place can still cause allergy symptoms, and it does nothing about the moisture that caused it. The EPA's advice is to scrub hard surfaces with detergent and water and dry them.
What kills mold permanently in a house?
No spray kills mold permanently, because spores are always in the air and will grow again wherever it stays damp. What keeps mold away permanently is controlling moisture: fixing leaks, drying wet areas within 24 to 48 hours, and keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, as the EPA recommends.
Does dish soap kill mold?
Dish soap helps you scrub mold off and wash it away, which is what the EPA recommends for hard surfaces: detergent and water, then dry completely. Removing the mold matters more than killing it. Dead mold left on a surface can still cause reactions in some people.
What naturally kills mold in the air?
You can't clean mold out of the air with a spray. Spores are always in outdoor air and come indoors on their own. What reduces mold indoors is removing growth at the source and keeping humidity low, so spores have nowhere to grow. If you smell mold, look for the growth and the moisture rather than treating the air.
Should you call a professional to get rid of mold?
Call a professional when the mold covers more than about 10 square feet, is inside walls or the heating and cooling system, follows a leak or flood, or keeps coming back after you clean it. For a small patch in the shower or on a window sill, you can usually clean it yourself with the steps on this page.
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