DO IT SAFELY — OR DO NOT DO IT YOURSELF
Mould cleaning, done right.
Some small mould problems can be safely cleaned yourself — if you use the right method. Many cannot. Here is how to tell the difference, and how to avoid the mistakes that make things worse.
THE GOLDEN RULE
Remove mould. Do not just kill it.
The most common mould-cleaning mistake in Australia: reaching for bleach. Bleach whitens mould so it looks gone, but the colony structure — and the allergenic material — stays on the surface. Dead spores can be just as harmful as live ones.
Effective cleaning physically removes the mould: microfibre cloths, appropriate cleaning solution, and a damp-wipe / dry-wipe technique that lifts the growth off rather than smearing it around.
Mould fact: On porous surfaces bleach adds moisture — the very thing mould needs — while leaving the roots behind.
- Area smaller than about half a square metre
- Hard, non-porous surface (tiles, glass, sealed paint)
- Wear gloves, P2 mask and eye protection
- Microfibre cloth + appropriate solution — wipe, do not scrub dry
- Bag and bin cloths after use
- Ventilate the room while cleaning
WHEN NOT TO DIY
Call a professional if…
It keeps coming back
Recurring mould means an unresolved moisture source. Cleaning the symptom will not fix the cause — and each regrowth releases more spores.
It is a large area
Larger areas need containment and HEPA filtration to clean safely. Disturbing them without protection spreads spores through the whole home.
Someone in the home is unwell
If anyone has asthma, allergies, a compromised immune system or suspected mould illness, do not disturb growth yourself — get it assessed first.
It is on porous materials
Plasterboard, carpet, timber and fabric cannot be surface-cleaned once colonised — they need professional treatment or removal.
You can smell it but not see it
A musty odour with no visible growth points to hidden mould — in a wall cavity, ceiling or subfloor. That needs proper investigation, not cleaning.
It is in the subfloor or roof
Confined spaces carry real safety risks and are almost always more contaminated than they appear. Leave these to certified technicians.
FREE, NO-OBLIGATION QUOTE
Bigger than a DIY job? We will take it from here.
Tell us what you are seeing and we will give you an honest read on whether it is safe to handle yourself.
- Same-week assessments in most areas
- IICRC-certified & fully insured technicians
- Detailed written report, suitable for insurance claims