How We Chose the Best Mold Killers
When narrowing down the list of the best mold killers, we looked for products that were effective and affordable. If you’re going to be dealing with the mold issue yourself, you’re going to want to choose a household spray that is simple, straightforward, and strong. Working with potent, professional-grade mold killers can be extremely dangerous if you do not have the proper expertise. Many mold killers contain some toxic chemicals that can affect your health, so you should stick to a product that’s made for everyday use. If you have to bring out the big guns, talk to a professional who works at a mold and water damage remediation company.
Our top pick, RMR-86, combines affordability with efficiency, making it the best mold killer for most people. This stuff works like magic, killing mold in seconds, right before your eyes. It kills all of the mold and leaves the area bright and clean, requiring no hard scrubbing on your part. All you have to do is spray. RMR-86 is simple and powerful, making that $20 price tag totally worth it. You want to be able to remove mold fast without having to work too hard, and that’s exactly what this product gives you. Just always remember to wear the proper protective gear to avoid any health issues.
Even though these products are non-toxic and safe for household use, the fumes can really affect people. Products that claim to be more natural and less harmful usually aren’t, and simply don’t do the trick. Of course, it all depends on the mold problem you have. Simple, surface layers of mold can get out with Tilex, which you can easily buy at your local grocery store. Patches of mold in enclosed spaces like attics and basements can be resolved with the heavy-duty Mold Bomb Fogger. If indoor air quality is the main issue, then a product like the Moso Purifying Bag will help maintain your property in good condition.
Why Mold is a Hazard
Mold is a serious environmental hazard that drastically affects your property’s conditions and your tenants’ wellbeing. There are many different types of mold, including common, pesky types like stachybotrys, penicillium, aspergillus, paecilomyces, and fusarium. These dangerous molds are usually black, white, green, or gray. The textures can vary — some being smooth and shiny, and others being rough or “fuzzy.” Certain kinds of mold have a repulsive odor, and others don’t smell like anything. No matter what the mold looks or smell like, it’s still an annoying issue to have in a rental unit.
Most of the time, mold grows in hard-to-reach places, making it extra difficult to remove. To clean mold, you usually have to get down and dirty and do some hard scrubbing. Mold tends to form in materials that trap moisture, like wall paneling, paint, fabric, ceiling tiles, newspapers, or cardboard boxes. Any porous surfaces are also prone to mold. The humid environment is perfect for mold to grow and thrive. They can also be pretty persistent, coming back no matter how many times you spray or scrub. This is why it’s so important to choose the right mold killer and get rid of it for good.
Some kinds of mold can be hazardous to one’s health, so you may be liable if a tenant inhales toxic mold spores. Symptoms can include:
- Weakness and fatigue
- Sensitivity to light
- Frequent headaches
- Poor memory
- Lack of concentration
- Joint pain and stiffness when waking up
- Tingling, numbness or other unusual skin sensations
- Shortness of breath
- Sinus congestion
- Chronic coughing
Mold, and the reduced indoor air quality that comes with it, can also affect pets’ health. Make your tenants aware of this potential hazard. Symptoms of a mold allergy in dogs include:
- Frequent coughing, sneezing, or wheezing
- Difficulty breathing
- Watery eyes
- Chronic ear infections
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
There is also the chance that mold will cause structural damage to your home, which can be a huge hazard for tenants living there. Mold that causes your home’s walls, roof, or floor to cave in and weaken can cost you a pretty penny in the future. You have to make sure to kill mold as soon as you notice its growth.
Thankfully, most mold isn’t harmful — it’s just plain annoying. But, regardless, you should always aim to remove the mold as soon as possible. It’s hard to tell the difference between harmful and harmless mold, so always proceed with caution and take the proper preventative measures.
Landlord Responsibilities for Mold
Landlord responsibilities for mold are not explicitly outlined in building codes, ordinances, statutes, or regulations. However, landlords can still be held accountable for mold problems, even if the law isn’t mold-specific. Only a few states, including California, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, and Texas, and a few cities, including New York and San Francisco, have regulations for mold and indoor air quality. You should check your state laws and the EPA website for any mold standards or guidelines.
Remember that it is a landlord’s responsibility to provide a habitable living space to their tenants. Depending on the situation, if mold is present in the rental, the tenant may be able to withhold rent or file a lawsuit. For instance, if you fail to repair a leak and mold begins to grow in the soaked area, any health problem caused by it would be your fault. Some landlords choose to include a mold clause in their lease that relieves them from any liability related to mold growth. A smart landlord will work to prevent mold from growing and inform their tenants of the hazard. If your tenant notices mold, make sure to act on it immediately and use an effective mold cleaner. Improving your indoor air quality and maintaining it, with products like the Moso Bag, will ensure that your property is always in the best condition. If you take the right steps now, you can avoid having to pay for mold remediation services.
Preventing Mold in the Future
Besides using the products listed here, you can prevent mold in your rental property by taking a few, simple precautions.
- Always keep a bottle of mold killer on hand. Once you’ve selected your weapon of choice, make sure to always have it readily accessible. Make sure to tell your tenants to do so as well. At first sight of new mold growth, you should spray the area. This will help keep it from spreading. You can also do a deep cleaning of the rental using bleach, baking soda, or hydrogen peroxide to freshen up. Having a good range of cleaning products is very important.
- Test your property for mold. You can purchase DIY mold test kits to use on your property. It’s important to test all of the rooms that are at the highest risk for mold. This means places where humidity levels tend to be higher or where there is a water connection. Usually, your kitchen and your bathroom are the main rooms you should test.
- Get an air purifier. An air purifier is a great way to improve indoor air quality and prevent mold from growing. A standard HEPA air purifier can filter out particles as small as 0.3 microns. Mold spores range from 1 to 30 microns in size, so a good air purifier should be able to eliminate pretty much all of the mold spores in the air.
- Inspect your property regularly. Check for leaks and pooling water around your home every couple of months so that you can address any threats before they become issues. Always complete maintenance requests in a timely manner and remind your tenants to clean up and maintain the premises.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Best Product to Kill Mold?
The best product to kill mold is the RMR-86 Instant Mold, Stain & Mildew Stain Remover. The product is EPA-registered and promises to solve your mold problems in less than a minute. The RMR-86 dissolves mold and stains in only just a few seconds, making it the best product for all-around usage.
Is bleach or vinegar better to kill mold?
Distilled white vinegar is better at killing mold. While products like bleach may kill mold on the surface, only vinegar can kill the mold beneath the surface. Vinegar goes beneath the surface as it soaks, killing any mold that can be found in the material.
What kills black mold naturally?
Vinegar, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide all kill black mold naturally. Distilled white vinegar works wonders on killing black mold naturally. If you don’t have vinegar, baking soda works just as well. Barring those two, you can also use hydrogen peroxide, which kills black mold instantly.
Do mold bombs really work?
Yes, mold bombs really do work, though you need to make sure that the mold bomb you’re using is proven to be safe to use around furniture, electronics, and vice versa.
Mold bombs, chemical fumigation devices that spread throughout one area, are best used for mold in hard-to-reach places. Just be careful the bomb you’ve chosen works well for the area you’ll be using it in.
How do you get rid of toxic black mold?
To get rid of toxic black mold, you first need to wear a protective face mask to keep yourself from inhaling the mold. After that, you need to choose your product of choice to kill the black mold, whether that be hydrogen peroxide or distilled white vinegar.
Find the area infected with black mold and use the product in the area. If the mold is in a hard-to-reach place, you may need to use something like a fogger to reach the mold.
Can you clean up mold yourself?
Yes, you can clean up mold yourself. But there are a few precautions that you must take. First, you must wear a face mask and gloves. Black mold can be toxic, so you need to avoid getting any on you.
If the black mold has gotten into hard-to-reach areas or has spread around the whole house, the chances of needing professional help go up.
Do mold foggers really work?
Yes, mold foggers do work, though they probably shouldn’t be your first choice when it comes to killing black mold. If the black mold has spread into a hard-to-reach area, foggers are mandatory. However, if the mold is in an easy-to-reach area, such as the wall or floor, you’re better off using bleach or vinegar.
What kills mold instantly?
To kill mold instantly, bleach, distilled white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide work best.. Distilled white vinegar works wonders against black mold and will kill off the mold soon after it’s applied. Bleach also works well against black mold, killing the mold instantly after application, though it won’t kill mold beneath the surface like vinegar can.
Hydrogen peroxide works a bit slower than vinegar, but can still get underneath the surface and clean all the mold.
What can I spray to prevent mold?
No spray can prevent mold. The only way you can prevent mold is to keep your house from becoming too humid and damp. Run a dehumidifier in your house, dust regularly, and make sure to replace your insulation frequently. These solutions will keep black mold from forming in your house.
What is the best mold and mildew remover?
Distilled white vinegar is the best mold and mildew remover. Vinegar not only kills the mold on the surface, but the mold underneath the fabric, wall, etc.
If you’d prefer an easy, made-for-you solution, the RMR-86 Instant Mold and Mildew Remover works wonders, killing mold and mildew within 15 seconds of being sprayed onto the target area.
Can vinegar kill mildew?
Yes, vinegar can kill mildew. Along with being able to kill mold, distilled white vinegar can also kill mildew. If the mildew is just starting to grow and there’s not much there, you can dilute the vinegar with water and rub it into the mildew.
If your mildew problem has grown, feel free to use the vinegar without any dilution. But yes, distilled white vinegar can kill mildew just as easily as mold.
How do you get mildew out of fabric?
To get mildew out of fabric, feel free to use distilled white vinegar or borax. Avoid bleach, it can harm and/or discolor the fabric. Once you rub or spray your chosen cleaning product into the fabric, you’ll need to wash said fabric at the highest temperature possible.
Once done, let the fabric dry. Don’t throw the fabric in the dryer. After that process, all the mildew should be out of the fabric.
What is the best mold killer for wood?
The best mold killer for wood is white distilled vinegar. Bleach works in this situation too, though bleach can only get so far down into the wood before becoming ineffective. Distilled white vinegar can be absorbed through the wood, killing the mold that resides in the wood.
What is the best mold killer for drywall?
The best mold killer for drywall is bleach or vinegar depending on the severity of the mold. If your mold situation is only surface-level, bleach diluted with water will work just fine to get rid of the mold. If the mold has gotten deeper into the wall, you’ll need to either use undiluted white vinegar or get professional help.
What is the best over the counter mold killer?
The best over the counter mold killer is the RMR-86. The RMR-86 promises to kill mold and mildew, and it keeps its promise. The RMR-86 works on a variety of surfaces, such as drywall, concrete, grout and tiling. Using it is simple as well, only requiring you to spray the affected area. Once done, the mold and mildew should be gone in only a few seconds.
What is the best mold killer for carpet?
The best mold killer for your carpet is either distilled white vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. Both of these won’t stain the fabric, making them great choices. Plus, they can be absorbed into the fabric, killing the mold deep inside the carpet.
The Micro Balance EC3 Laundry Additive is made for clothes, but works well on all kinds of fabric, including carpets. Made of natural oils, this mold killer will keep your carpet looking and smelling fresh.
What is the best mold killer for concrete?
The best mold killer for concrete is bleach. Bleach diluted with water works best for concrete and/or hard surfaces such as hard floors. The bleach will kill the mold and clean the mold stains from the concrete, and the process only takes a few seconds.
The Wet and Forget Outdoor Mold Remover works best for concrete, thanks to its ability to penetrate hard surfaces.
What is the best mold killer for cars?
The best mold killer for cars is distilled white vinegar. You’ll want to spray the distilled vinegar in the areas the mold is growing, being careful not to leave any stains. Vinegar won’t stain the interior of your car, saving you from having to clean the car twice.
If your car has a lot of fabric in it, the Micro Balance EC3 will work the best for you. Simply spray this mold killer around your car and wait for the mold to die.
What is the best mold killer for grout?
The best mold killer for grout is chlorine bleach. Simply mix one-part bleach and four parts water into a spray bottle and spray any affected area. Once you do that, the mold will wash away in seconds.
Don’t want to mix or mess with chemicals? The Tilex Mold Remover Spray is a great alternative. It is designed to remove mold from tiles and the grout surrounding them. With the Tilex Spray, you can clean and disinfect the grout in one pass.