# removing black rubber dot mold spores



## Rick the painter (Mar 30, 2009)

Here in the NE we get rubber-like back dots on siding.I actually had an anal customer test these at a lab and found that they were indeed spores.Is there a chemical to neaturalize those bad boys? i have tried strait bleach,scrubbing,ect. nothin works. I washed a yellow house today and had to leave those suckers all over the front. Ken?


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## mblosik (Jan 3, 2009)

Rick the painter said:


> Here in the NE we get rubber-like back dots on siding.I actually had an anal customer test these at a lab and found that they were indeed spores.Is there a chemical to neaturalize those bad boys? i have tried strait bleach,scrubbing,ect. nothin works. I washed a yellow house today and had to leave those suckers all over the front. Ken?


i believe those are artillery fungus; and i have seen them on a couple houses here in wisconsin. 
here's a pic at this link:
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/d/d/ddd2/images/glebaonsiding.jpg

when i've encountered them, i scrubbed with 12.5% SH and follwed with 100 grit sandpaper. it worked, but i'd hate to do a whole house of that....wooft.

here's an article from sunbrite on the subject:
http://sunbrite.stores.yahoo.net/fungusremoval.html

the main point of the article is this:
Traditional house-washing chemicals aren’t very successful at removing these specks. At this time, the only effective method for cleaning these spores off of house surfaces is 1) to get to the spots within three weeks of emergence; and 2) using a very careful combination of high water temperatures and a high volume of water at approximately 2,500 PSI accompanied by scrubbing with a stiff brush.

hope this helps, but as in all things pressure washing, ken from pressure pros has written some great tips here.:notworthy:


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## RCP (Apr 18, 2007)

Good stuff mblosik!:thumbsup:

There are a couple of threads, they are linked in this one, may help.


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## Rick the painter (Mar 30, 2009)

Thanks very much MB, i first encountered them almost twenty years ago! Painttalk is awesome,KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!


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## mblosik (Jan 3, 2009)

Rick the painter said:


> Thanks very much MB, i first encountered them almost twenty years ago! Painttalk is awesome,KNOWLEDGE IS POWER!


i only googled it after you brought up a problem i remember having handled....but hey no problem.....i have often wished this forum existed twenty years ago when i was in grade school and first learning from my mom and dad; we all could have benefited; hell; it could have saved my parents' marriage. maybe.... anyway...here's to painttalk.com! :notworthy: and fk yeah to anyone that contributes. excuse my coarseness, but this forum illicits that kind of rock n roll response!


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

I did not click the links but what mblosik posted was accurate, ,The best way to avoid it is to keep the fresh mulch away from the siding. Hard to do but necessary. As for as removing it goes, nothing I have ever tried has worked save for sanding as posted.


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## Rick the painter (Mar 30, 2009)

Oh yes chrisn i fogot to mention the new mulch was just laid down....for a nice, long mildew season!


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## In Demand (Mar 24, 2008)

My old boss used to tell the HO's that it was fly poop


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