How to clean mold after water damage, ugh, still gives me flashbacks to that godawful March night when the pipe under the stairs decided to explode. I’m hunched over my laptop in the same kitchen—coffee’s gone lukewarm again, dog’s snoring under the table, humidity app on my phone mocking me at 65%. Thought I’d just mop and call it good, but two weeks later? Black fuzzy crap crawling up the drywall like it owned the place. I ignored it at first—classic me, “eh it’ll dry”—but then the cough started and my then-girlfriend lost her mind. So yeah, learned the hard way.
Why How to Clean Mold After Water Damage Had Me Googling at 3 AM Like a Paranoid Dad
Woke up hacking, throat raw, convinced I had The Plague. Nope—just basement funk. Girlfriend (ex now, this was the final straw) shoves her phone in my face: “MOLD POISONING, FIX IT.” Panic-Googled, found out spores can mess you up—brain fog, headaches, the works. I’m standing there in boxers and one sock, staring at the black spots, thinking “I’m too broke for this.” Grabbed my old painting coveralls—still had paint splatters from 2019—and a mask that immediately fogged. First attempt? Bleach. Big mistake. Turned the walls ghost-white but the mold just laughed and regrew thicker. Vinegar though… we’ll get there.
My Half-Assed Steps for How to Clean Mold After Water Damage (That Kinda Worked)
No pro here, just a guy in Ohio who hates bills. Here’s what I did after screwing up twice:
- Dry it yesterday: Borrowed my neighbor’s dehumidifier (owed him a six-pack). Fans on blast. Killed the breaker first—water + outlets = nope.
- Suit up: Gloves, goggles, N95. Looked like a budget Walter White. Skipped the mask once—rash for days. Don’t be me.
- Vinegar mix: 1 cup white vinegar + 1 gallon water. Spray, wait 10, scrub like you’re mad at it. Arms hurt, but watching the black flakes fall? Weirdly satisfying.
- Trash it right: Double-bag everything. Left a rag in the can once—garage smelled like death for a week.
Tried baking soda scrub too—worked okay but I sneezed a cloud and temporarily blinded myself. Peak stupidity.
Dumb Moves I Made Trying to Clean Mold After Water Damage
Opened windows during rain. Genius. Shop-vac’d without a HEPA filter—spread spores like confetti. Painted over a spot thinking “out of sight”—bubbled up worse two weeks later. EPA’s mold guide saved me from more idiocy, check it.
Cheap Tools I Actually Used for How to Clean Mold After Water Damage
- $20 Home Depot scrub brush—my MVP.
- Enzyme cleaner from Walmart (orange scent, masked the rot).
- HEPA vac after—sucked up the stragglers.
- Tea tree oil in a $12 diffuser—basement smells less like a crypt now.
When I Finally Gave Up and Called Pros for How to Clean Mold After Water Damage
Once it hit the HVAC return? Nope. Called Servpro, cried at the quote, but they fixed what I couldn’t. My ego’s still bruised but my lungs thank me. If it’s bigger than a pizza box or in the ducts—swallow pride, call.
My Paranoid New Routine to Stop Mold After Water Damage 2.0
- Humidity gauge on the wall—under 50% or I freak.
- Caulked every crack like a lunatic.
- Cleaned gutters myself—fell off the ladder, ER trip, zero regrets (no more floods).
Anyway—how to clean mold after water damage was a nightmare, but I’m breathing easier and the basement’s… tolerable. Drop your horror stories below, what’s your go-to mix? Grab vinegar, mask up, don’t be the idiot I was. Stay dry, y’all.
