How to Remove Black Mold Stains From Sidewalks

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Things You'll Need

  • Plastic sheeting

  • Rocks

  • Bricks

  • Garden hose

  • Bucket

  • Soap

  • Bleach

  • Brush

Clean black mold thoroughly to make the sidewalk safe to play on again.

Black mold on a sidewalk is not only ugly, it's hazardous. Black mold can be slippery if stepped on, and if you spend a lot of time outside it can become an irritant if inhaled regularly. Luckily, black mold is easy to remove from a sidewalk. A soap solution will remove the bulk of the mold. Follow with a mild bleach solution to kill any remaining spores and remove any staining.

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Step 1

Cover any adjacent grass or other plants with plastic sheeting weighted down with rocks or bricks.

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Step 2

Hose the moldy areas of the sidewalk down with a hose to thoroughly moisten them. The moisture will prevent the black mold spores from becoming airborne and spreading.

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Step 3

Mix a solution of 1 gallon of water and 4 tablespoons of liquid dish-washing detergent.

Step 4

Pour the solution onto the affected area of the concrete. Cover even mold-adjacent areas (at least 2 feet on each side of the visible mold) as they may harbor invisible spores. Apply enough of the solution to soak and saturate the concrete but not enough to create a spill-over that may soak into the nearby soil.

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Step 5

Scrub the concrete thoroughly with a long-handle scrub brush.

Step 6

Rinse the sidewalk with a spray from the hose. Aim the hose away from any nearby soil and plant life so that the solution drains onto the street.

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Step 7

Repeat Steps 4 through 6 if you find you have missed spots.

Step 8

Mix 1 gallon of water and 1 cup of bleach in a fresh bucket.

Step 9

Pour it over the washed area following the instructions in Step 4.

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Step 10

Scrub the concrete thoroughly with a long-handle scrub brush.

Step 11

Rinse the sidewalk with a spray from the hose. Aim the hose away from any nearby soil and plant life so that the solution drains onto the street.

Tip

For added protection, wear a filter dust mask when cleaning black mold.

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