Home Improvement How-To's: Removing Mildew from Walls

Mildew stains often make an appearance in damp locations, such as bathrooms and basements. Before painting, you'll need to eliminate this black, speckled growth to make sure new coats of paint adhere well.
 
SKILL SCALE
Easy
 

TIME REQUIRED
Sanding out mildew stains takes only a few minutes, but you might have to repair the sanded spot with spackling compound.
 

TOOLS
Sponge
Bucket
Sandpaper
Rubber gloves
Eye protection
Drop Cloth
 

MATERIALS
TSP solution
Bleach Solution
 
STEPS
 
Step 1
 		 Test the stains by washing with some warm water and mild detergent. Ordinary stains will wash out, but mildew won't. If the stains don't wash out, gently sand them out with 150-grit sandpaper.
 
Step 2
 		 Put on some rubber gloves and eye protection before you wash walls with bleach, which will kill the mildew spores. After the bleach treatment, wash mildew away with some TSP solution or a phosphate-free substitute, then rinse the area with clear water. Allow the wall to completely dry