Another great reader question!

Q: This is interesting. If the goal is chemical free then why is bleach alright?      -Victoria

A: Victoria, first, thanks for the great question. The answer is this: it is technically a chemical, but it is the lesser of two evils. The greater evil being chemical biocides. Biocides are used by ‘professional mold cleaner uppers’ who were taught how to clean mold in classes funded by the very same companies that try to sell these products and mold testing services. Biocides kill bacteria for long periods of time (some for 6 months) and leave chemical residues on surfaces that are hazardous to humans. This is not what we want to do. Once we clean up mold and stop the source of water (a leak), there will no longer be a mold problem.

Bleach is registered for household use by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Be careful that any household cleaner you buy says that the product is REGISTERED for household use, and does not use any sketchy language, such as “EPA compliant”, because anything other than registered does not mean much of anything. It is not illegal to use this unclear and deceiving wording when marketing a product.

The active ingredient in bleach, sodium hypochlorite, has been heavily diluted in the form that we most commonly buy it: Clorox. It is a sanitizer and disinfectant and kills a wide range of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Sodium hypochlorite is registered for use in households as well as food processing plants, agricultural settings, animal facilities, hospitals, and drinking water supplies. Since bleach is safe to use on porous (laundry, wood) and non-porous (refrigerator door) surfaces, it is useful in many instances. Moreover, the best part about using bleach, as opposed to a chemical biocide, is that bleach DOES NOT continue to kill bacteria and other living organisms long after its applied use. When we use chemicals that continue to kill, they leave residues that are harmful to humans and kill ALL good bacteria.

This is not what we want. While we must use caution while using bleach to clean up mold (or any other time we use it), it still remains one of the best ways to do it. Make sure you follow the directions on the container: ventilate the space you are cleaning to avoid inhaling the strong-smelling bleach, and be sure to test the surface you are cleaning to avoid discoloration that commonly occurs on some surfaces.

For an abundant amount of information on chemical-free mold remediation, reference the free online course at Green-Buildings.Org .

If you need help deciding what type of product to use for your particular application, use the clorox product guide on the right side of this page: Clorox Cleaning Advisor .

Hopefully that answered your question!

-Suzy

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