How to Remove Mold from Wood – 6 Easy Ways

Whether you have installed wooden floors or placed expensive furniture in your living rooms, there is a certain chance of mold development in these objects. To protect these luxurious items in your home, you must learn how to remove mold from wood.

You may be shocked after observing the mold signs while moving your furniture. The more dangerous aspect is that it will grow up quickly and damage the entire setup in no time. The situation can be nastier if this mold is black in color.

Instead of taking any professional assistance, you can do this DIY job just by following the instructions of this short guide. Make sure you apply all these steps in the right sequence for killing the mold and getting effective results.

 

Tools and Materials Required

• Face mask
• Safety goggles
• Sandpaper
• Bleach
• Soft-bristled scrub brush
• Hepa filtered vacuum
• Sponge
• Spray bottle
• Chlorine bleach
• Distilled white vinegar
• Dishwashing detergent

How to Remove Mold from Wood Furniture and Other Surfaces

The wooden items look fantastic in every living space setting. Whether you have luxurious bedrooms or pretty backyards to enjoy your weekends, you can decorate them by including wood furniture items.

You may shock to see the dirty blackish spots on your favorite furniture; that’s the sign of mold and its dangerous growth.

You have to tackle this situation immediately; otherwise, it will rise quickly and damage your expensive wooden objects in no time.

Now there are various techniques to handle this situation and effectively remove this messy stuff from any surface.

There is a certain chance that one method may not work, so you can go for the other option too, but you may be demotivated if none of the techniques works for you.

Here our experts have compiled this whole process of black mold removal in six easy steps for the best mold treatment for your wood furniture.

You can take these steps to eliminate any type of mold from the surface. But you must remember that you have to follow all these instructions in the right sequence for effective results:

Step 1. Prepare Yourself

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The mold spores are dangerous to human health, so it is important to wear all the protective gear, especially a face mask and rubber gloves, before cleaning the mold. The air mask is a better alternative to protect your health.

When dealing with mildew or mold, you must stop its spores from spreading to other areas. It might float through the air and hide in other wooden objects in the room. You can use the plastic sheet to safeguard all the surrounding items.

If this mold growth has occurred on any smaller wooden items, then it is better to move to any outdoor area and clean it in a well-ventilated area.

Step 2. Vacuum the Areas with Mold

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Before applying any mold cleaner, you must clean all the mold areas to eliminate loosened spores and mold dust. The most effective way is to pass any vacuum cleaner having HEPA filtration system on this mold area.

Now collect every loose mold or dirt particle with this vacuum cleaner and release all the messes in its dirt bag at any outside place.

This short cleaning process may be proven as a mold killer and remove most of the part of the mold from the surface. Whether treating the white mold on wood or any other mold, this quick clean-up is necessary.

Step 3. Wash the Painted Wood

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To clean off the remaining mold, you must wash the entire area with soapy water. It will help to erase all the ugly marks on the painted wood. If unsatisfied with this cleaning solution, you can also use dishwashing detergent.

If you feel necessary, you can scrub the moldy area with a stiff-bristled broom as well but take care of the surface from scratches. It will remove the lighter part of the mold from your wooden stuff.

Only do this job with gentle hands and wash the entire area. Finally, rinse off the painted wood with fresh water and leave it for air dry.

Step 4. Apply the Vinegar to Mold

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Now, it’s time to apply the cleaning solutions to infected parts of your wooden furniture. The most effective mold killer is the vinegar ingredient. Vinegar can remove mold from wood in no time.

You have the option to apply this solution directly to the mold with a damp towel or use water-diluted vinegar to spray the mold spots to kill its spores.

The vinegar will penetrate the entire mold part and remove this stain from its root. You have to give the solution at least one hour before washing the solution. Now, wipe out the mold part from the surface with a moistened cloth. You will see a fresher look on your painted wood.

This vinegar method not only cleans the ugly mold stains from wooden items but also discourages its future growth on the surface.

Step 5. Use Bleach for Tough Mold Stains

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The chlorine bleach solution is another great hack to kill mold messes from the wooden surface. It’s a great option to treat the older mold spots and effectively eliminate all the mold spores from the area.

You can use the bristle brush to clean the infested mold spots or use the method of mold killer spray with this bleach solution.

It is essential to sanitize your furniture surface after cleaning it with chlorine bleach. You have to wash the entire wooden surface with soapy water or dishwashing detergent to eliminate the harsh effects of this bleach.

Step 6. The Sanding Method

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If you can’t remove the mold marks from your wooden surface, you can use grit sandpaper to loosen up the mold spores and ugly marks from any object.

This sand away method works on moisture areas where mold is starting to grow. You can scrub the affected area with sandpaper and continue it till you eliminate all the signs of mold from the wood.

It may mark some scratches on the surface due to the abrasive nature of sandpaper but will remove permanent mold spots.

You can re-painted your wooden item after this method with a newer finish.

Detecting Mold on Wood

As we all know, wood is a porous material, and it is challenging to identify mold on wooden furniture as it will grow quickly. Detection can help you to skip the efforts that you would otherwise do to remove mold from wood surfaces.

You may never realize it until it is fully developed and damage the wood in no time. It can be doubly dangerous, or you can simply say it is impossible to detect if it rises out of sight in your furniture.

The easiest way to sense this mess in your home is its smell. If you return home after a long time and feel a dirty moisturizing smell in your living space, then there’s a certain chance of mold growth. You have to inspect all your wooden area to detect its spot.

Another way to investigate the mold and its growth is to use a moisture meter. This tool will not detect mold growth; rather, it only tells you the level of moisture in any spot. If the moisture content exceeds 20%, your furniture will be in danger of mold.

Understanding the Different Types of Mold

You might notice different species of mold of different colors. If you want to eliminate it from any surface effectively, then you must understand the difference between these mold types:

Black Mold

If you notice black mold on your furniture’s surface, you react quickly. It will dampen the wooden surface and cause some serious damage to your wood. It is harmful because it will soon create deeper roots and is harder to eliminate.

To kill black mold, you have to use a harsh chemical like bleach so that it can disinfect this mess from the wooden surface effectively.

White Mold

This form of mold is in powder form and is not a toxic mold. It is not as harmful as the black one but still can cause health issues in living space. So, you must take action against this type; the white mold remover can be the natural ingredients.

This mold can be shown in more organic surfaces, like fabric, food, or softer rugs, and is easy to kill.

Green Mold

The green mold only spoils your food items. You may notice greenish stuff in fuzzy texture on your bread or various fruits. You can also see it in moisturizing areas of your bathroom or laundry rooms.

You should never eat this kind of mold or try to use mold removal spray to kill it.

Difference Between Mildew and Mold

Before you begin to remove wold from wood, it is recommended to understand the differences between mold and mildew. It is so because the method to remove both of these nasty things is a bit different.

Mildew is the most common mold form; most homeowners don’t know the exact difference. Basically, mildew can grow in more warm and damp mix locations, like laundry rooms or basements.

You can identify them easily from their colors. The mildew started its growth in white powdery form and then turned into brownish or black color later. This black molding type will become dangerous from the surface and the environment.

One good news is that it will never harm the wooden stuff, unlike the effect of classic black mold on wood, but it can cause serious health issues. It is a nontoxic black mold and can be treated with household cleaners.

The Most Dangerous Mold – Black Mold

Now you got a clear idea about mold! It is also clear that the most dangerous form of mold is black mold. You have to immediately react to this scenario as you notice it and kill it on any surface, especially from the wooden items of any household.

You have to tackle the situation quickly; otherwise, it will be extremely difficult to eliminate once the black mold secures its root on your wooden items.

You have to use the right mold removal process to stop its future growth. There is a great chance that this mess will grow again on the same spot once removed.

The steps mentioned in this guide will surely help you in your cause. Once you have applied all these mold removal steps in the right sequence, I am sure this moldy mess will never grow on the same surface again.

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions

What Kills Mold Instantly on Wood?

The easiest way to tackle the mold immediately is to spray its spots with a water-based vinegar solution. It will effectively remove the dirty mold marks from the surface and discourage its future growth.

Is Bleach or Vinegar Better to Kill Mold on Wood?

Both bleach and vinegar can effectively kill the mold on wood. Bleach only kills the mold spores from your wooden surface.

But vinegar not only cleans it from its root but also kills its root and other future causes. You can say vinegar is a much better and more effective option to remove mold from any surface.

What Kills Black Mold on Wood?

The water-based solution of white vinegar will effectively kill the black mold from any surface and depress the chances of its future growth.

Does Vinegar Kill Mold on Wood?

Yes, you can successfully kill any type of mold with vinegar solution. This household ingredient will permanently remove this mess from your wooden items.

Is Hydrogen Peroxide or Vinegar Better for Killing Mold?

You have the option to use hydrogen peroxide to clean the moldy surfaces, but this cleaning solution will not remove them from its base. The vinegar solution is a much better option than hydrogen peroxide ingredients for this purpose.

Final Thoughts

So that was all about the best methods to remove mold from wood surfaces. It’s not a pleasant sight to see mold on your luxurious furniture.

It is more dangerous when you never realize its growth and suddenly see ugly blackish marks on your wooden surface. This challenge is not an easy one to tackle.

This interesting guide will help you understand the mold forms and learn all the natural and chemical ways to kill this mold from wooden surfaces.

The water-based vinegar solution is the most effective option to kill its stains naturally. You have the opportunity to use a harsh chemical like chlorine bleach, but it will only eliminate mold spores from the surface.

It is important to follow all the instructions in this guide in a proper sequence to remove this mess from the wood surface and discourage its growth in the future.