Remove mold, but do it right

If there is suddenly green or black mold on the wall, it is a shock. The most important thing now is to act immediately and remove the mold – but with what means? The North Rhine-Westphalia Consumer Advice Center explains whether alcohol is sufficient to remove mold, when chemical mold killers are necessary and what you should do with old mold.

Remove mold

Is mold on the wall actually a problem? Yes: mold spores should definitely be removed. But what is the right product for removing mold?

Since spores and the metabolic products of mold can be harmful to health, but mold removers also pose risks to humans, no one can make your decision about the mold control method for you.

However, you can follow the following guidelines to remove mold:

1. In case of new infestation: Remove mould with chemical mould removers, alcohol or hydrogen peroxide

If the mold infestation on the wall is relatively new, it is usually sufficient to remove the surface with anti-mold agents. There are very fast-acting mold removers with chlorine agents that destroy the spores in up to ten seconds. Although these chemical agents are highly effective, they are  not recommended due to the potential health risks .

Cleaning agents and mold removers containing alcohol (80 percent ethanol – watch out for fumes!) and hydrogen peroxide (three to ten percent) are largely harmless  against mold – or a five percent soda solution from the pharmacy. With these products, the mold can usually be loosened and removed.

If you are unable to prevent the moisture from growing, it is better to use a chemical mold remover (follow the instructions carefully!). Otherwise, you will expose yourself to the continued proliferation of the fungal spores, which are harmful to your health.

2. In case of old mould infestation: Remediation by professionals

If the infestation is older, the mold has usually already penetrated paint, wallpaper and, more rarely, the existing plaster structure. In this case, a superficial treatment of the mold on the wall will no longer provide a permanent remedy. In this case, an expert must be called in to carry out the measures. The infested materials must be removed.

3. After mold removal or renovation