Expert: Henry Boyter - 4/29/2005

Question
-------------------------I went on the internet to find out what ratio to mix bleach to kill mold the other day . There are a huge quantity of sites saying bleach is an old wives tale including the FDA has determined it to be ineffective?? Rich
Followup To
Question -
I have black mold on my basement crawl space wall (cement block). I would like to make a home made recipe out of something other than bleach. Bleach is not a long lasting or good way to get rid of mold as it only bleaches it. Do you know something I can mix up as I need to make at least a couple gallons ?
         Thanks , Rich
Answer -
Bleach actually kills the mold if applied correctly.   That is what the bleaching indicates.  Nothing else will give you the safety and effectiveness.  Waterproofing and sealing the area after cleaning is your best bet.  If not, it will always come back no matter what you use.  You should be very careful in a crawl space applying anything.  Make sure you have ventillation and a buddy to pull you out if the fumes get to be too much.


Henry Boyter, Jr.
PhD Chemist

http://www.itt.edu/staff/boyter/links/index.html
The opinions expressed are those of Dr. Boyter and
are provided for informational purposes only and
should not be used as advice.  No warranty or
expression of professionalism is implied.

Answer
The studies that started that were for surfaces made of Douglass Fir.  Other studies show that chlorine does the best of anything you can buy as a homeowner. Others are more toxic fungicides that should only be applied by professionals.  

http://www.homemoisture.org/mold/mold-lesson.htm

http://www.waterandhealth.org/news_center/in_news040204.php3