One of the most common reasons for mold to grow is too much moisture and humidity. That means, any place that is wet or contains water can develop mold over time. This makes wood a very ideal place for mold to grow. As wood can soak up water, it can get infested with mold within a very short time.
Here at Mold Removal Denver CO, we treat molds of all kinds from any places. If the woods at your crawl space or basement are infested with mold and you want professional help, do not hesitate to call us. You can describe your situation and reach us through our contact form. One of our chosen experts will contact you shortly!
In this post, we’ll only talk about some effective DIY ways to get rid of mold from wood. But if these techniques aren’t producing any efficacious result, you’ll need to get help from the professionals.
Things You’ll Need
- Safety goggles
- Respiratory Mask
- Robber gloves
- HEPA filtered vacuum
- Brush for scrubbing
- Dishwasher detergent
- Sponge
- Sandpaper
- Distilled Vinegar, etc.
Mold Removal Process From Wood
Step 1: Use All The Protective Gears
Whenever you are dealing with mold, it is a must to wear all the protective gears ALL THE TIME. Mold spores can trigger allergic reactions severely. That’s why you need to be very careful while scrubbing a mold infested area.
Step 2: Vacuum The Area
Using the HEPA filtered vacuum, vacuum the contaminated area. This will get rid of all the loose mold spores. As a result, the loose mold spores can’t travel to other places and cause another infestation.
Step 3: Start With Soap and Water
If the infested wood is painted or strained, then the mold can’t penetrate through the wood. As a result, a simple cleaning solution ought to get rid of the mold perfectly. Just make a mild solution using dishwasher detergent and warm water. Now, take the brush, dip it in the solution and scrub over the mold infested area. Scrub thoroughly and then clean the area. Satisfied? Great! If not, it’s time to power up the solution!
Vinegar is a very powerful mold removal agent. Take some vinegar in a spray bolt, spray the vinegar over the mold infested area and wait for an hour. After an hour, wipe off the wood with a clean wet towel. It should treat the mold well.
Step 4: Move On To Diluted Bleach
If the mold has penetrated the wood, then you’ll need something much stronger. Prepare the solution in the following way:
- 1 part detergent
- 10 parts bleach
- 20 parts warm water
For all the math geeks, the ratio of detergent, bleach and water water should be 1:10:20. Scrub the infested area with the solution thoroughly. Do not clean the solution with water. Let the solution air dry on the wood.
Step 5: Finish With Sanding The Area
If the mold still exists, the next step should be scrubbing the area with a piece of sandpaper. However, we don’t like this as it can potentially destroy the wood for good. In stead, you should send us an email and let the professionals take it over from there.