I received an e-mail asking about the safety and effectiveness of mixing bleach and vinegar to produce chlorine gas to kill mold in a boat that is being closed up for a couple of months. As you may know, from reading my Incompatible Chemical Mixtures list or taking the Everyday Chemistry Quiz, it's pretty dangerous to mix bleach with other chemicals. I'm sure the chlorine kills mold, but I would think it could also damage the interior of the boat. And there's the nasty factoid that a couple of breaths at a concentration of 1000 ppm is usually fatal. Any thoughts? Alternatives? E-mail me at chemistry.guide@about.com.
How to Prepare Gases|Toxic Chemicals
How to Prepare Gases|Toxic Chemicals
Comments
Vinegar and bleach can be combined for a potent disinfectant; see http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-02/asfm-vik021306.php
You can purchase an ozonator for less than $100 and use that to kill mold very efficiently….
Unless the moldy space is fairly small and can be sealed off, an ozone generator is not particularly effective. Keep in mind that in the concentrations needed to kill mold, ozone is also absolutely fatal to humans.
Many aquarists used the mix of bleach and/or vinegar with water to clean out used aquariums. The mix will break down bacteria and algae that has cemented itself to the glass. This mix is usually diluted with enough water to diminish the effects of the gas however.