Removing Mold From Wood With Vinegar [Process & Results]

Are you interested in removing mold from wood with vinegar? Here is all you should know.

Mold growth on wood is quite common and can be widespread. A wide range of removal or cleanup techniques can be deployed when such is noticed.

These include professional and DIY approaches. DIY methods of renewal are what we’ll be focused on here. One of these strategies involves the use of vinegar as a cleaner.

Does Vinegar Kill Wood Mold?

Vinegar is a standard product found in homes with broad uses and possesses antifungal and antibacterial properties. One of the things you can use it for is mold removal.

While this is true, you must understand how to put vinegar to good use to obtain desired results.

This Approach Might not be Suitable for You.

One of the things you need to figure out when performing mold removal using vinegar is whether it sits well with you. In other words, not every DIY’er will find the use of vinegar suitable to their needs.

We can give a variety of reasons for that. You’ll need to figure out what works best for your situation.

Do All Vinegar Types Work?

Before getting into mold removal using vinegar, it’s essential to consider the available types. As a DIY’er, you want to know if all vinegar types can be used for the job.

The different types include distilled white vinegar, black vinegar, cane vinegar, balsamic vinegar, white vinegar, and red wine vinegar.

Others include champagne vinegar, beer vinegar, rice vinegar, malt vinegar, apple cider vinegar, sherry vinegar, raisin vinegar, and apricot vinegar.

Of these different vinegar types, it’s best to use white distilled vinegar. It has the most impact and kills around 80% of mold species.

An 80% kill rate is the best you can get with vinegar. The choice of white distilled vinegar for mold removal doesn’t negate the other types as being ineffective.

The use of other vinegar types might give results but won’t be as good as those obtained by white distilled vinegar use.

Preparing For Vinegar Mold Removal

One of the primary requirements for mold removal using vinegar is understanding how to apply such.

First, there are processes necessary for treatment to begin. Having made the needed preparation, what remains is to apply this aqueous acetic acid solution to targeted areas.

Speaking of preparations, you’ll need to get your essential safety equipment ready in addition to tools. The proper treatment follows this. There are many ways to apply vinegar. Some of these have been mentioned below.

So without further delay, let’s briefly discuss each of the processes mentioned.

• Getting your Safety Gear Ready

Your safety gear is of utmost importance. You don’t want to get yourself sick by inhaling many mold spores. One of the risks attached to mold growth is affecting human health.

So, getting essential safety gears such as a face mask, goggles, and gloves are necessary.

The removal process of mold leads to the release of millions of mold spores. The air around the treatment area is laden with such spores.

You’ll have to keep yourself from inhaling these to avoid allergies and possible sickness. The gears mentioned can be of great help.

If you’re highly sensitive to mold, you may want to have someone perform or handle your mold removal procedure. The same applies to persons with weak immune systems.

Mold removal may worsen your health condition as your immune system might be recovering from fighting disease.

• The Right Tools are Necessary

Aside from the safety gear mentioned above, it would be best if you also had the right tools and supplies. These include a spray bottle, water, vacuuming machine, and paper or other abrasive tools.

With these in place, you’re ready for business. Of course, you must get your white distilled vinegar ready as well.

Cleaning Wood Mold With Vinegar

The mold removal process begins by using your vacuum cleaner.

It’s essential only to use one with a HEPA filter to maximize the removal of spores. You don’t want these flying around or the removal process to be ineffective.

Run your vacuum cleaner head while it’s turned on over mold-infested areas. This sucks up the spores to prevent scattering over your surroundings.

Having carefully performed this procedure, you’ll need to take your vacuum outdoors for proper disposal of its contents. Use a plastic back to dump the contents and ensure it’s sealed and carefully disposed of.

With this process completed, you’re ready for the next step.

The following treatment step to carry out involves making your vinegar mixture. Equal parts of vinegar and warm water should be mixed and poured into a spray bottle.

Now, have affected areas drenched with your vinegar solution. With all the spots thoroughly drenched, allow sitting for about an hour or two.

This should be followed by wiping the treated surface with a wet cloth and repeating the cleaning with a dry cloth. This cleaning procedure should be sufficient to remove mold from wood.

However, there are times when the processes outlined above aren’t enough.

Sanding of Affected Areas May be Necessary

When it’s evident that the treatment process implemented above did not work, you may have to adopt a more thorough approach. This involves sanding the wood surface.

This is necessary to protect the entire wood from being damaged.

Sanding is necessary to help remove mold spores hiding in wood pores. Such spores are likely to cause mold re-growth when moisture is available. You effectively remove mold spores hidden within the wood pores by sanding the area.

It’s necessary to have the surface coated with moisture-resistant treatments.

Another method of mold removal from wood using vinegar is concentrated or undiluted white distilled vinegar. Applying it directly leads to the killing of mold present on the wood surface.

The acidic content works to destroy the mold.

Now you can get to work by using the above techniques to eliminate all mold issues. However, it’s important to note that the best results you can get aren’t comparable to professional treatment or mold removal.