Quick answer
Partly. Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a mild abrasive and a mild alkali: a paste of it scrubs surface mold off tile, grout, painted walls and sealed surfaces, it absorbs the musty odour, and the alkaline residue it leaves makes the surface a little less hospitable to regrowth. It is not a strong antifungal on its own — vinegar and hydrogen peroxide kill more of what grows — and it does nothing for mold inside drywall, bare wood, carpet or other porous material, which EPA guidance says is removed rather than treated. The method that works: spray white vinegar first, wait ten minutes, then scrub with a baking-soda paste, rinse and dry. Do not mix them in one bottle; the fizz is the two neutralising each other. Call (888) 840-6512 to reach a certified water damage restoration company in your area; the line is answered 24/7.
Press 1 for water damage or 2 for mold, then your 5-digit ZIP. The line goes quiet for about half a minute while it connects — that is normal, stay on.
Written & reviewed by Marcus ReedIICRC WRT
Reviewed August 30, 2026· Next review Feb 2027
What Baking Soda Actually Is
Sodium bicarbonate is a mild alkali and a fine abrasive. Those two properties explain everything it does for mold: the abrasive scrubs surface growth off hard surfaces without scratching most of them, and the alkaline residue it leaves — mold prefers a slightly acidic surface — discourages regrowth a little. It also absorbs odour, which is why it works on the musty smell in a fridge or a closet. What it is not is a strong fungicide. Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide kill more of what grows; baking soda mostly removes it.
That is still useful, because EPA's guidance for hard surfaces is exactly that — scrub the mold off and dry the surface. Baking soda is a good scrub.
The Method That Works
The internet's favorite combination — baking soda and vinegar in one bottle — is the one that does nothing: they react, fizz, and neutralise into salt water. The fizz *feels* like cleaning. Use them in sequence instead.
- 1Vinegar first. Spray undiluted white vinegar over the mold and leave it ten minutes. This is the antifungal step.
- 2Baking-soda paste second. Two parts baking soda to one part water; spread it over the area, leave ten minutes, scrub with a stiff brush.
- 3Rinse and dry. A damp cloth to lift the residue, then dry the surface completely — a wet surface is where the next colony starts.
- 4Optional light spray afterwards: a tablespoon of baking soda dissolved in a spray bottle of water, misted and left to dry, leaves the alkaline film.
Gloves, and an N95 if you are scrubbing dry growth. Never combine either product with bleach.
Where It's the Right Choice
| Surface | Baking soda? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Tile, grout, tubs, sinks | yes | the scrub step after vinegar or peroxide; shower mold |
| Painted walls, surface mildew | yes, gently | abrasive — dull marks on glossy paint; wall mold |
| Fridge interior, dishwasher, washing-machine drum | yes | the food-safe cleaner where bleach is wrong; fridge mold |
| Laundry with a mildew smell | yes, added to the wash | half a cup in the drum with detergent; moldy clothes |
| Closets, drawers, shoes — the smell | yes, as an absorber | an open box or a sachet |
| Bare wood | limited | scrubs surface growth; stains in the grain need sanding — mold on wood |
| Drywall the mold has penetrated | no | replaced, not treated — the drywall decision |
| Carpet, padding, insulation | no | EPA: porous materials may need to be discarded |
What It Doesn't Do
It does not reach mold below a surface — the limit shared by every household product. It does not fix the moisture that grew the colony, and it is not a treatment for anything over about 10 square feet, in the HVAC system, or from contaminated water; where the professional line sits does not move for a kitchen-cupboard product.
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Bottom Line
Baking soda scrubs mold off hard surfaces, takes the smell, and leaves a slightly unfriendly film behind. Let vinegar or peroxide do the killing first, keep the two out of the same bottle, rinse, dry — and remember that the surfaces it works on are the surfaces any cleaner works on. The moisture is still the job.
Baking Soda vs. What You'd Buy
| Baking soda paste | Vinegar | 3% peroxide | Commercial "mold killer" spray | Bleach | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kills surface mold | Weakly — it scrubs it | Yes, on most species | Yes | Yes | On hard surfaces |
| Lifts stains | Somewhat (abrasive) | No | Some | Some (many contain peroxide or bleach) | Yes |
| Safe on food surfaces | Yes | Yes | Yes (rinse) | Read the label | No |
| Safe on stainless, fabric | Yes | Vinegar pits some metals | Lightens fabric | Varies | Damages both |
| Fumes | None | Mild | None | Varies | Strong |
| Cost per bottle | Under $2 | Under $3 | About $2 | $8 – $15 | About $3 |
Commercial sprays buy convenience and a surfactant that wets the surface; they do not reach any deeper into drywall or wood than the three household bottles do. The sprays we compared sorts killers from stain removers, which is the distinction the labels blur.
Baking Soda for the Smell
Odor is where baking soda earns its reputation. A shallow open box absorbs musty air in a closet or a cabinet over about a month; a sachet in a shoe or a drawer works the same way; half a cup in a wash load lifts mildew smell from towels; a paste on a fridge shelf or a dishwasher gasket takes the sour note the cleaning missed. What it does not do is remove the source: a closet that smells musty again a month after the box is changed has a cold wall or a damp floor, and that is the fix.
Where Baking Soda Is the Wrong Idea
- On carpet with mold in the pad. Sprinkled and vacuumed, it freshens the surface and leaves the colony underneath; mold in carpet is a pad decision.
- On drywall that is soft or stained through. The board comes out.
- As a "natural" alternative for a sewage or flood loss. Category 3 water needs removal and an EPA-registered disinfectant, not a pantry product.
- Mixed with vinegar in one bottle. They neutralise each other; use them one after the other, as above.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does baking soda kill mold or just clean it?
Mostly clean. Baking soda's mild alkalinity inhibits some mold growth and its abrasiveness scrubs colonies off hard surfaces, but laboratory evidence for it as a fungicide is thin compared with vinegar or hydrogen peroxide.
Treat it as the scrub-and-deodorise step, with vinegar or peroxide as the killing step before it.
Can you mix baking soda and vinegar to kill mold?
Not in the same container — they react, fizz, and neutralise each other into salt water, which does nothing.
Use them in sequence: spray undiluted white vinegar, let it sit ten minutes, then scrub with a baking-soda paste and rinse. The vinegar does the antifungal work; the baking soda does the scrubbing and takes the smell.
How do you make a baking soda paste for mold?
Two parts baking soda to one part water, stirred to a thick paste. Spread it over the mold, leave it ten minutes, scrub with a stiff brush, rinse, and wipe dry. For a spray, dissolve a tablespoon of baking soda in a spray bottle of water — weaker, but useful for a light film on a large area.
Is baking soda safe for mold in a fridge, washing machine or on fabric?
YesIt is the right cleaner for food-contact surfaces where bleach is unwelcome, for washing-machine drums, and it is added to laundry to lift mildew smell from clothes.
It is safe on most finishes, though its abrasiveness can dull glossy paint and polished stone; test a hidden spot. It is not a substitute for replacing fabric or carpet that mold has grown into.
Who do I call right now for water damage?
Call (888) 840-6512. The line is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and connects you with an IICRC-certified water damage restoration company that serves your area. A recorded menu picks up first: choose water damage or mold, key in your 5-digit ZIP code, and hold through the short silence while the call is passed to the company.
Describe what you can see — where the water is coming from, how long it has been there, and whether it smells — the more specific you are, the faster the right company is on the line. If the source is a pipe or an appliance, shut the main water valve first. Have four things ready and the call goes quickly: the address, when the water started, what is wet now, and whether you have filed an insurance claim.
Still not sure which of these is your situation? (888) 840-6512 · toll-free · answered 24/7
Sources
- EPA — Mold Cleanup in Your Home
- EPA — Should I use bleach to clean up mold?
- CDC — Basic Facts About Mold and Dampness
Methodology: How we source and verify data · Report an error
Disclaimer: HearthDry is an independent educational resource. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional, legal, or insurance advice. Consult licensed professionals before making decisions about your property or insurance claims.
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