# Does lysol kill mold? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 7, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613 "2013-10-07T19:46:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tar21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19b73/32.png) [@tar21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tar21)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2013, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/1 "2013-10-07T19:46:44Z")
I have heard a lot of conflicting information on this with most “company” info saying that it does not (like on the lysol site) but I had a mold guy come to my house and tell me to use lysol 4 in 1 to kill some mold I had. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/2 "2013-10-07T21:02:48Z")
“Mold” is a generic term in this sense for many types of fungi, bacteria, or other types of life. If Lysol claims it doesn’t kill fungus or “true mold,” that does not mean it won’t kill the bacterial forms. [Here is a page](http://web.horacemann.org/academics/science/expbio/webpages/saenger/bacteria.html) on bacterial pink mold. It says it only works if it’s liquid Lysol and is not a peer-reviewed study. ---
**Author:** ![tar21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19b73/32.png) [@tar21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tar21)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2013, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/3 "2013-10-07T22:03:09Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > “Mold” is a generic term in this sense for many types of fungi, bacteria, or other types of life. If Lysol claims it doesn’t kill fungus or “true mold,” that does not mean it won’t kill the bacterial forms. [Here is a page](http://web.horacemann.org/academics/science/expbio/webpages/saenger/bacteria.html) on bacterial pink mold. It says it only works if it’s liquid Lysol and is not a peer-reviewed study. the mold I have is black mold and he said it would kill it ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2013, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/4 "2013-10-07T22:29:05Z")
> [@tar21](#): > > the mold I have is black mold and he said it would kill it Only by direct contact and not long lasting. In other words, it’ll come back. Bleach. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2013, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/5 "2013-10-07T22:55:31Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Only by direct contact and not long lasting. In other words, it’ll come back. > > Bleach. And when you buy bleach, be sure to carefully read the front of the bottle to check for words like “kills germs” or “disinfects” plus a statement that lists the percentage of Sodium Hypochlorite in the bottle. If it doesn’t have this on the front of the label, it is not a registered disinfectant and may contain an indeterminate amount of actual bleach. There should also be an EPA registration number somewhere on the label, but it may be hard to find. Regular Clorox is a registered disinfectant. Splash-less Clorox and Scented Clorox are NOT registered disinfectants. If they are not registered disinfectants, they do not have to disclose how much actual bleach is in the bottle. They may or may not work, but they may make no claims about whether they work. ---
**Author:** ![tar21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19b73/32.png) [@tar21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tar21)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2013, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/6 "2013-10-07T23:15:44Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Only by direct contact and not long lasting. In other words, it’ll come back. > > Bleach. I found some chart that said quaternary ammonium (lysol) has no effect on fungus so how would it kill mold by direct contact ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2013, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/7 "2013-10-07T23:40:19Z")
No not bleach. Bleach is not a reliable mold killer. I do not know why, but I suspect it is not long acting enough as it evaporates or reacts in a few hours. What restoration companies use is a **water damage disinfectant**. One example is [Bac-Stop](http://www.fibreclean.com/products/chemicals/antimicrobials-sanitizers/bac-stop/) but there are many others. We had a lot of flooding here in Calgary this spring so such products are available at all the hardware stores. Normally you would need to go to a commercial cleaning supplies store. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/8 "2013-10-08T00:14:18Z")
[Concrobium](http://www.concrobium.com/?gclid=COiR1Jj6hboCFYxcMgodIi0ABg) Work remarkably well. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/9 "2013-10-08T05:13:58Z")
> [@tar21](#): > > I found some chart that said quaternary ammonium (lysol) has no effect on fungus so how would it kill mold by direct contact Lysol has several ingredients, varies as per type. Many have alcohol, which does kill most molds on contact. Fluffy, you make a point, with bleach you often have to apply several times. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/10 "2013-10-08T11:15:50Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Fluffy, you make a point, with bleach you often have to apply several times. Bleach bleachs mold. When it is bleached, you can’t see it. Molds reproduces by sporing. Bleach does not kill spores. Bleach does not kill mold. It just makes it invisible for a while. ---
**Author:** ![tar21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19b73/32.png) [@tar21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tar21)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/11 "2013-10-08T18:23:20Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Lysol has several ingredients, varies as per type. Many have alcohol, which does kill most molds on contact. > Fluffy, you make a point, with bleach you often have to apply several times. alcohol does not kill mold, I have attempted it before and it didn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![IdasMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9e8a1a/32.png) [@IdasMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IdasMom)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/12 "2013-10-08T20:28:40Z")
Use bleach mixed in with water instead of Lysol. ---
**Author:** ![IdasMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9e8a1a/32.png) [@IdasMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IdasMom)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/13 "2013-10-08T20:29:42Z")
We had green mold on the side of our house, and it came off very well with a little bleach and water. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2013, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/14 "2013-10-08T20:55:34Z")
Vinegar? ---
**Author:** ![tar21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19b73/32.png) [@tar21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tar21)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/15 "2013-10-09T22:13:22Z")
> [@Peanuthead](#): > > Vinegar? I’m not looking for suggestions on how to kill mold just a answer if lysol kills mold. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2013, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/16 "2013-10-09T22:24:57Z")
You know what kills mold? Arson. ---
**Author:** ![certifiedmoldinspector](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/45deac/32.png) [@certifiedmoldinspector](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/certifiedmoldinspector)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2013, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/17 "2013-10-11T11:38:26Z")
my best guess at this is it probably kills some molds on non- porous surfaces…such as plastic,tile,etc but not on items such as wood, furniture, clothing, etc… there are many products professional and home that kill mold but if you are having a health related issue killing is not enough. Dead mold is just as allergenic as living mold. You need to determine the moisture source, correct it, and remove the mold. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/18 "2013-10-13T08:34:23Z")
The mold guy probably knows more than anybody here. “The doctor told me to take this medication, but I’d like to get a second opinion from a public bulletin board because he only has a medical degree and years of actual experience.” ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/19 "2013-10-13T08:46:35Z")
What if he just thought **Certifiedmoldinspector** was a cool user name? ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-lysol-kill-mold/670613/20 "2013-10-13T21:02:48Z")
> [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > What if he just thought **Certifiedmoldinspector** was a cool user name? Oh, I meant the mold guy who came to the house in the original post.