The Teaspoon of Bleach Solution for Cleaning Log Homes

Amount of Bleach and Water

• According to the CDC, all surfaces that will come into contact with food should be sterilized with a solution of 1 teaspoon bleach to 1 gallon of water. This includes wood countertops, floors and interior walls. This also includes plates, cups and anything else that comes into contact with food. The CDC also requires that all wooden cutting boards, baby bottle nipples and pacifiers simply be thrown out. For exterior wood surfaces, including logs, combine 1 cup of bleach for every 5 gallons of water.

Safety Precautions

• Bleach is a hazardous chemical that can cause burns to the skin and ruin fabrics. Keeping this in mind, wear old clothes when decontaminating. Additionally, the CDC recommends wearing non-porous rubber boots and gloves to avoid the bleach coming into contact with your skin. Finally, always wear protective eye wear when working with bleach to avoid any coming into contact with your eyes.

First Steps

• Before applying the bleach solution to the logs, rinse away any dirt clinging to the wood. Do this by hand with a stiff brush, soap and water or with a pressure-sprayer hose attachment. Once all the dirt is removed, apply the bleach solution and rinse with clean water. Let the logs air-dry.

Mold Removal

• Bleach is also useful for removing mold from the logs. Combine 1 cup of bleach with 1 gallon of water and apply directly to the moldy logs. Scrub the logs down with a stiff brush, adding more bleach as necessary. Rinse the logs with clean water and let air-dry. You may need to repeat this process again after a week.