How to Kill Mold Indoors

Mold is not only unattractive and damaging to a home's frame; it can also be dangerous and even deadly to humans and their pets. Causing allergic reactions, diseases, and death, it is very important to remove the mold. Luckily with a few materials, effort, and some time, mold can be easily removed from most surfaces.

1.  Collect materials. You'll need a dehumidifier, a bucket, all purpose household cleaner, two spray bottles, cleaning cloth or rags, and bleach.

2.  Locate the mold. If you find mold indoors, then chances are it may be in more than one place. Check areas near windows and doors, in and on the refrigerator, bathtub, and sinks.  Basements and drywall are also very common places to find mold.

3.  Remove the mold's source of moisture. In order for mold to grow it needs moisture. If there are any wet or damp objects, like rugs or rotting wood, you'll want to remove it, dry the area, and replace. For general wet areas that cannot be dried by removal and replacement of objects, use a dehumidifier to dry the area.

4.  Make a mold cleaning solution. In a bucket add 8 ounces of bleach to one gallon of water. Pour as much as possible into a spray bottle. Also fill a separate spray bottle with clean water (no bleach).

5.  Clean the mold. With a household all purpose cleaner, spray the mold spots and wipe any visible mold away with a cloth. When you have cleaned all or near all visible mold, spray the molded area with clean water. Wipe away the water with a clean cloth. Then spray the molded area with the bleach solution. Let the bleach set for twenty minutes and then wipe away with a cloth. Make sure to throw out all cloth used to clean the mold right away in a sealed plastic bag.

6.  Dry the area. After the mold is cleaned away, dry the area thoroughly. You can use a HEPA-vacuum to clean any mold spores when area is dried for an extra clean surface.

7.  Replace heavily molded areas. If there are any areas of the home that are too heavily molded to save and are rotting away because of it, remove the area and replace.

Note: While cleaning mold be sure to clean only one area at a time so mold does not spread. Also, wear protective gloves, goggles, and a face mask to protect your face, hands, and lungs.