Bleach Can Make A Mold Problem Worse There is no, Pennsylvani) Bleach Can Make A Mold Problem Worse BLEACH CAN MAKE A MOLD PROBLEM WORSE There is no doubt that a mild bleach solution is capable of cleaning a hard, non-porous surface. That is why is often used against mildew in shower stalls. Mold on a porous surface like wood or sheetrock however, is another matter completely. Mold grows in colonies. On a porous surface, it grows deep into the pores much like the roots of a forest would go into the ground. Bleach remains primarily on the surface and does not get into the pores adequately enough to control the mold. Unfortunately, the moisture often does get into places the mold had not reached to that point. The result is that while you may be successful at removing the upper layer of mold on a porous surface, the remaining mold ends up growing back stronger, deeper and more widely than before. Using bleach is like pruning the branches while feeding the roots. Here are some facts about Bleach and Mold The Clorox ® Company, EPA and OSHA have specifically advised that Bleach should not be used in mold remediation Bleach does not kill mold, it will only remove the stain caused by mold Bleach in some cases will allow toxic mold to grow where it was not present before Bleach itself is considered to be toxic and is classified the same as gasoline Bleach on gypsum (the material found in sheet rock or drywall) will emit chlorine gas for at least a week Bleach applied to wood will push spores deeper into the wood fibers creating more problems later Bleach does more harm than good Posted by flooddamage at Sunday, November 24, 2013 Email This BlogThis! Share to Twitter Share to Facebook Reactions: