In recent years, and especially as mold has become a hot-button topic, a number of companies have popped up trying to use chemical treatments for mold remediation. MMR, Sporocidin, Concrobium, Mold Armor, Serum 1000 etc. etc. I am not here to vilify these products in the slightest. However, the industry’s misuse of them is a real concern. Just like with bleach, the problem with a 100% chemical treatment of mold is that you will never kill it all. Don’t believe me? Look at the label on all of these products. They will claim to remove some portion, usually 99% or so. The problem is twofold.
First, if you start with trillions of spores, and you remove 99%, you are left with, what, only a few hundred million, or maybe a billion or so! That doesn’t sound so bad!
Second, these products are not designed to kill or remove mold. They are called mold STAIN removers for a reason. They are designed, and only claim to remove, mold staining. Why limit the claims of your product to just staining? Because if you never claim to remove mold, then if someone sues you because your product didn’t remove mold, you can always fall back on the claims that you actually made about your product. In this instance, it is up to the homeowner to understand the difference. If you do not disturb the root structure, you haven’t sufficiently disturbed the mold.
This new line of products has spawned a number of ‘remediators’ (notice the ‘’) who believe that if they can make it look like the mold has gone away, then it must be an effective solution. I am not going to get into the motivations, level of knowledge, etc. of any of these individuals, etc. But what I will say is this. Don’t take my word for it. Don’t take their word for it. Call any Industrial Hygienist in America and ask them if a 100% chemical treatment is a reasonable and effective method of mold removal, and really listen to what they say. Remember, the IH community has no dog in the fight, and only cares about effectiveness and safety.
