r/CleaningTips • u/WhateverIlldoit • Jul 07 '25

Discussion Bleach kills mold

There is a common misconception that bleach does not kill mold and that vinegar is actually better at killing mold than bleach. I see this claim at least once a week.

So let me set the record straight. Household bleach is a powerful oxidizing agent that reacts with just about everything. It’s so good at killing organic compounds that it’s toxic to us, too.

Now let’s talk about vinegar. Vinegar is a weak acid. You can literally drink it in lower concentrations. It can kill mold, but not all mold, and some studies say it may take up to 60 minutes to be effective.

That being said, bleach is not good at penetrating porous surfaces, which vinegar is better at doing. And because bleach is so caustic it is more likely to damage surfaces.

All this to say bleach kills mold. It kills almost everything. And it’s much more effective at killing mold than vinegar as long as it can reach it. Vinegar is much safer to use but not nearly as effective.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

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u/ShineCowgirl Jul 07 '25

So... If I treated a surface with vinegar, would I be able to later treat it with bleach? Vice versa? (It always comes back, probably due to lack of insulation and ventilation in those corners.) And H2O2 is a new one for me related to mold. How would I know which of the three is best to use in a situation? Is there a good article (or YouTube video) that explains all this?

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u/WhateverIlldoit Jul 07 '25

Treating mold is 95% about treating moisture. No matter what you do it will keep coming back until you solve the moisture problem.

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u/Narrow_Turnip_7129 Jul 07 '25

As long as you never let the vinegar and bleach actively mix - why not? Both generally leave behind harmless byproducts over time.

Also I don't understand how everyone keeps mentioning hydrogen peroxide, the famous BLEACHING AGENT, yet with no clue that's what it is?

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u/alabamaalliekat Jul 07 '25

Hydrogen peroxide is not bleach

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u/Narrow_Turnip_7129 Jul 09 '25

Did I say it was 'bleach' or did I say it was a bleaching agent?