Mouldy walls? Here’s what not to do

It’s easy to not realise you’ve got a condensation problem until black mould begins to bloom in a dark corner. Although learning how to control levels of excess condensation is the best thing to do in the long run, it doesn’t get rid of mouldy walls NOW.

Quick fixes often hide black mould stains but don’t solve the underlying problem. Some treatments can even make mould problems worse in the long-term.

Here’s a few of the most common treatment mistakes we see well-meaning home-owners and renters make when trying to remove mould from their home. 

For more on condensation and mould control, check out the Safeguard Condensation Guide.

Paint

Painting over mouldy walls only hides the problem. The black mould spores and hyphae (the ‘roots’ of black mould) that exist below the surface will survive to regrow through the paint. Fresh coats of paint will chip or bubble before the mould completely reappears. Always treat mould-ridden surfaces with a biocidal cleaner before repainting. When the walls are fully mould-free, use an Anti-Mould Paint to prevent its recurrence. Dryzone Anti-Mould Paint contains a biocidal component that stops mould spores from surviving atop it. 

White vinegar

Good news! White Vinegar has naturally biocidal properties that kills off some hyphae and mould spores. Bad news! It also eats into porous materials. It’s perfectly fine for bathroom tiles, but less so for walls. Vinegar is highly acidic. It eats away at marble, wood and metal, wallpaper and porous walls. So while white vinegar is effective at getting rid of most kinds of mould, it will often damage the substrate you’re trying to clean. And like bleach, vinegar has a powerful scent that can easily overwhelm the home.

Supermarket mould cleaner

Typing ‘mould remover’ into your favourite grocery shop search bar returns endless products that promise to banish mould at a bargain price. But make sure to look at the fine print – Sodium Hypochlorite sounds like an effective mould killer, but it is just another name for plain old bleach. Yet again, these cleaners will effectively get rid of the stain, but they won’t get to the root of the mould problem. 

Bleach

When faced with a stubborn cleaning problem, it’s all too easy to reach for the bleach. While bleach seems to make black mould disappear, it doesn’t do much except remove the surface stain. After cleaning the walls and ceiling with a bleach and water solution, it’s just a matter of time before the mould returns. Worst of all, bleach treatments often leave walls wet – which only encourages mould growth.

So what is the best way to tackle Black Mould?

When looking for a mould treatment that will fully remove black mould, look for one word – biocidal. Only a biocidal sanitising agent can safely and permanently remove black mould from the home. Biocidal cleansers reach below the surface to kill the spores and hyphae that exist underneath the black mould stain. Looking for a mould cleaner that will clean away the stain and has a biocidal component to keep mould away? Try the Dryzone Mould Removal & Prevention Kit.

But dealing with black mould is only half the battle. Make sure you’ve got all the knowledge you need to control the underlying levels of relative humidity that leads to excess condensation that leads to… mould! Don’t worry though – Find all the answers in the free Dryzone Condensation Guide.