John’s Tip of the Month

9/18/2017 (Permalink)

Microbial growth colonies

BLEACH: THE GREATEST PRODUCT EVER?

Bleach has to be the best cleaning agent ever produced. We use it to whiten our laundry, kill gems, keep swimming pools safe, purify our drinking water, and to clean mold and mildew.

• It’s a miracle product and it’s so inexpensive.  

• Why would anyone consider using any anything else, or even a professional?

• Does bleach fall into the category of if it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably not true?

We know without a doubt that it is a very good whitening agent for our laundry. We also know that using chlorine in our drinking water keeps us free of water borne diseases.

But to remove mold, that’s just a myth.

To successfully remove mold you can’t just wipe the affected area down with bleach and have it go away.

So why is that?

Bleach will not work on any porous surface. Chlorine bleach is corrosive and that fact is stated on the product label (not to mention the exposure hazards of dioxins). The properties of chlorine bleach prevent it from “soaking into” wood-based building materials to get at the deeply embedded mycelia (roots) of mold. 

Without killing the roots, the mold will be back!

This is what the EPA says about bleach:

“Biocides are substances that can destroy living organisms. The use of a chemical or biocide that kills organisms such as mold (chlorine bleach, for example) is not recommended as a routine practice during mold cleanup.”

It is tempting to use bleach because it is so inexpensive, but this is a misconception. The possible health risks from the reoccurring mold will far outweigh any perceived savings, and should be enough to end the temptation.

The EPA states that any area greater than ten square feet should be cleaned by a professional. When it comes to mold remediation, the SERVPRO of Hillsboro/Forest Grove and SERVPRO of Yamhill and Tillamook Counties techs are second to none.

If this is a persistent problem contact SERVPRO of Yamhill & Tillamook Counties and SERVPRO of Hillsboro / Forest Grove for emergency or non-emergency service when your house or business have water, mold, or fire damage at 503-648-8513. We are here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.