What Can You Do to Clean Mold on a Baseboard?
- If mold is growing on a baseboard, there is a very high likelihood that additional mold is growing behind the baseboard. First, separate the baseboard from the wall so that you can effectively clean the entire area. Wedge a utility knife between the top of the baseboard and the wall and slide it along the entire length of the wall to cleanly separate the two structures. Then use a pry bar or similar device to pull the baseboard away from the wall.
- Now that you can see both the board and the wall behind it, try to ascertain where the mold has come from. If you cannot find the source of the moisture (which caused the mold growth), call a mold remediator immediately. This growth likely indicates a leak or water damage coming from within the walls. If the problem simply resulted from an isolated spill or household accident, remove any remaining liquid and proceed to the next step.
- Before applying any cleaners, make sure that the baseboard (as well as the wall nearby) is 100 percent dry. Towels will not cut it. Use a space heater, central heating unit or dehumidifier until all moisture has evaporated. To disinfect the baseboard and the wall, the Centers for Disease Control recommend that you add 1 cup of chlorine bleach to a gallon of water and sponge over the entire baseboard and any wall boards affected by mold. Rinse with water and then dry both surfaces a second time.
- If using bleach makes you uncomfortable, you can clean wood baseboards using washing soda (sodium carbonate). Just add 10 tbsp. to a gallon of water and sponge the solution over your baseboard. For walls, use a natural bleach solution like oxygen bleach (sodium perborate) or undiluted hydrogen peroxide.