You can clean small areas of black mould yourself if you use the right protection. But cleaning only hides the problem. If the mould keeps coming back, the
On this page
- In short
- Key facts
- Is it safe to clean black mould yourself?
- Should I tell my landlord before I clean the mould?
- What is the landlord responsible for?
- What if the mould keeps coming back?
- What about my belongings?
- Should I use a dehumidifier?
- When should I contact Support for Tenants?
- Sources
- Related articles
In short
You can clean small areas of black mould yourself if you use the right protection. But cleaning only hides the problem. If the mould keeps coming back, the cause is usually damp or poor airflow. That is your landlord's job to fix. Report it to your landlord in writing, keep photos, and do not let cleaning it yourself stop you asking them to fix the cause.
Black mould in a rented home is bad for your health. It also counts as disrepair. You need to know what you can safely do yourself, what your landlord must do, and how to protect your health while you wait. This guide gives simple, safe advice. Government guidance warns that the breathing effects of damp and mould "can cause serious illness and, in the most severe cases, death."
Key facts
- Official guidance from the UK Health Security Agency and the Department of Health and Social Care links damp and mould in homes in England to around 5,000 cases of asthma and 8,500 lower respiratory infections among children and adults. Health risks of damp and mould, GOV.UK
- The 2024 to 2025 English Housing Survey found about 5% of homes in England, around 1.4 million, had a problem with damp. It is most common in privately rented homes (10%). English Housing Survey 2024-25, GOV.UK
Is it safe to clean black mould yourself?
Small patches of black mould in places you can reach, like around a window frame or a small bit of wall, can usually be cleaned by a tenant with the right products. This is a short-term step to protect your health. It is not a lasting fix if the real cause has not been sorted.
To clean mould safely:
- Wear rubber gloves and a face mask (ideally an FFP2 respirator or better, not just a dust mask)
- Open the windows for fresh air before you start
- Use a shop-bought mould cleaner, or watered-down bleach (1 part bleach to 10 parts water), on hard surfaces
- Do not dry-brush mould. This puts spores into the air. Wipe it damp first, then treat it
- Wash any affected clothes or soft furnishings as hot as they will allow
- Bag up and bin anything you used to clean the mould, like cloths and sponges
Do not try to clean large areas of mould, or mould in hidden spaces like inside walls or under floorboards. That is a job for a professional.
Should I tell my landlord before I clean the mould?
Yes. Tell your landlord about the mould in writing, even if you plan to clean it yourself. Reporting it creates the legal record that makes your landlord act. If you clean it without reporting it first, you lose the proof of when the problem started. That can make it harder to make a claim later.
Report first, clean second.
What is the landlord responsible for?
Cleaning mould is not the same as fixing the cause. The landlord must fix the real cause if the mould comes from:
- Rising or penetrating damp from a fault in the building
- A leaking roof, pipe, or gutter
- Condensation made worse by poor airflow or not enough heating
A landlord who just bleaches the mould, without fixing why it keeps coming back, has not done their repair duty.
What if the mould keeps coming back?
If you have cleaned the mould and it keeps coming back, the real cause has not been fixed. Tell your landlord in writing, with photos. Say that cleaning alone is not working, and that the cause needs to be found and fixed.
What about my belongings?
Mould can damage furniture, clothes, books, and other things you own. If the mould grew because your landlord did not repair the home, you may be able to claim for the damaged items as part of a housing disrepair claim. Take photos of the damaged things and note what they cost to replace.
Should I use a dehumidifier?
A dehumidifier can lower the damp in the air and help with condensation. But you should not need one in a home that is heated and aired properly. If you need one to keep mould away, this points to a problem with the home, like poor airflow or not enough heating, that the landlord should fix.
When should I contact Support for Tenants?
If your landlord has not fixed the cause of black mould in your rented home, you may have a housing disrepair claim.
Call us on 0800 030 4669. No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.
Sources
- Understanding and addressing the health risks of damp and mould in the home (GOV.UK)
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Section 11 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 (legislation.gov.uk)
Related articles
We review every guide at least twice a year and update it when the law changes. If you spot something out of date or wrong, email help@supportfortenants.co.uk.
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 15 June 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only, not a promise; every case is different.
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