Mould and damp checklist
Treating mould without finding the damp behind it just means doing this again in a month. Work out which of the three causes it is before reaching for a spray.
18 items
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
The items
- Source identified before anything is cleaned
- Condensation on cold surfaces and windows
- A leak with a shape that repeats in the same place
- Rising damp, usually a tide mark low on a wall
- Affected area photographed before treatmentUseful for a landlord, an insurer, or just for checking whether it's actually getting better.
- Room ventilated properly while workingOpen a window even in the cold. Sealing the room in traps exactly what needs to leave it.
- Mould-killing spray applied and left to work rather than wiped off immediately
- Surface scrubbed once the spray has had time to act
- Affected fabric or wallpaper removed if it can't be fully cleanedPorous material holds roots a surface clean never reaches.
- Extractor fan checked in the kitchen and bathroom, cleaned if dusty
- Trickle vents on windows checked they're actually openSealed shut by paint or habit, and one of the most common reasons condensation doesn't stop.
- Furniture pulled a few centimetres from external walls, where air was trapped
- Any leak found repaired at the source before redecorating
- Guttering and downpipes checked outside for the cause of a repeating patch
- Dehumidifier run in a badly affected roomA short-term fix while the actual cause gets sorted, not a substitute for finding it.
- Silicone sealant checked around baths and showers, replaced if it's harbouring mould
- Wall repainted with a mould-resistant or breathable paint once fully dryPainting over damp plaster just traps it and brings the mould back through the new coat.
- Follow-up check after a few weeks to confirm it hasn't returned
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
Questions people ask
- How do I tell condensation from a leak or rising damp?
- Condensation appears on cold surfaces and windows, especially in winter. A leak leaves a patch that keeps the same shape and often follows a specific pipe or roofline. Rising damp shows as a tide mark low on a wall, rarely above a metre.
- Is bleach the right thing to clean mould with?
- It kills surface mould but doesn't reach roots in porous surfaces like plaster, and it does nothing about the damp causing it. Never mix it with an ammonia-based cleaner or anything acidic — the combination is dangerous.
- When does this stop being a job you can do yourself?
- When the cause is structural — a failed damp-proof course, a roof leak, or mould covering a large area. That needs a professional rather than another round of spray and wipe.