Mould removal services in Scotland

A specialist doesn't just clean mould off. They find out why it grew and deal with that too, so you're not paying for the same job again next winter.

Scotland Mould Removal is a free matching service. We put you in touch with one independent specialist who covers your area. They quote and do the work.

What a proper mould removal job involves

The details vary from firm to firm, but a decent job tends to follow the same order.

1. Inspection. The specialist looks at where the mould is, how far it has spread, and the conditions in the room. Many use a moisture meter, and some log humidity over a few days. They should be able to tell you whether it's condensation, water getting in from outside, a leak, or something else.
2. Preparing the area. Furniture is moved away from the wall, floors are covered, and the room is ventilated while they work.
3. Treating the mould. Affected surfaces are cleaned with a fungicidal wash. Badly affected wallpaper, sealant or silicone is usually stripped and replaced, because mould grows into soft materials and can't be cleaned out of them.
4. Dealing with damaged plaster. If the plaster is soft, crumbling or salted, it may need hacking off and replacing once the wall has dried out. This is where costs rise.
5. Fixing the cause. This is the part that stops it coming back: an extractor fan, trickle vents, a repair to the roof or rhones, or advice on heating and drying clothes.
6. Finishing. An anti-mould paint or additive is sometimes used. It helps, but it isn't a fix on its own, and it stops working if it's painted over with ordinary emulsion.

Where mould turns up in Scottish homes

The coldest spots get it first. In a lot of homes here that means the window reveals and the top corners of outside walls, especially on north-facing rooms. Bedrooms catch it because people breathe out moisture all night with the door shut. Behind wardrobes and beds pushed against an outside wall is another classic, as is the inside of fitted cupboards on a gable wall.

Older stone buildings, and tenements in particular, have thick solid walls with no cavity. They're slow to warm up, and if they've been sealed with modern cement render or plastic paints they can hold onto water. Newer homes have different problems: they're built airtight, so unless the ventilation is working properly, moisture has nowhere to go.

Signs it's more than a surface clean

• It comes back within a few weeks of cleaning.
• The plaster feels soft or sounds hollow when tapped.
• There's a tide mark or brown staining as well as mould.
• Wallpaper is lifting, or paint is bubbling.
• It's in more than one room, or in the loft.
• There's a musty smell even where you can't see anything.

Any of those suggests a moisture problem that needs finding. A damp and mould survey is the usual first step.

What to ask before you accept a quote

• What do you think is causing it, and how did you check?
• Does the price include fixing the cause, or only treating the mould?
• Will any plaster or sealant need replacing, and is that in the price?
• Is there any guarantee, and what does it cover?
• Will you need access to a neighbour's property or the common stair?

For typical prices, see our mould removal cost guide. If you let property, our landlords page covers the extra paperwork you'll want from the specialist under Awaab's Law.