Mold happens to the best of us. No matter how clean we keep our home, there are always those nooks and crannies we just don’t quite get too often enough. And if you combine that with humid conditions, you’ve got a budding mold problem on the way.
Mold on wood can be especially dangerous and difficult to avoid because it is a perfect environment for mold. So you need to be extra alert to check all the wood in your home and take the time to learn how to clean mold off wood. This guide will give you all the information you need to recognize mold on wood and then get rid of the problem quickly and efficiently!
*Notice: On mobile devices, scroll right to see entire table
Name | Picture | Our Rating | Learn More |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | ![]() | ||
![]() | ![]() | ||
![]() |
![]() | ||
![]() | ![]() |
Mold spores are in the air everywhere, all the time, looking for a damp place to take root. And wood can provide one of the best environments for mold. That’s because it’s a natural substance and porous enough that the mold spores have plenty of places to get in and start cultivating.
While a mold happen can happen to anybody, there are a few things that will put you at higher risk of having moldy wood. Here are some of the most common reasons:
As you can see, some of these things are really out of your control. You can’t control the weather, for example. However, others are things that you can prevent if you are proactive. Here are a few tips for preventing some of these other causes of mold:
You can put reminders in your calendar to make sure you are staying up to date with your inspections. In addition to practicing these preventative techniques, you also want to be alert to how to recognize mold in your home. We’ll talk about how to do that next.
Recognizing a mold problem on wood can be a little tricky sometimes. Because wood naturally has some color variation and a mold growth can happen so gradually that it looks like it’s just a natural feature of the wood. This is why you have to be particularly alert.
Check for these signs:
If you suspect something might be mold but still aren’t quite sure, take a picture of it. Then, each week, take another picture of the same spot and see if the suspected spot is growing darker or spreading outward. If so, it’s mold. You can also get mold testing kits that can tell you where concentrations of mold are in your home.
There are a lot of different kinds of mold that exist but not all of them are equally common. Luckily, the 3 most common ones can be recognized by their color. In this section, we’ll take a quick look at black mold, white mold, and green mold.
This can be the most dangerous of the molds. It is highly toxic to humans. Before you run panicking out of your home, you should know that there are many types of mold and more than one kind that appears black. However, you don’t really want any mold in your home.
And if your notice black mold, you want to treat it as quickly as possible. Even though it may not be the highly toxic one, it’s still a good idea to just get rid of it. There’s no real need to spend time testing it to figure out which particular strain it is since you don’t want mold of any kind anyway.
White mold can also refer to a few different strains, none of which are especially harmful to human health. Although, a moldy environment in the home can still lead to respiratory problems like constant congestion.
And white mold will cause rot and permanent damage to wood if you don’t get rid of it. So, even if it’s not seriously toxic, you’ll still want to get rid of it before it causes irreversible damage to your furniture, deck, or walls.
Again, quite a few different strains of mold will appear green. And green varieties of mold are especially common on wood that is outdoors but can be found indoors as well. Many of these green varieties can cause respiratory infections like pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections, and inflammation of the lungs.
So while it’s not quite as toxic as black mold, it’s still harmful to your health and definitely something you will want to make sure you get rid of as soon as you notice it.
Now that you know how to recognize a mold problem on wood and even identify the type of mold you are dealing with it, it’s time to learn how to treat mold on wood. So in this section, we’ll talk about some of the things that can kill mold.
While there are quite a few products that can be used to kill mold, they aren’t always the best choice for using on wood. They will kill the mold but they might also damage the wood in the process.
You want to look for something that is non-corrosive and non-abrasive. Here are some options:
These common household supplies can be very effective for removing surface mold.
There are a few different ways for how to clean mold off wood furniture. Here are 2 of the methods we have found to be most effective:
In both cases, open up the windows and leave the furniture near them for better ventilation so that the wood dries as quickly as possible.
Here’s a basic process for getting rid of mold on a wood floor:
Wood decks are especially prone to mold because they are outdoors and exposed to the elements. Here’s what you can do:
Composite wood decks are a little trickier because it’s a lot more porous than a wood deck. Here’s what you can do:
You may need to repeat this process a couple of times before all of the mold is removed.
If you’re not a fan of using chemicals to treat a mold problem, you do have some natural options:
Avoid using baking soda. While it’s very effective for other surfaces, wood might be damaged by it.
The exact tools you need will depend on the method you choose but here are a few of the items you might need to have on hand:
Beyond these tools, you’ll need some sort of mold killing agent. You can either choose diluted bleach or dish detergent or try one of the special mold killing cleaners below:
As you have learned in the previous sections, mold on wood requires a bit of special care and you have to be especially alert to finding the problem as soon as possible so that you can prevent long term damage. Now, it’s time to look at some of the best mold killing products on the market today that are safe and effective on wood:
This convenient to use mold killing spray by Mold Armor is a highly effective product that will leave you stunned with the results. Check out the key specs below:
This is a fast-acting and super powerful formula for killing mold. It is especially suited to killing black mold but it can really be used on any kind of mold. It’s so powerful that you don’t even need to scrub. Just spray and walk away!
As this stuff dries, it not only kills the mold but suffocates it and forms a protective seal that prevents new mold from taking root.
One note of caution is that this product is bleach-based. If you are planning to use it on wood, first try it on a small section that is out of sight. This way you can check if it has any undesirable bleaching effects. It is safe for most woods but it’s best to test it first just to be on the safe side.
After testing, go ahead and spray over all the wood. You will not only treat the mold problem you have now but help prevent future ones from happening”
This is an extremely powerful mold killing spray from Siamons International. And it’s a large enough bottle to last you for a long time. Check out the key specs below:
This is great for pretty much all wood in and out of the home. So you can keep mold under control everywhere! You can also use it on clothes, drywall, plastic, concrete, metal, stone, grout, brick and anything else in your home, car or boat!
And all you have to do is spray it on and let it dry. So whether you’re treating wood furniture, a composite wood deck, or any other type of wood, this spray will be completely safe and completely effective!
This is a powerful and highly concentrated formula for treating mold. We love using it on wood because it doesn’t stain or corrode at all and it does truly amazing work. Check out the key specs below:
This cleaner is really amazing. It’s more than you could have even expected to get out of a mold cleaner. Not only does it thoroughly kill mold but it’s also killing other dangerous pathogens in your home at the same time!
And what’s more, it will provide up to 6 full months of protection from mold and those other pathogens as well. So your home will be clean and safe at the microscopic level as well!
While the need to dilute the product before using is an extra step and a bit inconvenient, it is totally worth it. Because you don’t need to use much of this to get the powerful results. So you have a cleaner that is going to last for you a long time.
We also really love that it kills odor without just replacing that odor with an overpowering chemically fragrance. There is a faint fragrance to it but after diluting it, that almost completely disappears. It’s definitely far less overwhelming than the fragrances you will get from other mold killing products.
This multi-purpose cleaner is a great option especially for those who need to treat wood that requires particularly special handling. Check out the key specs below:
This product is ideal for your deck or any exterior part of your home that you need to treat for mold. The formula is powerful against mold, mildew and moss but specially designed not to harm your plants. So if you’ve got your rose garden growing right along your deck, you can still treat the wood effectively without risking causing harm to your roses!
This gallon contains a concentrated formula that should be diluted with water before use. So you are actually getting an enormous amount of mold killer here. The gallon can cover anywhere from 750 to 2,250 square feet of surface (the exact square footage depends on how porous the surface is).
All you have to do is dilute the product and then apply it to the affected surface. Then, just leave and let it dry on its own. You’re done! This stuff is really amazing and so easy to use!
Mold is a dangerous thing to have in your home. And it can be even more dangerous when it’s in the wood. It will rot away and destroy wood if allowed to grow and spread too long. So you definitely want to make sure you get the right mold cleaner for wood and take care of this problem right away!