Can Your Moldy Wood Pallets Be Saved? Maybe...

Don’t scrap that moldy pallet just yet... we might be able to save it!

The bad news is you found mold on your pallets. The good news is that mold grows on the surfaces of the pallet components. This surface growth does not structurally degrade the material - at least not in the short term.

If the mold growth is in the early stages and has not yet degraded the wood, you might be able to save your pallet.

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If you find mold:

• First, you need to kill the mold.
  The key is getting the pallets dry (or dry again). You need to get control over the moisture content of your pallets. Once the pallet components reach a moisture content below 19%, the mold is unable to survive.  

 

• Second, address the aesthetics of the pallet.
  Inactive mold could still be visible on the pallets. Pressure washing the pallets and using a diluted bleach solution will help kill and remove mold.  

But wait... don't remove mold from pallets until you do this:

You should always check with your customers before you make any attempts to remove mold. Certain chemicals and even bleach can be used to try to remove existing mold. However, your customer may prohibit the use of chemicals on their pallets. The last thing you want to do is to make a bad situation even worse.

If your pallet mold issue is too overwhelming or requires a professional, reach out to Nelson Company. We can do a free assessment of the mold and work with you to develop a solution for your problem.

Are you having recurring pallet mold problems? We would love to help. Please describe your mold problem below and we will get back to you!

Post by: Rich Reiher, Vice President of Sales