Clean it off, yes. Paint over it, only once the cause is fixed. Otherwise it comes back through the new paint.
Clean it off, yes. Small areas of mould on walls, ceilings and window reveals can usually be cleaned off safely yourself.
Painting over it is a different matter. Paint, even mould resistant paint, does not dry a wall or warm a cold ceiling. If the surface is still damp, the mould grows back, often through the new paint within a season. Mould is a symptom. Fix the moisture first, then redecorate.
Open a window and close the door to the rest of the house.
Rubber gloves, eye protection and a mask. If anyone in the home has a breathing condition or is pregnant, ask someone else to do it.
Follow the label. Never mix cleaning products, especially bleach with anything else.
Wipe gently with a damp cloth so spores are not thrown into the air. Bag and bin the cloth.
Dry it off and keep the room ventilated while it dries.
Wash mouldy clothes and soft furnishings. Badly affected carpet, silicone sealant or ceiling tiles may need replacing.
Bleach will whiten the stain on a hard, non porous surface like tiles or glass. On porous surfaces such as plaster, grout, wood and silicone, it can lighten the surface while growth inside the material carries on, which is one reason mould seems to come back so quickly after bleaching. Whatever you use, the mould will return if the surface stays damp.
Mould resistant and anti condensation paints are a sensible finish in bathrooms and kitchens once the cause has been dealt with. They are not a fix. On a ceiling that is cold because the insulation is missing, or a wall that is wet because rain is getting in, mould will still grow, either through the paint or on the dirt and grease that settles on top of it.
The same goes for wallpapering or putting plasterboard over a mouldy wall: it hides the problem and can make it worse by trapping moisture behind.
Most cases are some mix of the first two. See is it condensation, a leak or rising damp?
Once the cause is fixed and the surface has been dry for a few weeks, clean it, let it dry fully, prime any staining with a stain blocking primer, and paint. If the mould stays away, the fix has worked.
Vigilant Surveys is an independent damp and mould surveying practice covering East Anglia, North London and the West Midlands. We carry out no remedial work, sell no products and take no commission from anyone who does the repairs, so there is nothing to sell you afterwards.
Every survey includes thermal imaging, moisture readings against a dry control and hygrometer readings, and you get a clear written report within 24 hours of the visit. £350 for the problem areas, £450 for the whole property, fixed prices, no payment to book.
Not until the cause is fixed and the surface is dry. Painting over mould on a damp wall or ceiling hides it for a while, but it grows back through the paint because the moisture is still there.
Bleach whitens mould stains on hard, non porous surfaces like tiles. On porous surfaces such as plaster, grout and silicone, it can lighten the surface while growth inside the material survives. Either way, the mould returns if the surface stays damp.
It is a sensible finish in bathrooms and kitchens once the cause has been dealt with. It does not fix a cold or damp surface, so on its own it only delays the mould coming back.
Because the surface behind it is still cold or damp. The paint covered the mould but did not change the conditions that let it grow.
No. Wallpaper over mould traps moisture against the wall and gives mould something new to grow on. Find and fix the cause, clean the wall and let it dry first.
No payment to book. Tell me what you are seeing and I will call you straight back, usually within a couple of hours, to arrange a visit and confirm the fixed price.
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