Using This Kitchen Essential Is One Of The Best Ways To Remove Mold From Walls

Nobody likes to see mold in their homes. But life happens, and sometimes that means dealing with unexpected home repairs or cleanups. If you've come home to a flooded basement or discovered a leaky pipe, you might notice that the moisture has caused patches of mold to appear on your walls. Widespread mold is a telltale sign that it's time to hire a professional to get rid of your mold problem. However, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you can perform your own cleanup if the moldy area is smaller than 10 square feet. Fortunately, you probably already have one of the key kitchen essentials for doing so: dish soap.

There are many unexpected things you can clean with dish soap, including your moldy walls. Since dish soap is a surfactant, it can help trap mold spores in water, making them easier to lift from the wall. However, it doesn't kill mold. So, if you're worried about mold returning after using dish detergent to remove it, you can follow up with a diluted bleach treatment.

Before attempting any mold cleanup, you'll need to put on some protective gear, including a face mask and rubber gloves. Then fill a spray bottle with warm water and a few drops of dish soap. If you don't have a spray bottle, fill a small bowl or tub with water and dish soap, and dip your scrub brush into the mixture. Mist the moldy area with soapy water and scrub the surface with a brush. Rinse the scrub brush as needed, and allow the wall to fully dry once the mold is gone.

While you don't have to take further action after using dish soap to remove mold, you can follow up with a diluted bleach treatment to kill any remaining mold spores. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), use no more than one cup of bleach per gallon of water. Open windows to ventilate the space, wear an N95 respirator, gloves, and goggles, and then scrub the area with your diluted bleach mixture. Afterward, allow the wall to completely dry. There are many DIY methods for removing mold in and around the home, but it's important not to mix any of these substances, as doing so can create dangerous fumes.