Quick answer
- Painted, sealed surface with light spotting — often cleanable if the drywall is dry and solid.
- Mold that came from a leak or soaked the paper — the drywall usually has to be cut out.
- Soft, stained, or crumbling drywall — replace it.
- Fix the moisture first or it comes back.
Why drywall is hard to clean
Drywall has a paper face, and mold feeds on that paper. Once growth gets into the paper or the back side of the board, surface wiping doesn’t reach it. That’s why water-damaged drywall with mold is usually removed rather than cleaned.
Check the back side
Mold on the room side is often only part of the story. A slow leak inside the wall can grow mold on the back of the drywall, the insulation, and the framing. Moisture meters and thermal imaging help show how far the wet area goes — see hidden water damage signs.
When to call a pro
- The moldy area is larger than about 10 square feet (the EPA’s rough guideline for DIY)
- It followed a leak, flood, or sewage backup
- There’s a musty smell but you can’t see the source
- Anyone in the home has asthma, allergies, or a weakened immune system
Vault’s AMRT-certified crew removes affected drywall inside sealed containment with HEPA negative air, cleans the framing, dries the wall cavity, and performs post-remediation clearance — air samples go to Sporecyte, an outside lab. Remediation starts at $500; inspections start at $99.
Mold on your walls?
Call (385) 250-2825 — answered live 24/7 by the Vault crew.
Mold remediation services · Drywall: repair or replace? · Signs of mold
In Provo? See mold remediation in Provo for inspection pricing ($99, $199 or $349) and how a job runs.