What Kills White Water Mold?
White water mold is a fungus that commonly appears in pools when their water becomes polluted or unbalanced, often appearing like shreds of tissue paper or mucus and often accompanied by pink slime.
To properly eradicate this fungus, shock the pool with three to four times its regular amount of chlorine to raise its level enough to kill off any lingering spores and eradicate this threat.
1. Chlorine
Though chlorine may seem counterintuitive, when used appropriately it is an effective sanitizer that kills white water mold. This is due to its germicide properties which help kill germs and bacteria that thrive in water systems.
Used properly, chlorine can also help eliminate the algae contributing to white water mold growth in your pool. Since algae are fungus-like organisms that thrive in damp, moist conditions, the more algae present increases the likelihood of white water mold or pink slime formation in your water source.
A great way to prevent and treat white water mold in your swimming pool is by regularly shocking with calcium hypochlorite, or chlorine shock. By adding a large dose of chlorine shock, you are rapidly increasing the chemical levels in your water and killing off any algae growing there while simultaneously clearing away traces of white water mold or pink slime that may exist in it.
Chlorine is an effective disinfectant, widely used in hospitals and office spaces to sterilize medical equipment as well as household and office goods. Additionally, chlorine has long been employed by public swimming pools to disinfect surfaces as it kills germs and bacteria on surfaces there. Unfortunately, chlorine also has its downsides when inhaled directly by humans; prolonged exposure may irritate skin and eyes as well as potentially leading to pulmonary edema – an condition which causes fluid retention in the lungs.
White water mold infestation in a pool that utilizes biguanide as its primary sanitizer may seem daunting at first, but the process is actually much simpler than you might imagine. Simply clean your filter system as well as scrub and shock the pool vigorously – then closely monitor for signs of new mold growth immediately and treat any new signs immediately.
2. Vinegar
White vinegar is one of the most powerful household items available when it comes to eliminating white water mold and mildew growth. Packed with antifungal and disinfectant properties, white vinegar has proven itself effective at killing over 80% of mold types on nonporous surfaces and helping prevent their return.
Before using vinegar to clean surfaces, be sure to protect yourself from mold spore exposure by wearing protective eye gear and a mask. Furthermore, open windows and turn on bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans in order to ventilate the room more effectively.
Soak a full-strength white vinegar solution into a spray bottle and use it to spray over the affected area. Avoid diluting it as doing so would lessen its efficacy; be generous when spraying until all areas have been saturated with vinegar and covered by its presence; allow this solution to sit on surfaces for two hours before wiping or scrubbing off.
Vinegar can be used alone or combined with other cleaning agents to increase its effectiveness. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and borax (sodium borate), two common household items that can be combined with vinegar to create an efficient cleaning solution, are ideal ingredients that should be combined to achieve maximum power – these cleaners are safer alternatives to bleach and can effectively clean surfaces that come into contact with liquid such as porous flooring and carpet fibers.
As with white vinegar, baking soda and borax are natural products that are safe for everyday use without producing harmful fumes. Both products can effectively kill mold faster than bleach; however, neither are as powerful alone; therefore these cleaners should only be used alongside other solutions on porous or absorbent surfaces.
While it is possible to effectively clean minor cases of mildew and other molds on your own, larger infestations should always be handled by professionals. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommendations, any mold covering 10 square feet or more should be managed by an expert who will also identify and repair leaks that may be contributing to its growth.
3. Water
Water has an extraordinary capacity for transformation; from flowing through our pipes and filling pools to producing rain, fog and eventually swimming away in oceans and rivers. Hydrogen bonding, the magical property that allows water molecules to connect and form complex networks, plays a crucial role in creating white water mold in pools. Pink slime (known by its scientific name Serratia marcescens) floats like mucous or tissue paper in the water, and when combined with another delightful species such as green algae it can form into an adhesive film which attaches itself to baskets and bath toys of children using the pool. Furthermore, this slime has an affinity for areas with poor circulation such as behind return jets, the skimmer or any garden hose left submerged in the pool – perfect conditions for its development!
Although not harmful to health, fungus does taint swimming experiences and put an unnecessary dampener on summertime fun. Luckily, it’s relatively harmless and easily eliminated; early intervention will ensure more rapid resolution. Spores floating through the air may linger until eventually being addressed head on; sooner treatment commences the faster they will be eliminated from existence.
In order to combat white water mold, make sure that both your skimmer and pump are operating optimally, running for at least 15 minutes every day to circulate water and cleanse its surfaces. Rinsing off body oils or cosmetics before entering a hot tub is also critical in order to avoid contributing to biofilm accumulation that leads to this fungus.
To quickly eliminate pool fungus, the best approach is to use double or quadruple dose of calcium hypochlorite (or chlorine shock). Doing this with an open skimmer and running circulation pump will raise chemical levels quickly enough to kill off the fungus quickly. A weekly pool chemical balance test should help ensure this contaminant stays at bay.
UV rays are extremely effective at eliminating this fungus, so any outdoor pool corners not exposed to direct sunlight are less likely to develop it. A regular schedule of cleaning surfaces and shocking once every week should also help combat its spread while keeping water balance and quality maintained.
4. Clorox
Bleach can be effective at killing mold spores on porous surfaces such as wood and drywall; however, its toxic fumes should not be inhaled, and may damage or irritate skin, eyes and lungs. Therefore it is vitally important that moldy areas are thoroughly cleaned up as soon as they appear in order to address their source and treat the source of any issues that have developed.
Employing the proper chemicals, cleaning the area and preventing water entry are essential steps in eliminating mold and stopping its return. When applying products designed to kill mold or mildew it’s wise to wear rubber gloves, mask and protective goggles; mold spores are extremely harmful and can cause nausea, rashes, asthma attacks or even lead to death.
Clorox products like Clorox Disinfecting Bleach and Tilex Mold & Mildew Remover contain chlorine, an effective killer of white water mold and other forms of mildew. However, to prevent airborne mold spores causing allergic reactions in people exposed, it is essential that visible mold be removed first by scrubbng off all visible evidence before using these disinfectants.
White water mold (serratia marcescens) is an indicator of bacteria called “serratia marcescens,” and thrives in pools equipped with PVC or plastic materials like equipment and hoses, corners, skimmers or behind return jets. White water mold can contaminate pool water while spreading to carpeting or clothing in your house as well.
To prevent white water mold from developing, ensure your pool water has the correct balance of chlorine and/or bromine levels, regular testing of your pool’s water, an unclogged filter system and using garden hoses instead of biguanide (Bacquasil) to fill it is key in order to stop white water mold growth. Lastly, an effective algae inhibitor such as biguanide will keep algae at bay.
