5 Pro Tips for Dealing with Mold on Drywall

Dec 8, 2021

Molding on the wall is certainly unsightly but no need to panic. We have five tips to assist you in killing it, cleaning it off, and ensuring it doesn't come back.

The drywall in your shower is intended to provide a low-maintenance backdrop, but it can also act as a mold incubator.

What Causes Mold on Drywall?

Mold thrives in moisture, which makes your shower, bathtub, or bathroom a pretty hospitable home. If you notice mold on drywall, you will want to kill it quickly. The sooner you catch it, the better chance of saving your wall and lots of time and effort.

If you fail to prevent the mold from taking over, it will eat into your wall. The mold isn't just an aesthetic issue you can choose to ignore. Mold can trigger respiratory diseases and allergies–getting rid of it as soon as possible is vital for creating a healthy home environment.

How you deal with the mold issue is dependent on how severe it is. Always wear proper safety equipment when working with toxic chemical:

Ventilate the room well after you're finished.

1. Water and Bleach

If the mold has only just begun to live on your walls, you can mix a half cup of bleach and a quart of water to create a mold killer.

Mix the agent well and simply brush onto the mold areas of the drywall until the mold disappears.

Once you're done, wipe the surface down to remove any excess moisture. Do not rinse the drywall. Allowing the bleach to sit on the drywall will kill any spores hiding inside the material.

2. Household Detergent

You can find mold remover in the cleaning aisle of most local convenience stores. These typically work best with black mold, so keep in mind what type of fungus you're working with.

3. Water and Vinegar

If you are trying to avoid chemicals, you can create a mixture that is equal parts vinegar and water to serve as a cleaning solution. It is only proven to work on 82% of spores and settled infestations might not respond to it.

4. Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide will work as well as bleach in removing your mold problem, but it's ranked lower because it can damage your paint job.

Make sure you only use a 3% solution, and always spot test before covering your drywall with it. Once you're ready to proceed, spray your solution onto the mold and allow it to sit for a minimum of 10 minutes before wiping it off.

5. Ammonia

Ammonia is a toxic chemical. You should not open it in your home unless you are out of other options. Additionally, drywall will not absorb it as well as it does bleach.

Some things to keep in mind if you use the ammonia method:

Never use it after bleaching a wall
Only use clear ammonia inside your home

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