How to Remove Mould from Painted Walls

Mould can enter a property at any time regardless of age or build. If there is a dark damp room, mould will be there. An indication of mould in your property is usual from the musky smell, constant mildew on the windows or seeing random black spots appear on your walls or ceilings or on your furniture.

Dealing with mould, in general, is never a task anyone wants to deal with but if you do see it, we would strongly advise not only just cleaning it but FINDING and FIXING the source. Here are a few steps on how to kill mould on walls. 

1. Identifying the source

The first step in how to remove mould , is you need to do is identify the source, if it’s in the ceiling you may need to check the roof for leaks. You can do this by finding the internal roof access hatch and carefully climb into the roof. You are looking for a puddle of water, wet spots on the ceiling Gyproc or dripping water from the roof around the area that the ceiling mould is sitting. Be careful as the roofs lining is weak and will be compromised further if it has been leaking for a while. Follow along with the timber joinery only or have it looked at by professionals to avoid site injuries.

The first step in how to remove mould from walls, is to look for the following:

• you want to look for windows with any condensation,
• is the room mostly dark and is it near a bathroom or anything that would cause dampness?
• What air circulation is in the room?
• what is on the other side of the wall that could be causing a potential leak?

If you haven’t been able to successfully identify a source, you are better off having professionals come to look at it your ceiling or wall mould. If it’s not clear where the source of the mould is coming from, they may need to poke a hole through the Gyproc to look at it more.

2. Clean the mould

If you are finding mould spots in your ceiling, or wall here’s how to remove mould from ceiling Australia.

Bleach solution –

But what kills mould on walls? Studies find that the right dilution of bleach and water works well to stop the growth and remove mould from painted ceilings and mould on walls. The optimum ratio is 1 part bleach:4 parts water. Simply mix the solution in a spray bottle and get a soft cloth, spray the affected area and firmly wipe away the mould.

Natural solution –

Use white vinegar. Put the white vinegar into a spray bottle, spray vinegar directly onto the affected area and firmly wipe down.

If this happens in your bathroom, a common area prone to mould. If you catch this early you can stop it from getting into the silicone.

Clean either with a bleach solution above or a natural solution.  If you have left this for a while and the mould has gone into the silicone or grout you may need to remove the seal and regrout or silicone.

Another natural method for bathroom tiles would be to create a baking soda paste – ¼ cup of baking soda, and 4 tablespoons of water. Mix the paste so it’s a thick liquid, not a rock form. If it’s clumping, add a little more water. Remember it’s a paste, not a spray. Rub the paste over the affected tiles and leave it there for 5-10 minutes. Get a damp cloth and wipe away.

How to prevent mould in your property?

1. Make sure the room is well ventilated – open windows and doors as often as possible. IF this is not possible look at getting a form of ventilation installed like air-con.
2. Allow us much light in the room – Where possible, make sure the room gets light, open blinds and leave doors open as much as possible
3. Fix any leaks or condensation issues as soon as they occur, even if you are simply wiping them down with bleach or vinegar solution. Getting to it quickly will stop the spores from spreading. This will also reduce further damage to your property.
4. Moisture absorbers – Where ventilation and light are not possible and there is no leaks, install moisture absorbers