Product Review: Concrobium Mold Control

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I've been owing you guys this review of Concrobium Mold Control spray for a few months. Sam, the witty Canadian guy who invented it, sent me a sample months ago. I was a little surprised when he emailed me about it, because I've never written about the mold that plagued our bathroom walls and ceiling, but I was super-happy to accept a sample to test.

See, the mold I had is all over the ceiling above the shower. But I live in a building that was built in the 1890s, so we have high ceilings. And there's no way to put a step-ladder in the bathtub (sloping sides), so I was basically going to have to reach over my head to spray blindly up at the mold.* Which meant that whatever toxic mess I was spraying up there would get all over me.

Sam solved my problem, though, because the beauty of Concrobium is that it's non-toxic. He says it's made from two "food-grade additives" that when combined kill mold spores and prevent them from coming back. But since they're food-grade additives, they're not going to hurt you. Or your kids. Or pets. (Sam claims that he's done demonstrations in which he drinks some of the Concrobium to prove how harmless to humans it is. I wasn't willing to go that far, personally, without some dark rum and crushed ice.)

So I tried it out on my ceiling and walls. Concrobium has no scent whatsoever. And when I sprayed it over my head and it misted back down onto me, it felt like water. My dumb cats came in to see what was happening before I could shoo them away, and neither of them suffered any ill effects from getting it on their fur and licking it off.

I wished that the Concrobium would make the mold stains just vanish like magic. It didn't, but the part that I could reach on the wall (a spot that I'd scrubbed at at least four time with bleach cleansers, but it always came back after a month) came off easily with a damp sponge the next morning. And no mold has come back to that spot in two months, which to me is a miracle.

A miracle of chemistry! I'm wracked with curiosity about what those two additives are now. MSG and guar gum? It's clear, so it's not a dye. Soy lecithin and HFCS? Whatever they are, I'm pretty sure I'd rather have them on my walls controlling mold than in my stomach.

You can buy Concrobium at hardware stores and home centers in the US and Canada, and conveniently for me, at Amazon through this link. Check out their site for more info on the product.

* I took pictures of the mold, but can't find them now. Perhaps the computer ate them because they were so disgusting? If they turn up I'll add them to this post later on.

Comments

[Allison]

Man, I could have used this a year ago. We lived in an apartment for 2 years where no matter WHAT WE DID, the mold on the walls and ceiling would ALWAYS come back. There was no vent fan in the bathroom, so it always stayed foggy. I ruined so many outfits and hand towels from spraying bleach all over the place. And for the first time in my life, I think I hurt my lungs and almost passed out from spraying too much bleach. I had never had that happen to me before.

I'll definitely have to try this though. I still have some icky bathroom caulking I'll try to tackle.

[Beth]

We're in the same boat- a bit of mold on the ceiling in a bathroom with high ceilings and no windows, plus bathtub with sloping sides, so no ladder. Will definitely give this a try!

[Diane]

We have mold issues as well, but not in the walls or ceiling. We get mold growing in and around the window frames in our house. It usually happens in the winter. We live in FL, so the hot-cold-hot-cold combined with the ridiculous humidity seems to cause it. Moxie, do you think it might work for this type of mold? We usually scrub it with bleach, but it always grows back.

[Helena]

Couldn't you use a mild bleach solution with a foamy/sponge paint roller? That's worked really well for our mold problems.

[Rachel]

I'm so happy you reviewed this! I LOVE Concrobium and use it regularly. I even used it to treat my fruit cellar when I was 9 months pregnant (and should note that no mold has ever grown there) and my baby doesn't have 2 heads or anything! I've cleaned everything from window ledges (that get moldy in the winter when condensation builds up) to under the kitchen sink to the seam at the edge of the tub where my 3 kids splash water all over. I'm very happy with the lack of mold in our house and the fact that the product is totally safe to use around our kids (who, lets be honest, still lick every surface in my house!). I highly recommend it ;)

[Moxie]

Helena, the mold always comes back for me with bleach. The mold hasn't come back with the Concrobium.

Diane, it's worth a try. I'd spend $10 to try it out, personally.

[Rachel]

@ Diane- It's perfect for your windows. I'd suggest first cleaning the frames with it (spray it on like you would Lysol or whatever and then wipe it all down with paper towel or a cloth). This will remove any mold and give you a clean surface. Then spray it again and let it dry this time (the second spray protects it). We live in a really humid province so this was a big problem. We did our windows mid-winter and haven't had any mold return. Hope that helps.

The problem with bleach is that it doesn't always kill the mold so it can regrow. It also smells terrible and it's poisonous so not so safe around kids and pets (never mind that I always end up wrecking my clothes if I use bleach).

[hedra]

Oooh. I want some... will click through on the weekend, though, not from work.

[Miriam]

We also live in an old New York apartment, and since we keep humidifiers running all winter (we're singers), we have the perfect environment for mold -- it's all over our bathroom and window areas. And yes, I tried cleaning it with bleach, but it always comes back. I'll have to try this soon! Thanks!

[electriclady]

Ooh, I'm excited about this. I have the same problem--poorly ventilated bathroom in ancient NYC apartment with high ceilings, mold coming back every few months whether I use bleach or vinegar or what have you. I am curious about what the "non-toxic" ingredients are, though--my latest obsession is full disclosure of ingredients, which no company that makes household cleaners does except Seventh Generation. So you're left staring at the bottle of Method or Mrs. Meyers or whatever thinking, but is this REALLY safe if my kid licks the floor?

[shirky]

@electriclady I was thinking along those lines too. the term 'non-toxic' isn't a regulated term so it's not that reassuring by itself. The concrobium website says that it uses "patented blend of naturally occurring inorganic compounds which have been combined in a proprietary way". So they ain't sayin', but there is an MSDS up there on the site.

[Moxie]

Sam told me they were approved as "food-grade additives." And he literally drinks the stuff during demos. I think the reason they don't disclose what they actually are is that otherwise we could just buy them and mix up a batch on the cheap.

I don't trust food-grade additives to be *healthy* for me, but I also don't think they'll hurt in the amount that a kid would lick (unless you have a kid who needs to be on the Feingold Diet) or you'd get on you from spraying. And head and shoulders above bleach.

[Sam Title]

Hi everyone!

Sam the "witty Canadian" here to say thanks first and foremost to Moxie for this fabulous review of Concrobium. She's our new star here in our Toronto office!

And thank you to all readers of this review who have weighed in with comments and questions about the product and your mold issues.

I thought I would take this opportunity to answer some of your questions...

Diane in Florida - Concrobium most definitely works in your situation. In a warm climate like Florida, air conditions tend to cause a house or building to "sweat", which then causes mold to grow. Follow Moxie's directions and you should be ok.

Helena - Bleach-based products really only serve to whiten an area where mold is found. It doesn't really get to the "root" of the problem. It's a temporary fix.

Concrobium doesn't use a poison to eliminate mold. The way it works is, upon drying over top the moldy surface, it physically crushes that mold dead. You could then wipe off that dead mold with a Concrobium-dampened cloth and reapply. The reapplication would protect that surface from further growth.

electriclady/shirky - We tend to say that Concrobium is a patented blend of FDA-approved food-grade additives. It's no more toxic than table salt. It's EPA registered/Health Canada approved and we do, in fact, drink the stuff. Not in our morning coffees mind you, but the demo certainly strikes a chord to those who see it.

There you have it folks. We are a very approachable company and love your comments and questions. Do click through to our website and please keep in touch.

Thanks again for your support!

Sam "witty Canadian"

[hydrogeek]

I have been looking for this product. Maybe I can click trough Amazon and buy it???

[Diane]

Gosh, wow. Thanks for all the great answers everyone. My husband will be thrilled when I tell him about this later. We've been so frustrated with this for years.

[Colleen]

Wow! That stuff sounds great! I'll have to pick some up because there's an oddly musty odor in my cabinet next to my dishwasher even though we've pulled that thing out several times to check for leaking...kinda wonder if the leak is in the wall.

[sue]

I'd be willing to bet that GSE (grapefruit seed extract) is in there somewhere. It's such a great anti-fungal/anti-microbial.

I'll definitely have to check out this product.

[alana]

msg - monosodium glutamate
hfcs - high fructose corn syrup
guar gum - gum (thickener)
soy lecithin - emulsifier

[Moxie]

Alana, that's not what the ingredients are. They're what I'm speculating they could be. Those were the only food-grade additives that popped into my mind this morning so early.

Ooh, it could be agar-agar, too. Maybe Sue's right and it's GSE and agar-agar....

[shirky]

it says there is some kind of polymer in there...pretty clever

[Sue]

I went and checked the MSDS because I'm a geek, and really it doesn't look too bad. They aren't actually saying what's in the product, so the only clue a person could get as to what's in there is the specific chemical info. It does have quite a high pH, which means it's about as strong as ammonia, but it isn't ammonia. I would say that you would probably just have to realize it's a fairly basic solution, but not as basic as bleach. Anyway, it must have some hydroxide it it to make it a pH of about 11.

[Julie]

leave it to the women of moxie to crack the secret recipe!!!!!

[Julieta]

Wow, Moxie. Your review of Concrobium is kismet: my husband was just complaining this morning about the kids' tub seam being all gunky. He gets the "I'm sensitive to those toxic cleaners" excuse, so I was not looking forward to blasting the tub with eye-watering sprays. Plus, the children.

So thanks, great timing - doesn't Moxie seem to have that knack?

[Joy]

Anybody know if it might work on old mold stains on clothing that has been stored in a basement for a while?

[Sam Title]

Joy...You can certainly use Concrobium on moldy clothing and other fabric items.

Simply use it as you would on other surfaces (spray, let dry), only this time after it's dried, launder the clothing.

We've had reports of people actually adding it to their laundry and it working quite well. But that technique is difficult to recommend because the product is most effective undiluted. But who knows? Give it a try if you'd like and let us know!

Good luck!

[Kerry]

Sounds good -- I'll have to try it.

Moxie, have you tried using a sponge mop to get the high walls and ceilings?

[Norm Sherwood]

Hi All - Before getting all crazy do your research on this product and its EPA related claims. Share the EPA mater label on file with EPA and see if the product is in compliance. Also, check with your local, regional and national remediation companies and see what they use to treat mold. I can assure you it is NOT concrobium. It is an EPA Registered Disinfectant, Fungicide and Mildewstat like Moldex - www.moldexbrands.com

Also, think logically and read the label. How effective can a product be at killing mold when you can drink it? Also, ask how long it prevents mold from returning?

[Moxie]

Norm, if you want me to review your MoldEx product, the cool thing to do would be to email and offer me a sample. Not to post a drive-by implying that there's something wrong with Concrobium. (If the EPA uses MoldEx isn't it possible that they just won a bid? Not that they're better than Concrobium? Lots of things at play here and your implications are shady.)

I can drink Coke and Coke will clean a penny, so that test doesn't hold water.

[Matt]

The active ingredient in Concrobium is sodium carbonate, a.k.a. soda ash:

http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Product.jsp?REG_NR=08255200001&DIST_NR=082552

It is a known fungicide that is indeed nontoxic. The wikipedia entry has more:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_carbonate

It can be purchased in stores as "washing soda", and is used as an ecosafe general purpose cleaner.

[Jack Poulalion]

Nanotechnology is key. You will find Concrobium is a key winner of Nanotech briefs Nano 50.
http://www.nanotechbriefs.com/nano50_winners.html

[Milyun]

MSG--Monosodium Glutamate?
JFCS--High Fructose Corn Syrup?
Guar Gum thickener?
Soy Lecithin emulsifier?
Hydroxide?

I can assure you that the product does not contain any of these as ingredients.

[A Reader]

According to Wiki Patents, at URL http://www.wikipatents.com/ca/2504014.html the core ingredients for a "NON-TOXIC WATER SOLUBLE INORGANIC ANTI-MICROBIAL POLYMER ANDRELATED METHODS" which appears to be/may be Concrobium are:

" The aqueous solution comprises preferably about 2 wt % to about 20 wt % of active polymer and is active between a pH 7 and 12. The aqueous solution will therefore contain a mixture of active polymer and alkali metal salts such as sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, trisodium phosphate an tripotassium phosphate. Additionally the aqueous solution may contain phosphoric acid and diphosphates or higher oligophosphates. Preferably the aqueous solution comprises sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), trisodium phosphate (Na3PO4) and sodium biphosphate (Na2HPO4) in a molar ratio of 3.6:0.6:1, alternatively sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), trisodium phosphate (Na3PO4) and phosphoric acid (H3PO4) in a molar ratio of 10.8:3.8:1, further alternatively sodium bicarbonate (NHCO3), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and trisodium phosphate (Na3PO4) in a molar ratio of 1 :4:5, or potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3), potassium carbonate (K2CO3) and tripotassium phosphate (K3PO4) in a molar ratio of 1 :2.6:1.6. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art, that the aqueous solution may contain other antimicrobial molecules of interest without deviating from the invention as claimed. Dimerization and oligomerization of phosphate will be promoted in the aqueous solution with the addition of hydrogen ions, for example in the form of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), thereby promoting oxygen bond formation. "

Later on in the patent description they state, relating to experiments that were done:

" An alkali solution of about 2% polymer and sodium bicarbonate (NHCO3), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) and trisodium phosphate (Na3PO4) in a molar ratio of 1 :4:5 was used for each of the following examples. This alkali solution of polymer is referred to as Concrobium. "

Also:

In the US ingredients listing FAQ at the Concorbium website, the active ingredient is sodium carbonate; at the Canadian FAQ the active ingredient is trisodium phosphate.

Which would suggest the elusive third ingredient is probably sodium biphosphate or sodium bicarbonate...

This is all just putting pieces of info together (gotta love the mosaic effect), and so may not actually be correct...

[Carol]

We contacted a professional company and they recommended Concrobium. They stated by using bleach, after the chemical break-down, it serves to feed the mold and will come back even heavier. I'm going to give this a try on the mold that has appeared on the inside of the poured foundation of our attached garage. The inside walls do not have any mold .. only the outside walls.

I picked some up at Home Depot today on my lunch hour .. $8.96 for a 32 oz bottle.

[nancy]

does this work on bright yellow canvas boat bimini tops without damaging the material?

[George W Bush]

we recently moved out of our old white house and back to texas. our clothes had a musty smell after resting in the old, dark closets. now they're smelling clean again.

stra-teeg-ery

[sarah jurcyk]

We used Concrobuim after a humidistat in our sometimes used Florida condo broke. The excess humidity created a mold nightmare. We used it on clothing, upholstery,walls, wood chairs absolutely everything. You could not walk into the apartment without a mask. After letting it dry overnight you could breath in there. We then washed everything down. No bleach stains or fumes. The only good thing about this disaster is finding out about this wonder product.

[Nikki]

I live in Atlanta, GA, and my unfinished basement now has a moldy smell--I'm guessing because of seepage after the recent flood. Just inhaling the air down there for seconds causes my skin to break out in hives and my daughter to sneeze. We can't see mold growing on anything though. Will the Concrobuim fogger they have at Home Depot work on nonvisible mold spores?

[Raysee Bessom]

Hi,
I live in Puerto Rico and I'm having a huge problem with mold in my new bedroom furniture. I would like to know if this will help me get rid of the fungus and keep it from growing again, since it's raining almost everyday and our house is very very humid. Please let me know to see if I can buy it online. Thank You,
Raysee Bessom

[Helen Macmillan]

Okay so I used the concorbium with a fogger this week. What they dont talk about is the need to then use a wire brush to brush off residue. I am not concerned about anything harmful in concorbium, but how can I be sure it killed the mold? As I was brushing it off I could see stuff flying everywhere

[CliffH]

Is this a good alternative to using a DeHumidifier in the basement? I was thinking of renting this from Home Depot and just spray the entire basement 2-3 a year or as needed instead of raising my electric bill by running a dehumidifier. Any opinions or suggestions?
Thanks!

[Mrs BBBB]

I found this concrobium at the Canadian tire store in Wainwright so I imagine they have it in lots of places can't wait to try it. Love that it is Canadian made also inviro friendly MRs BBBB

[buy generic cialis]

I live in Atlanta, GA, and my unfinished basement now has a moldy smell--I'm guessing because of seepage after the recent flood. Just inhaling the air down there for seconds causes my skin to break out in hives and my daughter to sneeze. We can't see mold growing on anything though. Will the Concrobuim fogger they have at Home Depot work on nonvisible mold spores?

[buy propecia]

I live in Puerto Rico and I'm having a huge problem with mold in my new bedroom furniture. I would like to know if this will help me get rid of the fungus and keep it from growing again, since it's raining almost everyday and our house is very very humid. Please let me know to see if I can buy it online. Thank You,
Raysee Bessom.

[John L.]

Sam,

I have mold in a rental property. I have taken out the drywall and have sprayed concrobium as I went along both on the wood studs and on the drywall being removed. I have saturated the wood studs with the concrobium (on top of the mold).

Question 1.) Is this sufficient or should I also now go back, wipe everything down and spray it again. Also, I am going to have to fog the home (maybe use some air scrubbers) since I didn't contain the areas properly.

Question 2.) Is this stuff effective in killing airborne mold spores and safe to use to fog the house?

The bottle label and instructions suggest that Concrobium only encapsulates mold and then prevents further growth. It doesn't say that it kills the mold. Some have suggested that once an encapsultor wears off or becomes wet again, that the mold is released and spreads once again

Question 3.) Does the Concrobium actually kill the mold spores and if it only encapsulates, is this encapsulation permanent or temporary?

Sorry for the lenghthy question but your assistance would be appreciated.

John-Tampa, Florida

[Jim]

Boy, did you guys get all wrong.Concrobium does not work. They have no EPA testing to allow them to say Kill Mold, at best it is a salt solution with a mild polemer. Tried for 10 days, with mold regrowth. You can register water with the epa, it means nothing, and by the way the epa does not approve products. We got burned by another snake oil. Jim

[Jack Konrath]

Jim, Thanks for the highly scientific and in-depth report on your exhaustive testing and experience with Concrobium. For the rest of you folks, just follow the directions on the label and you'll be fine. You might be interested to know that EPA registration of a pesticide basically means that a product is in compliance with EPA limits on harmful substances in pesticides. EPA's job is to protect you and the environment, not prove the efficacy of submitted products. To gain registration, the submitted product must possess benefits substantially offsetting any potential harm to you or the environment before it can be transported and/or sold in the U.S. The EPA makes that call based on data provided by the manufacturer... just like the FDA process for "approving" pharmaceuticals. The EPA rarely does their own testing in the case of registration applications. The EPA looks at what's in the product, what it claims to do and makes a decision to register based on that analysis. They usually get it right. Concrobium's manufacturer doesn't say that it "kills mold". They say that it "inactivates" mold. It does this by destabilizing the "fruiting bodies" (the adult plant parts that make spores) while rendering spores unable to germinate. This method is effective unless/until conditions return that are sufficient to degrade Concrobium's polymer coating. Failures with Concrobium can be generally attributable to using it in applications a. where the moisture and food source havent' been removed before treatment or b. where Concrobium's "polymer film" is degraded after application. That "polymer film" they speak of is nothing more than three waterborne soluble molecules locked together and deposited on the surface as the water evaporates away after application... like the mineral salts that deposit on the bottom of your tea kettle. The active ingredient, by the way, is listed as being sodium carbonate, a fairly strong natural fungicide. The other two ingredients are also fungicidal in their own right. The three "interlock" to make the polymer film. If that polymer coating is subsequently dissolved or worn away, the protection is gone. Once that has happened, the spores can freely germinate and grow into mature colonies which then produce more spores. This makes Concrobium's a good news/bad news story. The good news is that it "inactivates" living colonies by covering both adult and spore forms with an alkali polymer film. It undoubtedly "kills" bacteria and virus but only kills the adult "fruiting bodies" of mold; not the spores. If the Concrobium folks were completely forthright about this, they'd admit that since the spores are not killed, they don't say that Concrobium "kills mold". In their defense, however, it is not necessary to "kill" mold - including spores - to control it, especially if to kill both would require a harmful substance that could hurt you or the environment. This is, in fact, the beauty of Concrobium: It "controls" mold by coating both fruiting bodies and spores, kills the fruiting bodies and renders the spores incapable of germinating... all without harming you or the environment. There are products that do kill spores. Every one of them is capable of making you very ill or killing YOU as well. In spite of this toxicity, none has sufficient latency to permanently prevent mold regrowth. If they did, they would be permanently toxic in your environment and would never be eligible for EPA registration for use inside your home. See the "Catch 22"? So, Concrobium - like every mold abatement product, is imperfect. I, for one, prefer its method of efficacy to fungicides that are toxic to me and the environment. Once you understand how Concrobium works and Concrobium's limitations, I hope you'll agree. There's only one you and only one Earth. Let's keep 'em both healthy, eh?

[Jayme "Florida Mold Inspection" Camacho]

Concrobium Mold Control spray is useful for eliminating mold. it useful as long as you can follow the instruction properly.

[Narasha]

I purchased this product through a company in Hamilton, ON called 'the cleaning house' to remove mold from my ceiling in the bathroom (no vent!)
and was told it was safe for my husband to use even though I'm pregnant... so we've gone ahead and sprayed the bathroom & he is going to wipe it down tomorrow (step 2). Pretty sure though that he got some on my toothbrush though & I didn't know until after I used it!! Googled this site hoping it wasn't toxic for me & baby and glad to see I have nothing to worry about .. Right?;)

[Matt]

I am a certified mold remediation contractor and certified mold inspector and tester. I don't believe that concrobium remediates mold to the degree that the product and precautions we use. If you ran an air sample test on a home that had previous mold damage and was treated with concrobium, I don't believe it would pass but I am going to try the stuff out for myself and test it afterwards and i'll let you know the results.

[fakeKneemia]

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