- 1). Place the painted surface in the path of heat in order to dry it. For walls, you can place a space heater or dehumidifier nearby. For movable objects such as paintings, place them in the sun for a couple of hours. If using an electric heater, place it a few inches away and do not use the highest power setting. If you apply too strong a blast of heat, you may melt or peel the paint.
- 2). Mix a gallon of water with 3/4 cup of household bleach. Do not use a higher concentration of bleach because it may discolor the paint. This heavily diluted ratio will prove sufficient to kill black mold, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- 3). Put on a pair of rubber gloves. When handling bleach, you must always protect your skin. With your hands covered, apply your bleach solution to a sponge or cloth and gently dab the areas of black mold on the painted surface. Let the bleach penetrate the black mold for approximately 15 minutes before proceeding to the next step.
- 4). Scrub the painted surface gently with a soft scrub brush. For highly sensitive objects, use a soft toothbrush to avoid damaging the paint.
- 5). Rinse the black mold. Do not apply a stream of water to any painted surface, but gently dab it with a second sponge or cloth, in order to remove the bleach.
- 6). Vacuum the painted surface with a fine hose extension, in order to completely get rid of the mold spores. Dry the painted surface a second time to prevent new mold spores from germinated on or inside the paint.
previous post
next post