Because of the nature of indoor environments, it’s easy for surface mold to develop – especially in the bathroom area, where air circulation is at a minimum. Before addressing the surface issue, it is important to rule out the presence of a deeper problem. Sometimes surface mold is due to hidden water damage. A crack in a tile or a history of a water leak may indicate a larger problem, which can lead to serious health issues. See “Where Do I Begin?” for suggestions on ways to address hidden water damage.
If the mold appears on a wall rather than tile, be sure to check for hidden water damage and avoid surface solutions that leave behind any residual water that only add to the problem. Purchase a simple moisture meter to see if hidden moisture exists. Moisture meters are readily available at hardware stores.
Place probes in suspected wall to see if hidden moisture is present.
If you are confident that the problem is a surface one, it is best to avoid bleach. While bleach does kill bacteria, and viruses, it does not kill mold. It merely takes away the color and can trigger more problems because of its toxicity.
Similarly, ammonia is very irritating to the mucous membrane and while it may be effective on surface mold spores, it does not eradicate dead spores that contain glucans, allergenic proteins, and mycotoxins.
*Bleach and ammonia should never be mixed. The combination will generate toxic gasses called chloramines.
What can you do to eradicate surface mold?
Preventative Strategies
1. Check the ventilation and reduce moisture
If the mold is in the bathroom, is the exhaust fan in good working order? Are family members regularly using the exhaust fan? A new exhaust fan can be an excellent investment if it is not working properly. A portable dehumidifier may also help provided it is maintained properly.
2. Wipe down the shower after each use
Even with the best ventilation, mold can grow naturally because of the moisture and lack of sunlight. It may seem overwhelming to wipe down the tile after every shower, but once family members are in the habit, the tile stays clean and dry.
Natural Solutions
3. Borax
Readily available, borax is an excellent anti-fungal agent. Create a paste with borax and water and scrub onto the area. Rinse and dry well. This may be applied several times and may be combined with tea tree oil for added effectiveness. Concerned about the potential toxicity of borax? See the article The Safety of Borax.
4. Hydrogen peroxide
Peroxide is an effective anti-microbial without the toxic fumes that come along with the use of bleach. If using 3% hydrogen peroxide, which is the dilution found in stores, just apply directly to the mold and scrub. Certified 35% food grade peroxide, available online, may also be used, but should be carefully diluted before using. A third option is 10% hydrogen peroxide, also found online. It need not be diluted and offers a stronger option. Always use caution however as anything greater than 3% may burn the skin.
5. White vinegar
White vinegar also has excellent anti-fungal properties. Consider using white vinegar in combination with any of the above. Try the borax paste and follow with several sprays of white vinegar.
6. Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is known for its ability to kill fungus and is safe for ingestion or application to skin and hair. (See this study for more on the antifungal potency of tea tree oil.) You can easily make a tea tree oil spray by combining water with 5-10 drops of tea tree oil. Spray on the surface. You can also add tea tree oil to baking soda or borax paste.
7. Grapefruit seed extract
Derived from the seed and pulp of grapefruit, GSE has excellent anti-fungal properties. GSE can be added to white vinegar or combined with other solutions on this list. Nutribiotic offers a reputable product. Find it here.
8. Pumice
Pumice bars are cheap and readily available in the cleaning aisle of many big box stores. Pumice is ideal for any cleaning, including surface mold. Scrub the area with pumice and follow with any of these treatments.
9. Baking soda
Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is an effective antifungal agent by itself or in combination with other agents. Make a paste of baking soda and water and scrub. Boost the effect by making your own washing soda (sodium carbonate) by heating the baking soda. ( For more on making washing soda see DIY Washing Soda.)
10. Chitosan powder
Chitosan is derived from the chitin component of crab, shrimp, and other crustacean shells. It has noted antifungal properties. Make a paste of chitosan powder, tea tree oil and water for an adequate surface solution. Amazon offers these chitosan options.
Honorable Mention
11. Vodka
Vodka is a potent antimicrobial and can be applied directly to surface mold. Fill a spray bottle and spritz it on the area. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes or so and scrub with a rag or pumice stick.
Products to Purchase
The following products do not contain bleach and are chemical-free. They are available from Amazon.com and other online sellers.
- EC3 Mold Solution Concentrate
- Benefect Botanical Disinfectant
- Bulletproof Homebiotic Spray (for surface mold prevention)
As with any mold issue in the home, surface mold is not to be taken lightly. Consider these non-toxic solutions and avoid chlorine bleach to help maintain a safe home environment.
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I’m so glad I came across this! My husband always wants to just spray mold down with bleach but I’ve been looking for more natural solutions. Thank you!
Glad it helps, Annie!
Baking soda and vinegar! You really can’t go wrong. Thanks for sharing these tips!
You’re welcome! Thanks for stopping by, Amber.
We are living in a mold loving place right now. We live near the ocean so it is always damp and our bathroom has zero ventilation! Thanks for the tips.
Ventilation sure does help. I envy your proximity to the ocean air!
For years I have used a portable dehumidifier in my bathroom and I no longer have a problem with surface mold
Great suggestion, Jennifer. I will add this to the article!
Great tips! Mold causes so many health issues, so it’s important to really go after it aggressively. Sharing!
Thanks for sharing, Kelly.
What do you recommend using when the mold is on the 9-foot ceiling in your bathroom? I am trying to figure out the best way to reach it (using a ladder would require half of it to be in the tub while the other side would be out) as well as the particular problems of working above your head (drips, etc). Any ideas?
Courtney,
When mold is on the ceiling rather than tile it generally means there is water damage – a leak of some sort. I would recommend further testing in terms of thermal imaging (which can detect hidden moisture) and possibly a dust sample. Are you aware of any previous leaks either in the roof or other leaks? It’s hard to recommend a an approach when it comes to a ceiling honestly. You can certainly try a borax paste and then dry the ceiling thoroughly. A professional remediator might be able to advise you as well.
I love this post, so many great ideas for removing mold with natural things. I have to try the tea tree oil one next time, as I love the smell of it 🙂
great tips! I have really bad ventilation in my bathroom and can get a little bit of surface mold from time to time. I had no idea about borax! Thanks!
Numbers 4, 5, 6, and 9 are my go-tos! I also use lemon juice for many of my all purpose and DIY cleaning jobs. =)
Is there anything tea tree oil CAN’T fix? 😉 I’m amazed at the laundry list of problems that one oil can remedy, but … I did not know mold was one of them. THANKS!!
Great tips! I’ve used most of these before but not #7, 8 or 10, will have to keep them in mind!
I had some mold along the window in my girls’ room from running a humidifier in the winter – tea tree oil worked great!
Good to know – thanks for commenting, Renee.
We used to add salt to our baking soda mixture and let it sit on moldy cracks in the tub for a while before scrubbing it off to kill the mold spores. It seemed to stay away longer when we did that. Love the post! Thanks.
Great tip, Amanda! Thanks.
Thank you SO MUCH Andrea for your site and all the great info. My family and I just recently had to leave our home due to mold toxicity that was destroying our healthy family, to the point where my 8 year old son could not walk. Each day is a stepping stone to recovery. For people who are not dealing with this and all the misinformation out there, it makes this journey even tougher. We left almost everything , our belongings, family and our home state. It really bugs me that people are so apt to prescribe clorox for surface cleaning of mold but not do the research. I met a family that has recently gone through the same thing and that is what they have been constantly told to use, and they believe it because the person it comes from is a scientist.
I’m sorry to hear this, Agricola. But very glad you made the connection and left. Yes, so sad to see bleach is so often recommended.
Does bleach kill mold or not? I was told to use bleach…
It kills part of the problem, but not all. This explains more
https://it-takes-time.com/2015/04/08/3-reasons-to-avoid-chlorine-bleach/
I am so glad that my car radio was on Moody radio today 4/4/16. My sister moved to Dallas Texas to be closer to her oldest son. She is disabled and lives in an apt complex. Since moving in she has had increased respiratory illnesses requiring her to go to the Dr.. At present they have not really found a reason for her illnesses. Since living in the apt. she has had numerous repairs done in the kitchen and bathroom area due to problems with the upstair apt. water heater. The first time repairs were made she noticed the mold growing on the drywall and notified the landlord. The landlord has chosen to ignore her notification. She is not able to move at this time due to her disability and living on fixed income. Is there anywhere in Dallas, that she can go to confirm or clear the question of mold being present and if it is is there any thing she can do to resolve the issue of mold
Thank you
Betty
The Environmental Health Center is in Dallas: This could be of some help to her. http://www.ehcd.com
Unfortunately, there is no easy fix for something like this. At least you’ve made the connection. Here are more suggestions in my article A Beginner’s Guide to Toxic Mold:
http://it-takes-time.com/mold-microbes/beginners-guide-toxic-mold/
None IN our house – knock wood, but an outdoor screen patio has bamboo roll up blinds. With the recent tropical storms the blinds developed heavy mold. The first time I took them all down & cleaned them on the patio. That was a job, eight blinds & moving furniture & a ladder to take them down & put them back up 🙁 When the mold came back after Hermine, I went to the big box hardware store looking for a solution. Found the Dep cleaner/prevention. Worked great BUT used nearly half a bottle on the first blind. Costly! Found your page today. Could easily use bleach because it’s outdoors. Don’t like bleach. Was going for the vinegar. Discovered we were out BUT found a big old bottle of vodka that someone had left years ago. It was blueberry. We would never drink it. I put it in the empty Dep bottle & sprayed like crazy! No chemical smell! All the blinds dried with no sign of mold ***happy dance***
I have had my bathroom ceiling checked with a moisture meter, and there wasn’t a problem. Before I found that out, I was thinking of having the whole ceiling replaced. But, now I am thinking of cleaning it. I would love to have your opinion on the best way to do this. It is sheetrock and has been cleaned before-I think we used dishsoap and tea tree oil. After a while, the mold comes back-because the humidity is too high in our house. We are taking care of the humidity problem with a new fan and a dehumidifier under the house. But, the sheetrock has had mold quite a few times. I was advised to clean it with bleach and kilz over it. But, what would you suggest?
Bleach does not kill the mold as I’m sure you have read by now. I would want to be sure there is no hidden mold which is causing this to come back. Thermal imaging can certainly help with this or an ERMI dust sample might tell you more about what you’re breathing in the home.
Thank you Andrea for answering! I think it kept growing back because there isn’t adequate ventilation in the bathroom and at one time there was a leak in the roof there, but it has been fixed. I am considering replacing the sheetrock, since it would probably not be much more than getting thermal imaging done. Any suggestions on how to safely remove and replace the sheetrock?
Hi again! I have been doing a lot of reading on your site and on the Mom’s Aware site. I am curious if you have heard of others who got back ERMI tests and found out that their house was fine. I feel like our problem is just with the bathroom ceiling because of the previous leak and because of the high humidity and lack of adequate ventilation. (The actual sheetrock didn’t test as moist at all). But, I don’t know for sure, and even though I have recovered from a lot of chronic health problems while living here, I still struggle with food allergies. My daughters have some minor issues as well. So, have you heard of others who got the testing done and the results showed that they didn’t have any mold to worry about?
Yes, I’ve seen good ERMI tests. It’s possible you have a very localized problem that can be fixed safely. Every case is so unique.
Hi Andrea–can you tell me where I can get more information about bleach not killing mold? I don’t use it but I have friends who do and I’m trying to educate as well as get more information myself. Thank you for all of your work on this topic!
This post should help, Adrienne.
https://it-takes-time.com/2015/04/08/3-reasons-to-avoid-chlorine-bleach/
ha. ha…. finally something to do with the cheap vodka no one wants to drink.
Love your page, just stumbled upon it. Been super sick lately and scrambling for possible explanations. I’m terribly sorry for all your family has had to endure and glad you’re all on the path to better health now. The not knowing what is wrong is so hard. This isn’t my first rodeo either. Regarding your surface mold options, you list vodka. Would rubbing alcohol work just as well? I’m thinking using it as a daily shower spray would help dry the walls. I get surface mold on the painted walls and ceiling above my shower siding. At least I think it’s surface mold. I mentioned it to the landlord last week and am going to have them come check it out tomorrow. Really poor ventilation. I leave the fan running 24/7 in the bathroom and it has little effect.
Rubbing alcohol is worth a shot, but ultimately it’s critical to know if there is a source for this. Trust your gut as to whether there is something amiss in this building.
Thank-you for all the valuable information.. can I remove mold spores from my clothes, kitchen appliances, computer.
This post should help:
https://it-takes-time.com/2016/02/23/toxic-mold-and-possessions-2/
Hello. We are in the process of cleaning up things in my parents home after testing showed lots of mold. We moved them into a safe place, and their house will have some sections torn down and the rest gutted. My question is about the wood furniture. (Upholstered stuff is going to dump.) They have lots of chairs, tables curio cabinets etc. We are planning to clean a bunch of those items, I noticed tea tree oil is an option. It says 5 to 10 drops in water. What amount of water? I also have access to 35% peroxide, and know that needs to be used with extreme caution. We have used lots of vinegar in washing china, etc. But we wondered about using something different on the wood. Some pieces are very old.
I am not sure, Rosella. If I learn anything more specific I will let you know.