Does Bleach Kill Mold

There no pleasure that compares to watching the incessant rain, splash on your windows while you are cuddled up inside your warm blanket. But what if there is a colony of black mold all around window? It will just put a tragic end to your lovely morning. The black mold you see around the window is called mold. Mold is a fungus, which like most of its family members, breeds in damp, moist and dark areas. They are multi-cellular filaments, called as hyphae. They always grow in clusters or in a colony. Molds travel through air as spores, and make themselves at home around moist and damp areas. Unfortunately, high in moisture content areas, become breeding grounds for these molds. The moment you see mold developing in your home, get rid of it as soon as possible. A frequently asked question about mold removal is, does bleach kill mold? Well, let's find out...

What does Bleach Do?
Bleach is known to kill many bacterias and viruses. That is primarily the reason why, bleach is used in household cleaning. There are many types of bleaches, for example, chlorine bleach, which has sodium hypochlorite. The other type of bleach is, oxygen bleach, which has hydrogen peroxide. Bleaching powder has calcium hypochlorite. Bleaches are oxidizing agents and are hence used for cleaning or removing colors. Oxidizing bleaches break the chemical bonds of chromophore, which causes discoloration. Chlorine bleach, is used to disinfect swimming pools and remove the algae growing in the pool. Chlorine is also another stain remover. Thus, bleach is a disinfectant and decolorizing agent.

Does Bleach Kill Mold
No, bleach does not kill mold. It is a long believed myth among homemakers that bleach kills mold. However, in reality, bleach does not even 'disinfect mold spores'. It is presumed that bleach kills mold because, it reaches its roots and discolors the mold. Which looks like it has been destroyed, as it looses its black color. The maximum ingredient of chlorine bleach is water, which makes it incapable of killing the mold. And as water is the food for mold, it thrives, rather than dying out. The only way of killing mold, is to remove it from the roots. So don't try to remove the mold with chlorine bleach, as it will only worsen the problem.

What Kills the Mold?
It is very important that you nip the problem in the bud, before it turns nasty. Mold not only destroys your aesthetic, but is also risky for your health, especially asthmatic patients. It is an allergen and an irritant. Mold can cause allergies of eyes, ear, throat and nose.

Tea Tree Oil is an expensive but a little, will work wonders. Make a mixture of 2 teaspoons of tea-tree oil and 2 cups of water. Spray the mixture on the affected area and do not rinse. This is a good home remedy.

Vinegar Spray kills most of the black mold growing in your house. Make a spray of distilled vinegar. Spray it on the affected area. Do no rinse it, if can't stand the smell, close the room for a few hours. The smell will dissipate on its own.

Grapefruit Seed Extract does not have any odor. Take about 20 drops of grapefruit seed extract and 2 cups of water. Pour the mixture in the spray bottle and spray in the mold affected areas. Again do not rinse this coat of spray.

So, does bleach kill mold? No! Don't waste your time trying it either, because it will only aggravate the problem. Use some effective mold removing products and services. Once you have dealt with the problem of black mold, do not let it reoccur. If your place is humid, install a dehumidifier. Make sure that you address the root cause and then what is seen is superficially. Good ventilation can also prevent your house from mold growths.