How to Kill Basement Mold

Open the basement windows and the door that leads to upstairs. Open any walk-out doors. You want as much ventilation as possible. Place a portable air purifier near the area with the highest mold concentration to further protect your lungs.

Remove any tiles, wall boards or ceiling panels that are covering up mold. Pry them up with a knife or the back of a hammer if they don't come off easily. Throw moldy carpeting in the trash. Vacuum up any standing water using your shop vacuum.

Take a large metal pot and boil a gallon of water in it. Once the water starts boiling, take it off the stove. Add 1/2 cup of copper sulfate powder, stirring with a plastic spoon as your pour the powder in. Pour in 1/2 gallon of commercial mold killer. (A good one to use is Zep Mold and Mildew Stain Remover.) Stir again. Pour the mixture into your garden sprayer.

Pump the garden sprayer and coat all of the moldy areas with the cleaner. Spray each spot twice to make sure that all of the mold gets a good dose of it. Let the cleaner sit for half an hour to ensure that it kills all of the mold.

Pour clean lukewarm water into the sprayer and spray each area where you applied the cleaner to dampen it so you can scrub. Use your rough scrub brush to remove any stubborn mold that is still stuck the the wall, ceiling or floor.

Wipe the mold and cleaner up with damp cotton rags. Throw them away. Place an industrial size fan in the basement to help dry it out quickly. (You should be able to rent one at your local hardware store.)