# Mold under wallpaper in basement



## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

I am working up an estimate for an interior and the HO is removing their own wallpaper. The paste underneath appears to be clay (the thick, beige colored stuff). Beneath the paper there is mold growing on all the exterior walls. Black, some green, and some red colored stuff. Not sure if it is the official "black mold" or just kinds of mildew. 

I am thinking that they should remove and replace all the drywall. 

Do any of you think there is a small chance that the mold could be confined to the paste and there is no need to replace once everything is cleaned up? I am thinking replacement is going to be a must and possibly some moisture problem they need to solve, unless that kind of paste in a basement is a magical formula for mold growth?


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## Delta Painting (Apr 27, 2010)

If it's on the past I bet it's much worse behind the drywall. Is it covering a poured wall or cinderblock - is there a moister barer behind the drywall?


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

Delta Painting said:


> If it's on the past I bet it's much worse behind the drywall. Is it covering a poured wall or cinderblock - is there a moister barer behind the drywall?


I agree. Plus, depending on how old it is ( probably old ) its a good time to upgrade. If they're tearing the drywall off, they can easily add outlets, vapor barrier, and foam insulation for extra comfort and energy savings. If the budget is there for it of course :yes:


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## Cbrosenterprises (Aug 14, 2011)

Ya chances are it is all over,The Zinsser Permawash,is the best cleaner/Mildew killer on the market ,bar none


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## One Coat Coverage (Oct 4, 2009)

Sounds pretty nasty, be sure to use your carbon respirators when doing the job. I would definitely tell them to get rid of all the drywall and start from scratch.


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## Paradigmzz (May 5, 2010)

Honestly, you need to cut a sample out of the drywall, and check the backing. You can get it to look "visually" good with a diluted bleach spray, but the real issue is whats going on behind the scenes. If the backing is clean, bleach the walls until its gone. If there is a moisture intrusion issue, that should be dealt with. You have two considerations,

1) if it is an aggressive moisture mold problem, it will work its way to the surface if you paint it. 

2)It is gonna do some nasty damage to the homeowners now or down the line.


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## Delta Painting (Apr 27, 2010)

Please never use bleach to kill mold or mildew it simply bleaches the color out and never kills it. You need to use a mold & mildew killer..

Here is a good read on the subject:


Mold Killer-Get Rid of Mold Permanently
Mold killer gets rid of mold permanently. There are many products onthe market that will kill the mold and remove it from your home, but itkeeps coming back. What you need to find is a killer that willeliminate the problem of black mold in your home once and for all.Fungicide is a better mold killer than bleach because it not only getsrid of the mold spores, but cleans up the odor as well.

Ozone is another mold killer that will help clean up your mold problem.It helps to purify all areas of the home that are contaminated by blackmold. In addition, it kills other offensive bacteria in the air thatcould be making you and your family sick. High ozone shock treatmentsblasted into an unoccupied room is a really effective black moldkiller. It is important that there is no one in the room at the timebecause the high levels of ozone are harmful to humans, but will killmold and bacteria spores on contact.

Using the ozone mold killer is the perfect alternative to having towear protective facemasks and gloves so that you dont breathe in anyof the mold spores. You can use ozone even when you are in the home atlow levels to purify the air and eliminate any odor of mold. If youhave ozone combined with your HEPA filter, then you have the perfectmold killers working for you at all times.

If you dont have an air filtering system in your home, there arereally good sprays on the market for mold killers. You just spray theair with the fungicide and wipe it clean. Then you rinse it with soapand water, but you do have to ensure that you dry the area completelyor the mold will come back. Sometimes, homeowners blame this regrowthof the black mold on the mold killer they use not doing its job, butthe fault is not making sure that the area is completely dried out. 

The main mold killer is to prevent moisture from becoming the breedingground for mold. When you clean the surface of an area in your home, ifyou use baking soda, it will prevent any mold and mildew from growing.This is because the PH factor in the baking soda is not conducive tomold growth and mold, especially black mold will not grow when it ispresent. Vinegar is another natural mold killer that you can use and issomething that is readily available in most home.


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

Organics like clay are food for mold. Shellac should kill it, but I would be worried about it growing again if the moisture issues aren't fixed.


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

The real problem( moisture ) needs to be fixed first.


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## Paradigmzz (May 5, 2010)

So bleached walls have permanently bleached mold? I've bleached walls and left that job hanging for a month and there was no signs of mold a month later. The foundation was weeping because of to high of a soil line on the exterior. Problem remedied, a month later no signs of mold. All i used was bleach. So am I wrong or what?


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## Mike's QP (Jun 12, 2008)

supposedly bleach does not kill the roots of the mold. The EPA recommends soap and water, no special anything.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

The proper route is to remove all drywall 2 feet past any visible growth. Make sure to build containment (decon chamber is overkill imo) We always used Mr. Clean when cleaning after a mold job. top to bottom with special attention to all horizontals as spores collect there. Rent an airscrubber to run throughout the whole job and spray it all with a quality mold killer like Microban. 

Mold has never affected me too much so I tend to dismiss a lot of the dog and pony show that is the mold remediation industry. It is obviously more of a concern in homes with children, elderly people, or those with respiratory problems. At a minimum, remove all growth and clean it. Just remember mold is a symptom of moisture issues so fix the problem or it will be back.


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