Does Vinegar Kill Mold?
You’ve spotted mold in your home. And you want it gone before it spreads or starts causing health problems. Maybe you don’t have a commercial mold killer under the kitchen sink, but you have some vinegar.
Will vinegar kill mold? The answer’s a bit tricky. White vinegar can cut through light mold on hard, nonporous surfaces, but it has its limits. Vinegar can’t kill every type of mold, and it doesn’t work well on certain surfaces. That’s why you might need professional mold removal.
Key Takeaways
- White vinegar can kill some mold on hard, nonporous surfaces, but it’s not a mold cure-all.
- Vinegar can’t reach mold growing inside drywall, wood, or other porous materials.
- Mold often comes back after a surface cleaning if you don’t fix the source of moisture.
- Large, recurring, or hidden mold problems call for a professional mold remediation team.
- To prevent mold in the long-term, control the humidity and moisture in your home.
Does White Vinegar Kill Mold?
In some cases, white vinegar does kill mold. Vinegar gets its punch from acetic acid, which can break down the cell structure of some common mold species on contact. But there are thousands of different species of mold, and white vinegar doesn’t work against them all.
Keep in mind that although a surface looks mold-free after you wipe it down with a vinegar solution, that doesn’t mean the job is done. Mold spores can hide beneath surfaces. Also, vinegar can’t fix the moisture issue that caused the mold in the first place.
When Can Vinegar Kill Mold, and Where Does It Fall Short?
Vinegar has its limits as a mold fighter. Whether vinegar can kill mold in your home really comes down to two things:
- How much mold you’re dealing with
- What surface it’s growing on
Vinegar works best on small mold patches on hard, nonporous surfaces like tile, glass, and sealed countertops. There are definitely some surfaces you should avoid.
Vinegar can dissolve the sealant on natural stone like marble, granite, and limestone. It can also strip the polyurethane finish off certain wood surfaces and damage metals like aluminum, copper, and stainless steel.
One more important thing to note: Don’t mix vinegar with bleach. The combination creates chlorine gas that’s dangerous to breathe.
A good rule of thumb is, if you’re not sure whether to use vinegar on a surface, test a small spot first or use a commercial cleaner designed for that surface.
Why Mold Often Returns After Surface Cleaning
Mold inside your home is usually a symptom of a larger moisture problem. If you’ve got a leak, too much humidity, or past flooding, the mold will keep returning no matter how many times you hit it with vinegar. You’ll never fully get rid of your mold issue if you don’t first identify where the moisture is coming from—and fix it.
Another issue is that by scrubbing the mold, you can knock spores into the air, spreading them to nearby rooms. Before you start cleaning mold, always close off the affected area as much as possible.
When to Call a Mold Remediation Professional
Some mold infestations are too big for a bottle of vinegar can handle. The EPA recommends against DIY cleanup once mold covers more than 10 square feet.
Beyond just the size of your mold issue, here are some other indicators that you should call a mold remediation professional:
- The mold keeps returning after cleaning
- You’ve experienced significant water damage
- You smell a persistent, musty odor
- You suspect mold may be hiding inside your walls, flooring, insulation, and/or HVAC systems
A professional mold removal team will start with a full inspection of your home to map out the damage. They’ll then set up containment, run HEPA filtration to capture spores, remove materials that can’t be saved, and track down the source of moisture in your home.
How to Help Prevent Mold From Returning
Keeping mold out of your home comes down to moisture control, not more scrubbing. Stop mold from returning by:
- Repairing leaks as soon as you spot them
- Drying wet areas within 24 to 48 hours
- Running bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans during and after use
- Keeping indoor humidity between 30 and 50 percent
- Watching for recurring odors, stains, or discoloration
- Making sure crawl spaces and gutters drain water away from your home
SERVPRO Is Here to Help
Vinegar will kill mold in some instances, but it won’t get rid of hidden mold or fix the moisture that caused the mold in the first place. If your mold issue is too much for a spray bottle, call in the professionals. SERVPRO offers mold inspection, containment, remediation, and restoration.
Find your local SERVPRO today.
FAQs
Will Vinegar Kill Mold?
Vinegar can kill some mold species on hard, nonporous surfaces like tile and glass. It won’t work on every type of mold, and it can’t reach growth hidden inside walls or on other porous materials.
Can Vinegar Kill Mold on Porous Materials?
Vinegar doesn’t do well at killing mold on porous materials like drywall, wood, and carpet. These surfaces absorb mold deep below what you can see or reach with a cleaning cloth.
When Should You Call a Professional for Mold?
Call a professional if mold covers more than 10 square feet, keeps returning, follows water damage, produces a musty odor, or may be hidden inside walls, flooring, or HVAC systems.