Mold spray cleans mold from surfaces and prevents its recurrence. The different types of mold spray include various products sold in stores and homemade sprays made from common household products such as bleach and vinegar. All of these can be equally effective, but sprays are generally meant for use on small mold cleanup and prevention projects. Large mold invasion cleanups are better left to the pros because of their size and complexity and for health safety reasons.
Mold is a form of fungi and serves an essential purpose in the natural world. Mold is often called mildew, although a mycologist might quibble over the distinction between the two terms. Regardless, the main concern is that while highly beneficial in nature, mold or mildew can be become highly destructive and dangerous to health if it gets into a home or office environment.
A mold spray can be effective in getting rid of mold in, for example, a bathroom where mold is growing on a nonporous surface such as in a shower stall or around a sink. Most common spray bathroom cleaners bought in the store will clean mold from these surfaces and help prevent its return, provided that it is used frequently. A consumer should be sure to read the label before purchasing a spray bathroom cleaner, to see whether it will clean mold. Green products also are available to satisfy the concerns of people who are worried about the toxicity of the chemicals in common bathroom cleaner sprays. These contain safer ingredients, such as plant-based alcohols or hydrogen peroxide and citrus oils.
Some people might wish to make their own mold spray, however, simply to save money or because they can make it without using toxic ingredients. A half capful of bleach in a quart or liter spray bottle full of water will clean mold and help prevent its immediate return. For those who want to make a nontoxic mold spray, vinegar can be simply poured straight into a spray bottle without dilution and use it that way. Homemade sprays also must be used frequently to prevent mold from building up again.
If a tougher mold spray is required, there are products available that contain fungicides, with a common one being the chemical paradichlorobenzene. Consumers should be aware, though, that because of its toxicity, using a spray with paradichlorobenzene requires adequate ventilation and the use of protective gloves. This kind of mold spray should not be used near children or pets. It also can damage plastic.
Most mold sprays, in fact, should always be used with caution — even common bathroom cleaners. One must read and follow the safety directions on the containers. If it’s a homemade spray using bleach, one should be sure to not breathe its fumes or get it on the hands.
One must keep in mind that mold sprays can treat only a minor mold problem on a nonporous surface. They will not permanently prevent its recurrence. Too much moisture in a location is the main cause for mold showing up and returning. One must work on eliminating the moisture to solve a mold problem.
Finding a large quantity of mold in a location indicates a much more serious problem, especially if it’s on a baseboard or on a wall, or if it has gotten into a rug. This likely means there’s more mold than is visible and that it could be inside a structure. Mold invasions can present serious health risks and destroy building structures. A mold professional should be consulted to determine its seriousness and recommend the best ways to eliminate it.