How to Clean Roof Mold

Mold can be found not just in your house but also on the exterior of your home. The type of mold that grows on the exterior is typically a lighter color than interior mold, which comes in darker colors and spots. If you’re concerned about mold growing on your property, here are some steps for how to clean roof mold!

Rake the surface of the mold with a stiff-bristled brush or broom. The mold itself can be very soft and delicate, so it’s important to use a tool that won’t damage it. This will remove some of the oldest and most weathered pieces of roof mold, helping your bleach solution work on new, fresher stains.

Mop up any remaining visible pieces of dirt or dust using a wet sponge or rag. This is an optional step; if you’re concerned about staining your grass, skip this part and just clean the area with bleach at first. Pour 1 cup chlorine bleach into your bucket for every 2 square feet (23 square meters) of roof testing positive for mold stain. For example, if you have a roof with an area of 1000 square feet (92 square meters), you’ll need 6 gallons of bleach solution.

Mix the chlorine bleach into the water using your garden hose or watering can. Make sure to wear gloves, goggles, and a respiratory mask while handling bleach. It’s also advisable to pour the bleach mixture into a squirt bottle for easier application. Work in sections; if you want to clean off all of your roof molds, use 5-gallon buckets so you don’t run out of bleach before completing your task.

Spray the roof thoroughly with this mixture until it is completely soaked through. You can also try dunking small sponges or towels directly into the bucket and then wedging them on top of the roof. Make sure that all surfaces acquire a good amount of bleach solution, leaving them covered for at least 10 minutes.

Rinse the roof off with a garden hose or pressure washer to remove the mold stain and smell from your home. If you want to be extra thorough, use a squeegee to get rid of any standing water sitting on top of your roof after rinsing it down. You can also do this during pouring or soaking if you think the mixture is too diluted.

Let the surface dry out in full before walking on it again; avoid contact until it has completely dried out and no strong smells remain present on top of your home’s exterior. It’s advised to let it dry overnight if possible, but you may encounter difficulties if it’s too humid or cold.

If you need to test your roof mold, underlayment, and plywood for dryness before walking on the surface, set the blocks out in a straight line with about 5 inches (12 cm) of space between each block. Drips or pools of water next to the blocks will indicate that the surface is not yet dry enough to walk on. Wait until all signs of water have dissipated away from the blocks before using them as a gauge.

There are many ways to clean roof mold, but the easiest method is to use a chlorine bleach solution on it directly. Be sure that all surfaces are completely saturated in this mix for at least 10 minutes; if they’re not, put more bleach into your mixture before applying it again to any dry areas. Make sure that you wear all appropriate personal protective equipment when handling these types of materials, as some people may have allergies or respiratory sensitivities to molds.