How Borax Kills Mold

Borax – Molds alkali arch enemy!

You hear a lot about how to kill mold, or how to remove mold.  There are debates about whether you should use bleach or some natural alternative such as vinegar or grape seed extract.  One thing that really helps to know, however, is how something kills or removes mold.   In this blog post, we’ll cover the seemingly magical powers of borax.

Borax has a really cool name, maybe because it sounds really mean like anthrax, or Clorox, or maybe just because it has the phonic ‘ax’ in it.  At any rate, borax is interesting because it is a naturally occurring substance, and in addition to its mold-fighting powers, it is also used in making glass and ceramics.  The key superpower of borax, when it comes to fighting mold, is it’s extreme pH level.  Borax is found in very alkaline (basic) mineral deposits, and carries a pH level of about 9.3, which on a scale of 1 to 14, makes it extreme enough to be effective, yet not so extreme that it becomes harmful to humans.

You see, just like you and me, mold thrives in an environment where it feels comfortable.  For most types of mold, they like to live in an environment where the ph is somewhere between 3 and 7, which is more on the acidic side (a pH of 7 is considered neutral).  Some molds even like to live in pH environments below 3!   Enter borax, the alkaline archenemy of mold.  When you apply a borax solution to mold, it turns its environment into hostile territory.  It’s like taking a shade-loving, water sucking fern from Florida, and transplanting it into Death Valley, California, where it is extremely hot, dry, and no shade.  The plant cannot survive in such environment, so it shrivels up and dies.  And so it is with mold when you apply a borax solution.

So how do you use borax when removing mold?  Below is a quick reference guide for you to use.  Borax can be purchased at any grocery store, and it is relatively inexpensive.   You can safely use borax on any surface.  If, for some reason, you are unsure of what it might do to a bathroom sink, or a piece of clothing, simply test it on a small area first.  You shouldn’t worry though, because borax is commonly used in laundry detergents.

How to kill mold with Borax

Recipe: Combine 1 cup of borax to 1 gallon of water. (1 to 16 ratio of borax to water) You can usually find “20 mule team borax” in the laundry section of your grocery store.

Application:  Apply solution to the moldy area, be careful not to use too much on a porous material, like unfinished wood or drywall.  These materials absorb water, which will feed the mold by keeping it moist. Scrub the area with a rag or somewhat abrasive material until mold is removed.  Wipe area clean and dry the area.  You can lightly rinse the area, and lightly apply the solution again, but there is no need to completely rinse it off because borax inhibits any new mold from growing.  That’s it!

Cautions: Don’t eat it, otherwise it’s pretty safe.
So there you have it.  Not only do you know how to fight mold with borax, you now know how it wins!

David Green is a mold enthusiast.  Yeah, that’s kind of weird, but when he’s not learning about mold, he’s writing about it.  You can find more ways on how to kill mold, and other moldy tidbits at removemoldguide.com

How long does it take for borax to kill mold?

You can repeat the application of the solution. Borax prevents new mold from growing, so you don’t need to fully rinse it away. Once this is complete, run a dehumidifier or a fan to dry out the area within 24-48 hours.

Click to see full answer.

Subsequently, one may also ask, is Borax good for killing mold?Borax is one of the best mold killing products. Unlike bleach products, borax is chemical-free and does not emit dangerous gases. Borax is also not as bad for the environment as bleach is. Borax is cheap to buy.

One may also ask, how do you use borax to kill mold on wood? Method 1 – Borax Mold Spray

  1. Place 1 cup of borax in the gallon container.
  2. Fill the container with hot water, put the lid on, and shake it well.
  3. Pour the solution into the spray bottle.
  4. Spray the affected area.
  5. Scrub the area with a scrub brush, rag or sponge until mold is removed.
  6. Wipe the area clean and dry the area.

People also ask, is borax or vinegar better to kill mold?

Borax and vinegar are both effective and natural cleaners. They can effectively eliminate mold in your home without the use of toxic chemicals. While borax can be toxic if ingested, it is safe to use around your home not only as a cleaner, but as a deodorizer, insecticide and herbicide.

 

borax kills mold spores by turning up the pH levels and making their environmental inhospitable.

Borax won’t always kill mold but in many cases it will.

How To Remove Mold With Borax

You will need:

Method 1 – Borax Mold Spray

  1. Place 1 cup of borax in the gallon container.
  2. Fill the container with hot water, put the lid on, and shake it well. This helps dissolve the borax more completely and faster.
  3. Pour the solution into the spray bottle.
  4. Spray the affected area. Be careful not to use too much on a porous material, like unfinished wood or drywall.  These materials absorb water, which will feed the mold by keeping it moist.
  5. Scrub the area with a scrub brush, rag or sponge until mold is removed.
  6. Wipe the area clean and dry the area.  You can spray a light misting of the borax mold spray again.
  7. You do not have to rinse afterwards. The borax will usually prevent the mold returning so long as you have addressed the source of the mold including any leaks or water intrusion issues.

Method 2 – Borax Mold Paste

Often called “borax paint”, this method is used to kill mold on wood, not remove mold so to speak. I don’t recommend leaving moldy wood in place and then applying a mold killing product to the wood. I prefer to remove all moldy material and start fresh. But that’s just me.

  1. In a 2+ quart saucepan, mix 1/2 cup of borax and 2 quarts of boiling water.
  2. Stir well until most of the Borax is dissolved. Some borax will settle at the bottom which is ok.
  3. Using a paintbrush or a rag, cover every bit of mold with the borax paint. It looks like cloudy water but dries white.
  4. Allow it to dry.
  5. You can paint over the wood with mold resistant paint or primer if you would like.

Does Borax Kill Mold On Clothes?

I have an entire post dedicated to how to remove mold from clothes but thought I would quickly share how borax works for that.

How to Remove Mold From Clothes With Borax

  1. Mix half a cup of borax powder with hot water. This is to make sure it completely dissolves.
  2. Add the borax and water solution to your washing machine after it has filled with water.
  3. Washing your clothes as you normally would. You can do a presoak if you would like but it is not necessary.

What About Borax and Vinegar For Mold?

You might have read something about borax and vinegar joining forces to kill mold. If so, you are probably wondering how to mix borax and vinegar to kill mold and whether or not it works.

You can read more about mold and vinegar in my post Does Vinegar Kill Mold. But in a nutshell, don’t bother with the vinegar. It doesn’t do a whole lot and there is no major benefit to combining borax and vinegar.

Some people prefer to spray vinegar on the affected area after cleaning it with borax but again, there is really no point in doing so. The borax is doing its thing just fine solo.

Tell Somebody!