If you’re reading this, then the chances are that you’ve had to deal with black mold on your pool deck. If so, then you know the many dangers it can present for both humans and pets. For example, mold can cause respiratory issues in people with asthma or allergies, eye irritations, and skin rashes.
Black mold is also highly toxic to dogs and cats; if they ingest it, they could develop more severe health problems like liver damage or anemia. So if you have any of these symptoms after being around the moldy area, see a doctor!
You’ll want to start by removing all plants from the area because even though plants won’t create mold, they will gather it. Learn how to get rid of black mold on pool deck with this blog post!
Step to Follow on How to Get Rid of Black Mold on Pool Deck
Step One: Make Sure the Mold is Black Mold
Mold, in general, needs heat energy to grow. Therefore, black mold tends to appear on surfaces that are cooling down or wet for an extended period. This means pools after swimming and decks around pool areas are prime candidates for black mold growth.
To check if your deck’s black mold is truly black mold, take a small amount of the mold between your fingers and strongly rub it. It is not true black mold if it comes off on your skin or you see smears. It may be another type of surface fungus, but you should still treat it using the same methods as the true black mold.
Step Two: Clean the Pool Area
Start by scrubbing the deck with a stiff brush. Scrubbing will remove any mold or dirt that might be holding it to the surface and remove any dead mold spores. Do not use soap because it can react with any leftover chlorine in the water and become toxic.
You also do not want to use a power washer because the water under pressure could push the mold into the wood and make the issue worse by allowing it to penetrate more deeply. If you want to use a power washer, use the lowest pressure setting and make sure to dry off the deck afterward with a towel.
Step Three: Treat Black Mold on Pool Deck
Next, mix one cup of bleach in one gallon of water and apply directly to any visible or suspected mold patches using a spray bottle or garden sprayer. You will need to reapply the bleach every day for three consecutive days regardless of whether you see any black mold returning or not.
If at any point during treatment you start seeing growth again, then repeat the process further. Cleaning the deck with regular soap is inadequate because most soaps do not affect mold spores once they are dry. Bleach is a powerful oxidizing agent, which will kill mold spores and help to prevent new spores from growing.
Step Four: Keep the Mold Away
While bleach kills surface mold, it also destroys paint and can cause damage to decks painted with acrylics or water-based latex paints. If you live in an area where rain is scarce for much of the year, then painting your deck with water-based paint is an excellent way to prevent mold from returning.
You also need to remember that bleach can be hazardous if you breathe it in or get it on your skin or clothes. So wear rubber gloves and safety goggles when applying bleach as well as during any cleaning afterward. It may sound a bit extreme for a deck, but safety first will prevent more serious problems from occurring.
Step Five: Be Patient
You may have heard mold can be removed from a surface in as little as twenty-four hours. In reality, it takes much longer because the bleach needs time to kill all of the spores. This means you should treat black mold on your pool deck for at least seven days, even if you do not see any more black mold returning after one day.
If the black mold on your pool deck is still there after one week, treat it again with bleach for another seven days. If you still see mold after that point, treating the surface again is unlikely to result in any different outcome. In this case, you will need to replace your deck boards. This will help in how to get rid of black mold on pool deck.
Step Six: Prevent the Mold from Coming Back
If this is your first bout with black mold on your pool deck, then you may be able to prevent future growth by painting the deck with acrylic or water-based latex paint. However, if you have already tried this and still see new patches of black mold, the most likely cause is that there was not enough bleach on the surface to kill mold spores growing on the underside of the deck boards.
In this case, you will need to remove all of the damaged boards and place them in a pile to avoid touching any other deck boards. Then treat your entire pool deck with bleach until it runs off the sides of the pool decking, wait at least seven days, and replace the boards.
Step Seven: Replace Deck Boards
Use a chisel, flat bar, or stiff paint scraper to pry up the deck boards. Please place them in one pile so that you do not accidentally glue or nail them back down where they are touching any other deck boards. Once you have all of the extra boards out of the way, treat the entire pool deck with bleach, waiting at least seven days before you replace the boards.
If your pool deck is small enough to tackle by yourself, it is possible to do the job in one day. If not, treat all of the moldy boards with bleach for at least ten days before removing them. The strength of bleach diminishes after ten days, which means that you risk contaminating the soil or nearby bodies of water if you try to remove all of the boards at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Removes Black Mold from Concrete?
There are many ways to remove black mold from concrete. You can use bleach, baking soda, vinegar, and salt.
Baking soda is one of the most effective methods to remove the black mold because it creates a thick layer of foam that suffocates the growth of the fungus. It also has a mild abrasive effect on the concrete’s surface, which helps remove even stubborn stains.
If you do not want to use baking soda or your concrete is too hard for you to scrub, you can use vinegar mixed with water instead. Vinegar has an acidic nature that prevents bacteria and fungi growth while also leaving behind a nice clean finish on your concrete’s surface after cleaning.
Can I Get Rid of Black Mold on My Wood Deck?
Black mold is a type of mold that grows on wood surfaces. It is difficult to remove black mold from your wood deck because it is resistant to many common cleaning products.
The first step would be to identify whether you have black mold on your wood deck. If you do, it is recommended that you hire a professional service to help get rid of the problem.
What Kind of Vinegar Kills Mold?
Vinegar is a common household item that is used for many purposes. It can be used to clean your home, disinfect wounds, remove odors and kill mold.
To use vinegar to kill the mold, you should pour vinegar on the affected area and let it sit for about 10 minutes before scrubbing with a sponge or cloth.
What Kills Mold Instantly?
The first thing that comes to mind is bleach. Bleach is a strong disinfectant, and it kills the mold spores in the air. Bleach has been used to kill mold, viruses, bacteria, and other harmful organisms for centuries. It also helps prevent them from spreading.
If you are looking for something more natural, you can use vinegar, which kills molds.
Is Vinegar or Hydrogen Peroxide Better for Mold?
In general, both vinegar and hydrogen peroxide are effective in killing mold. However, vinegar is more acidic than hydrogen peroxide and has a higher concentration of acetic acid, which makes it more potent against mold. Hydrogen peroxide is less acidic than vinegar and will not react with the proteins in the mold as readily.
However, both types of cleaners are not ideal for all types of molds because they may leave behind residue or byproducts that can cause further problems like asthma.
Therefore, using both cleaners together can be beneficial to kill most kinds of molds without any residue or byproducts that could cause problems later on.
What Kills Mold Permanently?
The best way to kill mold permanently is to remove it. Mold cannot be killed by chemical or heat treatments because living organisms can adapt to these treatments.
If You Want Your Home to Stay Mold-free, Then Follow These Steps :
- Clean the area where the mold is growing with a strong detergent and allow it to dry for at least 24 hours before reusing the space.
- Remove all items from the area where the mold is growing, including books, clothes, furniture, etc., and store them in a dry place until you can dispose of them properly.
- Seal up any openings created by removing items from the area, such as windows or doors, so no more moisture enters your home during cleanup and repairs.
Conclusion
The most important thing to remember is that you don’t want the mold to come back. However, if it does, there are more drastic measures like taking out all the wood and replacing it with fresh lumber or tearing down your deck altogether.
Be sure to follow these simple steps for prevention if you notice black mold on your pool deck again! The conclusion paragraph is informative and provides information on how to get rid of black mold on pool deck.
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