Prep first
Before you start
- Fix the water source first and dry everything completely. Wet areas dried within 24 to 48 hours usually won't grow mold.
- Wear gloves, goggles without vents, and an N-95 respirator before you touch the growth.
- Brush loose mold off outdoors if you can, so spores don't scatter through the house.
- Porous items such as ceiling tiles and carpet may have to be thrown away.
Mold on a wall is a living fungus, and it only takes hold where moisture keeps sitting. Surface growth on wallpaper or painted walls often cleans up well, but it can leave staining that doesn't always reverse. Porous materials are harder, since mold can fill crevices and may not come out completely.
Dry the wall out before you start, because a damp spot will just grow back. Mold on bathroom walls usually returns unless the fan runs during and after every shower. If mold on drywall keeps coming back or the musty smell lingers, stop and call a professional.
Before you start
What this material can take
Use with care4
- Water
- Chlorine bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
Avoid1
- Soaking
8 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- GlovesKeep spores off your skin while you clean. (opens Amazon)
- Goggles without ventsKeep spores out of your eyes. (opens Amazon)
- N-95 respiratorSo you don't breathe spores in while you wipe or brush. (opens Amazon)
- Soft sponges and clean clothsLet you wipe without scratching paint or paper. (opens Amazon)
- Mild liquid detergentCleans the wash water. Check the label to make sure it has no ammonia. (opens Amazon)
- Baking sodaMakes a gentle paste for stubborn spots. (opens Amazon)
- Soft-bristled brushBrushes loose growth off outdoors before you start. (opens Amazon)
- Bucket of clean waterFor wringing cloths and rinsing between passes.
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5 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 5
Wipe with plain water first
Wring a sponge or cloth until it is only damp, then wipe the growth lightly from the bottom of the wall up. Plain water is the first cleaner to try, and it often lifts loose growth before anything else is needed.
Tip. Rinse the sponge often so you aren't smearing spores around.
Careful. Too much water can soak matte paint, so don't drench the wall.
Step 2 of 5
Wash with mild detergent and water
Mix mild detergent into water and wash the wall in small sections, working from the bottom up to reduce streaks. For stubborn spots, leave the moistened detergent on for about 5 minutes, then scrub with a sponge and rinse off. Rinse each section with a clean damp cloth before you move on.
Tip. Pick a detergent that has no ammonia, and check the label.
Careful. Don't let the sudsy area dry on the wall; rinse it off right away.
Step 3 of 5
Ease stubborn spots with baking soda
Mix baking soda with a little water into a paste, then rub it gently onto the spots that didn't lift. Use a non-abrasive sponge or cloth, and rinse the paste off once the spot is clean.
Tip. Test a small hidden patch first to check the finish.
Careful. Hard scrubbing can damage flat or matte paint.
Step 4 of 524 to 48 hours
Rinse and let the wall dry
Rinse the whole area with a clean, damp cloth so no residue is left behind. Let the wall air dry in an open, airy space, since wet areas dried within 24 to 48 hours usually won't grow mold.
Step 5 of 5
Repeat if the growth returns
If mildew comes back in several days or weeks, repeat the process from the first wipe. Growth that keeps returning usually means moisture is still reaching the wall, so check for leaks or condensation before you clean again.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for mold
If the spots keep coming back after the steps above, let the wall dry fully before you try again. For stains that show through after drying, a stain-blocking primer made for water stains is the product type to look for.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on these surfaces, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
Heavy buildup usually takes more than one round.
Heavy or long-standing buildup →When to call a professional →Pick what it is on
Mold on every material
Clothes & laundry3
Kitchen & bath8
Floors5
Leather & suede2
Outdoor3
Carpet & rugs1
Bedding & linens4
Furniture & upholstery2
Shoes & accessories2
Other7
No match. Try the main search for anything else.
How to tell it's working
You're done when the spots are gone and the wall feels dry to the touch. If a patch comes back in several days or weeks, repeat the process and check for moisture first.
What changes for yours
Adjust for where the stain is
Bathroom walls
Bathroom walls stay damp, so the steps above work the same but the moisture has to be dealt with first. Fix the water source before you clean, or the growth will return no matter how well you wipe. Dry the wall within 24 to 48 hours of wetting it, and watch for mildew coming back.
If the growth sits in tile grout rather than on the wall, that is a different surface, so see our grout guide first. Repeat the process if it returns in several days or weeks.
Drywall and sheetrock walls
Drywall is porous, so mold can sink into the paper and gypsum where a wipe can't reach. Use the lightest wipes you can manage on drywall. If the growth goes deep or the paper stays damaged after drying, plan on replacing that section, since mold in porous building materials may be difficult or impossible to remove completely.
Let the board dry fully before you judge the result, since a damp patch can look clean while growth is still there. Check the spot again a day or two later before you call it finished.
Wallpaper
Wallpaper takes water poorly, so dab rather than wipe and keep the cloth barely damp. Stay with the plain water wipe unless you know the paper is washable. Test a hidden spot first and check it after it dries.
Grasscloth is the one to be most careful with, since professional cleaning may be necessary. If the paper lifts at the seams or the growth has gone behind it, stop and let the area dry before you try anything else.
Mildew and fungus on walls
Mildew and fungus respond to the same steps as mold, so start with plain water and only add mild detergent if the water doesn't lift the growth. Light growth on a hard, painted surface often comes off with that wash and a gentle baking soda paste. Work in small sections so the wall stays evenly damp.
If the growth has set into the paint or paper, wiping only reaches the top layer. Move to the set-in options once the surface work stops helping, since that is where stubborn stains get handled.
Painted walls
Painted walls need the lightest touch, because matte paint is easy to damage. Start with plain water on a well-wrung sponge and add mild detergent only if the water doesn't lift the growth. Test a hidden patch first, and skip any cleaner strong enough to strip the finish.
Wait two weeks before washing newly painted walls, because the finish may be altered or damaged. If mold shows up on new paint, check a hidden patch before you wash the whole wall.
Early-stage white on painted walls and wallpaper
Early white growth can usually be lifted with plain water on a well-wrung cloth before anything stronger is needed. Wipe lightly, then dry the spot fully and look again before you decide the job is done.
On wallpaper, keep the cloth barely damp and stay with the water wipe. On painted walls, wipe lightly and add the baking soda paste only if the spot stays.
Inside walls, studs, and behind walls
Growth inside a wall or on a stud is out of reach from the room side, so surface cleaning won't finish the job. Mold needs moisture to grow, so find and fix the source first, or the growth behind the surface can keep going. Porous materials damaged inside a wall may be difficult or impossible to clean fully, and replacement may be needed.
Let the area dry completely before you seal anything back up, since closing up a damp wall keeps the moisture in. If the growth covers a large area, the job moves from cleaning to remediation.
Smell in walls
A musty smell from a wall usually means moisture is still there and the growth hasn't been reached. Masking the smell won't solve it, so find the wet spot and fix it first. Once the source is fixed, clean the visible growth and let the wall dry within 24 to 48 hours.
If the smell is still there after a full dry, the growth is probably behind the surface, which makes it a professional job. Keep an eye on the wall over the next few weeks, since a smell that returns points to moisture still getting in.
Heavy or long-standing buildup
Old growth that has sunk into paint or paper is slower to lift, and the mark can stay even after the growth is gone. Expect some staining that won't fully reverse, since mold can cause staining and cosmetic damage that isn't always fixable.
Once the growth has dried on the surface, wipe it off with the water and detergent steps rather than reaching for a harsher cleaner. If a faded mark stays after the wall has dried, a stain-blocking primer made for water stains is the usual next step before repainting.
For mildew that is still showing after the steps, a chlorine bleach mix of 1 part liquid bleach to 3 parts water can be scrubbed on, left for 10 minutes and rinsed well. Use it only on mildew and only as the very last step, after everything else has been rinsed out. If the mark still shows after that, it may be damage rather than growth, and repainting may be the realistic fix.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on mold?
Plenty of home remedies float around for mold on walls. Only a few hold up on painted, papered or drywall surfaces, so use those and skip the rest.
Works1Helps2Skip2Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners
Chlorine bleach mixed with ammonia, or with any cleaner that contains it, can produce toxic fumes. Never add detergent or ammonia to a bleach solution, and don't use a combination of cleaning products.
Don't use glass or spray cleaners on painted walls
Glass cleaner and heavy-duty household spray cleaners can damage a painted wall, since strong solvents can harm the finish. Plain water and mild detergent are the safe choices for paint.
Don't paint or caulk over mold
Paint over mold is likely to peel, so clean and dry the surface first. Covering growth only hides a problem that is still there.
Don't run the heating or cooling system if it's contaminated
If you suspect mold is in the system, running it can spread mold through the building. Have it checked before you use it again.
Don't soak or scrub wallpaper
Abrasive cleaners shouldn't go on wallpaper, even washable kinds. Don't get the paper too wet, since some textured wallpapers can't be washed at all.
Don't rely on bleach as a routine
Chlorine bleach is not recommended as a routine practice. If you do use it, ventilate and exhaust the air outdoors.
When to call a professional
Don't tackle more than about 10 square feet yourself, or mold from sewage or contaminated water. Hire an experienced professional for those jobs, and for growth inside walls or in damaged porous materials.
Questions
Do mold and mildew stain walls, and how do you remove the stains?
Yes, mold can cause staining and cosmetic damage on walls that doesn't always reverse. Clean the growth with plain water and mild detergent, let the wall dry fully, and check whether the mark is still there. If it stays, a stain-blocking primer made for water stains is the next step.
Can you remove mold from walls without bleach?
Yes. Plain water, mild detergent and a gentle baking soda paste do the job without bleach. Results last only if the moisture is fixed, because mold grows again while the wall stays wet.
Is black mold on walls handled differently?
Black mold on walls is cleaned with the same steps as any other mold, since the color doesn't change the method. The safety question is the size of the patch and where it came from. Use the protective gear first, and brush loose growth off outdoors if you can.
What cleaner should you use for mold on walls?
Start with plain water and mild detergent, which handles most surface growth. If you buy a commercial product, choose one labeled safe for painted surfaces and follow its directions.
Can you clean mold off walls with vinegar?
Vinegar can help lift light mildew on hard indoor surfaces, but it isn't a first choice on painted or papered walls. Never mix it with bleach, and keep it off stone and cement grout.
Will mold come back after you clean it?
It can, if the wall stays wet. If mildew returns in several days or weeks, repeat the process, and check for moisture before you clean again.
Odor guides
Still smells?
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How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.