How to Treat Mould on Walls

What You Need to Know

1. Mould is a small type of fungus that grows from tiny, air-bound spores which thrive in warm and damp conditions.
2. As well as damaging property, serious mould outbreaks can pose a health risk, particularly if you suffer from allergies.
3. Fortunately, tackling mould is relatively simple, requiring only a few simple tools and materials and a minimal amount of time and expertise.
4. Spraying a mixture of hit water, chlorine bleach and laundry powder mixed is the easiest and most effective way of treating mould on walls.
5. Wear old clothes as treating mould can be a messy business, and always wear gloves when handling mouldy materials and surfaces.
6. Throw out anything that can trap mould, including old newspapers, rotten wood, books and rags. Harder materials, such as glass or metal, should be OK after they are cleaned and disinfected.
7. Make sure you finish up by taking steps to prevent future mould breakouts, for example by ensuring good ventilation.

What is Mould?

Mould is all around us. Quite simply, it's a small type of fungus that grows from tiny, air-bound spores. Wherever these spores land and find optimal conditions – for instance warn temperatures and a bit of dampness – they will thrive, with this causing the black stains you might see on your walls and ceilings or in your bath and shower.

While mould has its uses in the natural world, if it's present in large enough quantities in the home, it can be harmful, damaging a property by discolouring walls and rotting damp wood and potentially also causing health problems for the inhabitants. As such, any significant outbreak needs treating and the sooner this is done, the better.

Removing Mould from Walls

Though it is important to do it correctly, treating mould on walls is a DIY job that you should be able to carry out without any professional help. However, if an infestation is in a hard-to-reach place, take care and consider asking for help, even if it's just to hold the ladder for you.

For starters, you should remove any badly-infected materials from the affected area, for example, by ripping discoloured wallpaper from the wall or throwing out any damp newspapers or magazines that might be lying around. Be sure to wear gloves when carrying out this task.

Now you will need to fill a bucket with 1 litre of hot water and 125ml of chlorine bleach, with 80ml of laundry powder mixed in. Alternatively, but a pre-made mould treatment solution at a DIY store such as Wickes, though this will likely be more expensive.

Once this solution has been mixed together, add some to a small plastic spray bottle of the type you would use to water plants. Use this to spray the wall you are treating, working from the base of the wall upwards and being sure to cover all of the surface and not just the parts that show evidence of mould.

With the wall now covered, you should scrub away at the surface using a standard scrubber sponge, again taking care to work in a upwardly direction and not miss any spots. Rinse the sponge thoroughly in hot water and repeat this process until all signs of mould have disappeared.

If your wall has been discoloured by mould, wait until the area you have treated is completely dry before adding a special anti-mildew paint. Be aware that the smell of mould may linger for some time after you have treated the wall; you should only start to worry and consider repeating the above process if it remains for more than a day or two.

Preventing Mould Returning

As well as treating an outbreak, it's also a very good idea to use this opportunity to guard your home against mould in the future. Above all, you should take simple steps aimed at improving ventilation and reducing dampness in your home. Among the best ways of preventing future mould outbreaks are:

• Stopping leaks and making sure there is a good foundation drainage system in place in the basement.
• Ensure good ventilation by keeping at least one window slightly open whenever possible. Condensation on the inside is a sure sign of insufficient ventilation, so look out for this.
• Drying clothes outside rather than inside and ensuing that a tumble dryer is vented to the outside of your home.

Further Reading

• The Scottish government has also published a guide on keeping your home free from damp and mould check that on their site.
• Need to carry out some serious DIY to fix the damage done by mould? Compare personal loans here and get the funding you need to carry out the work.
• For more great advice on looking after your home read our guide to dealing with rising damp.