Does Vinegar Kill Mold

Vinegar kills bacteria and germs. Vinegar also kills 82% of mold species.

This page tells you how to kill mold with vinegar. The Mold Removal page also provides a step by step guide to the entire mold removal process.

Vinegar Information

Many mold killing products contain chemicals. These chemicals can be allergenic, bad for the environment, and bad for your family and pets.

Vinegar, on the other hand, is a natural acid. Vinegar is totally non-toxic and safe of course. You can drink it, afterall. Vinegar is also biodegradable and fine for the environment.

Although vinegar leaves a strong smell, the fumes are not harmful at all.

It is very cheap to buy vinegar. You can easily find bottles of white vinegar in the supermarket.

Mixing Vinegar With Other Mold Killing Solutions

Vinegar can mix well with some mold killing solutions. This can make the vinegar even more effective at killing mold.

However, never mix vinegar with bleach. Vinegar and bleach create a toxic mix.

Some mold killing products which are safe to mix with vinegar are borax, hydrogen peroxide, baking soda, and salt.

For information about using bleach or borax to kill mold see the killing mold with bleach page or the killing mold with borax page.

How to Kill Mold With Vinegar

Use white vinegar to kill and remove mold in your home.

If you are worried about vinegar irritating your skin, you can wear rubber gloves. Vinegar is totally safe though.

Pour the vinegar into a spray bottle. Do not dilute the vinegar.
If you prefer, you can use a cloth to apply the vinegar, instead of using a spray bottle.
Apply the vinegar to the moldy surface. You might need to scrub the mold away to remove it totally.
Leave the vinegar to sit for about half an hour. Then rinse and wipe the surface with water.
Alternatively, you can leave the surface without rinsing it. This is the best way, if the vinegar smell does not bother you. Leaving the vinegar without rinsing will help prevent the mold coming back.
The vinegar smell should go after a few hours.
If you still have any mold problems, you might have to try more powerful mold killing products in the future.

Vinegar and Mold on Clothes

You can also use vinegar to remove mold from clothes.

Soak your clothes in a vinegar and water solution overnight (50% water and 50% vinegar).
Then rinse the vinegar out of the clothes.
Wash your clothes in the washing machine with normal laundry detergent.

For more information about removing mold from clothes visit the Mold on Clothes page.

Preventing Mold With Vinegar

Regularly cleaning your home with vinegar helps to prevent mold growing.

You can mop your floor with vinegar each week. Regularly rinsing your bathroom walls with vinegar is also good. Vinegar is also effective for cleaning the kitchen.

If you have a spray bottle of vinegar in the bathroom you can prevent mold by using it every now and again after a shower. Spray the shower curtain, walls, tiles, basin and bathtub after you finish showering.