If you’ve discovered black mold on drywall in your home, you’ll need to remove it before it causes a health hazard. Often a mold and mildew problem caused by flood or high humidity will require the affected area of drywall to be removed. We described how to do this in our blog ‘Everything you need to know about how to remove mold from drywall’.
In this blog I’ll describe how to kill mold on drywall using a Borax solution. This might be a method you want to try before cutting drywall away with a utility knife or calling a professional.
Different solutions for different jobs
You might be told by others that a solution of bleach will be enough to clean mold and mildew from walls. If you use it properly, they’d be right for many problems of surface mold. But bleach, like ammonia, won’t penetrate porous materials like drywall.
For killing mold on drywall, we’d recommend using Borax.
What is Borax?
Borax is a natural product with a variety of uses. These include being used as:
- a deodorizer;
- a cleaning solution for drains and toilets;
- an insecticide;
- an herbicide; and
- a fungicide.
It costs only a few dollars, and can be bought in supermarkets.
Six steps to kill mold on drywall using Borax
As with any clean-up operation, before you start make sure that you are safe. Of all types of mold, black mold spores are a particular health hazard.
When removing mold, you should wear rubber gloves to protect you from infection from concentrations of spores. Also wear a mask and goggles. Once you’re ready, then follow these simple steps for complete mold removal:
- Mix one cup of Borax in one gallon of water.
- Use a vacuum to remove loose mold. Make sure you use a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner to reduce the number of spores spread into the air.
- Scrub the affected area of drywall with a brush, dipping it into the Borax solution regularly.
- Use paper towel to soak up any excess moisture and remove any mold left behind.
- Allow the Borax to penetrate the drywall. This will help to prevent mold growth in the future.
- Let the surface dry completely.
This is the simplest and most effective DIY method of removing mold from drywall. It’s perfect for small infestations. But if you have a more substantial mold problem, or have suffered extensive water damage, you will probably have to remove and replace the drywall to make a lasting job.
Contact us today – we’re available 24/7 – and we’ll be happy to help.