Witch hazel is a very popular medicine cabinet product! It has a strong medicinal smell, it can help to get your skin clean. So if you see some mold in your house, can you try it on that, too? Does witch hazel kill mold?
There are a lot of opinions about witch hazel and mold on the internet. Some will say that you can use it as a cleaner. But when it comes to mold, it’s best to trust the word of people who are actual experts on mold. That’s us.
We’re Cleaner Guys, a professional mold removal company with more than 20 years of experience. We have the expertise and knowledge to answer this question once and for all.
Table of Contents
- Does Witch Hazel Kill Mold?
- What is Witch Hazel Good For?
- So, What Kills 100% of Mold?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Does Witch Hazel Kill Mold?
No, witch hazel is not effective at killing mold, because it cannot penetrate deeply into porous materials. Some cleaning service and holistic remedy websites we’ve seen say that you can successfully use it to clean mold. Sadly, this is simply not true. It may look like witch hazel kills mold, because if you wipe it over a mold surface, it may remove some of it. But this plant extract is not strong enough to penetrate deep into the kinds of porous surfaces mold usually grows on, like drywall, wood, and textiles.
Mold roots very deeply into these materials, and cleaning it on the surface does not remove all of it. It will continue growing and spreading deep under the surface, and eventually, it will come back.
What is Witch Hazel Good For?
Witch hazel is reported to have excellent anti-inflammatory properties, thanks to components like gallic acid and tannins. This is what makes it good at clearing itchy, red, or acne-prone skin. However, anti-inflammatory properties are not useful on mold, because mold is a fungal growth. It has nothing to do with inflammation.
This herb is also known to be a good astringent. That means it dries out and shrinks whatever surface it’s on. Astringency is another property that makes witch hazel useful for some people’s skin — it dries and shrinks the pores, making it harder for acne-causing bacteria, dirt, and oil to get into them. But again, astringency is not useful for mold. Drying up some of the moisture might help a little, because mold needs moisture to grow, but it still won’t get all of it.
Witch hazel can be great for helping clear up some people’s skin… but none of its beneficial properties apply to mold.
So, What Kills 100% of Mold?
The only things that we as a professional mold removal company will say can kill mold 100% are the complete removal of infected materials, and fungicides. Fungicide is specifically formulated to kill funguses, but despite that, it only has a chance of being 100% effective on small areas of mold.
Fungicide can penetrate deeply enough to kill 100% of mold in areas of less than 1 square foot, in our experience. But if you can see mold that covers more than about 1 square foot, it has likely spread too far under the surface for fungicide to get all of it.
In that case, complete removal of all infested materials is the only way to be confident you’ve completely removed every bit of the mold. Note that removal of mold-infested materials like drywall should only be performed by trained mold removal professionals. Mold can be dangerous for your health, and beyond that, only a trained professional with the right scanning equipment can make absolutely certain that there is no more mold.
Learn more about what can kill mold 100% in our full detailed article, “What Kills Mold 100%?”
Frequently Asked Questions
Contrary to popular belief, bleach is not very effective on mold. It is not strong enough to penetrate deeply enough to kill 100% of mold in most porous surfaces, like drywall, wood, and textiles. Furthermore, bleach can be toxic for your health, and is so caustic it usually permanently damages whatever surface it is used on. Learn more in our full article about bleach and mold.
Vinegar can be successfully used on mildew on hard, non-porous surfaces, like tile, plastic, and ceramic. However, vinegar is not effective at killing mold in porous materials like drywall and wood. It is not strong enough to penetrate deeply enough to reach all the mold. Learn more in our full article on vinegar and mold.
Mold only needs moisture, warmth, and organic material to feed on in order to grow. This means that mold growth is usually caused by excess moisture from water damage, like a leaking pipe, flood, or other water accident. To learn more about what causes mold — and how it’s all around us all the time — visit our detailed article on what causes mold.
Have more questions about mold? Visit our full blog archive here, where we have articles on almost all the common questions about mold.
If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of needing a mold removal company in Western Washington State, consider Cleaner Guys as a high-quality, well-trusted option. We’re proud to boast award-winning customer service, lower prices than others, and top-notch workmanship! Contact us today through the menu at the top of your screen.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. No part of this article is medical or legal advice, and may not be used as such. For all serious medical matters, consult your doctor. For all serious legal matters, consult your legal advisor. This article contains Cleaner Guys’ experience and opinions only.
