How to Clean Mold From a Porch Ceiling
Mold is a common problem found inside and outside the house. Anywhere there are damp, dark, and humid areas, you are sure to find mold growing. Porch ceilings typically have some form of mold growth on them.
The mold growing on porch ceilings can leave unsightly stains, fill the air with a musty odor, and spread to other areas of your home. That is why it is important to remove the mold from the ceiling as soon as possible.
Things You Will Need
- Tarp
- Dust mop
- 5-gallon buckets, 2
- TSP
- Sponge mop
- Household bleach
- Eye protection
Tip
TSP -- trisodium phosphate -- is a heavy-duty cleaning agent that you can purchase at home improvement stores.
Warning
Wear rubber gloves when working with chemicals to prevent skin irritation.
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Remove all items from your porch, and place them in a safe location. This will prevent the mold removal solution from accidentally dripping on them while you clean the ceiling. Place a tarp on the porch floor to catch any spills or splatters from the cleaning solution. Put on goggles or other eye protection so no dirt or cleaning solution will fall into your eyes.
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Use a dust mop to mop the porch ceiling. The dust mop will remove any cobwebs, dust, and other debris from the ceiling.
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Add 2 cups of lukewarm water to a 5-gallon bucket. Mix 1/4 cup of TSP -- trisodium phosphate -- into the water. Fill another 5-gallon bucket with cool water. Set both buckets in your work area.
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Saturate a sponge mop in the water-TSP mixture. Hold the sponge mop over the bucket, and wring out the excess liquid so the mop is damp but not soggy.
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Scrub the porch ceiling with the sponge mop. Begin scrubbing the area farthest away from the entrance, and work toward it.
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Rinse the sponge mop in the water when it becomes dirty. Saturate it with the mixture, wring out the excess, and continue scrubbing the porch ceiling until you have cleaned the entire ceiling.
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Rinse the sponge mop and buckets with running water.
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Pour household bleach into a clean bucket. Do not dilute it. Saturate the clean sponge mop with the bleach, and wring out the excess.
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Give the porch ceiling a pass with the bleach-saturated sponge mop. Allow the bleach to air-dry on the porch ceiling.
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Rinse the sponge mop once again with running water. Wipe the ceiling down with the clean mop saturated with water. Allow the porch ceiling to air-dry.
The Drip Cap
- Mold is a common problem found inside and outside the house.
- The dust mop will remove any cobwebs, dust, and other debris from the ceiling.
- Add 2 cups of lukewarm water to a 5-gallon bucket.
- Saturate a sponge mop in the water-TSP mixture.
- Scrub the porch ceiling with the sponge mop.
- Rinse the sponge mop in the water when it becomes dirty.
References
Writer Bio
Amanda Flanigan began writing professionally in 2007. Flanigan has written for various publications, including WV Living and American Craft Council, and has published several eBooks on craft and garden-related subjects. Flanigan completed two writing courses at Pierpont Community and Technical College.
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