Removing Mold From Attic Insulation

You can also cover the insulation with plastic foil and fold the foil sealing its contents after the cleaning process.

Removing mold from attic insulation. Wear disposable clothing if possible. The mold removal process involves scrubbing hard surfaces with a biocide but porous items like insulation and drywall cannot be cleaned and must be thrown out and replaced. By far the most popular diy mold killer is bleach. If your attic mold is limited to a very small area you may be able to use a power sander or a wire brush to remove it.

Other options for limited areas of mold include spraying it with a mixture of water and tea tree oil or water and vinegar. Put on protective gear before touching moldy insulation. Wooden wall studs and similar items must often be sanded to remove all traces of mold since wood is somewhat porous. This will not remove the mold spores or the discoloration.

Lay dropcloths on the floor taping the edges to the wall. In these cases the mildicide treatment applied to the roof sheathing will also treat the mold on the insulation. Cardboard paper or loose fill insulation should be disposed of as these will be practically impossible to clean. The most effective way to remove mold from hard porous materials such as wood rafters and plywood roof decking is to scrub it with detergent and water while wearing a dust mask and rubber gloves.

The epa and other government agencies no longer recommend bleach for doing this. How to remove moldy insulation 1. This solution can cause discoloration on some surfaces so be cautious. Installing fans in your attic windows so they blow outside helps reduce the airborne spores.

Therefore in some cases it is best to remove the affected insulation. If not wear coveralls. Now that you ve prepped the space it s time to attack the mold itself. Mix a cup of bleach into a gallon of water and use that solution to attack the mold.

They recommend using hepa vacuum after this but in the attic you d most likely have to remove the floor insulation if contaminated. Tape the seams as well to prevent mold spores from. Bleach is corrosive and nasty to use and it kills only surface mold. While wearing a mask and gloves to protect yourself from both the mold and the bleach carefully apply the bleach solution to the moldy area.

In most cases mold growth on the insulation is found when mold on the roof sheathing is present as well. Remove all contaminated material seal it in plastic and dispose of as regular waste. Wet insulation should be removed as quickly as possible and allowed to dry.