Reasons for Bleaching

• You may want to bleach your wall paneling for a variety of reasons. For example, you can bleach wall paneling to lighten the color of the panels or to remove difficult stains, but in most cases, you would only use bleach on walls as a way of killing harmful organisms, such as mold. You can achieve a lighter color by painting or staining the wall, and you can kill stains with less corrosive solutions; but when it comes to mold on wall panels, bleach is your most powerful course of action.
  
  

Diluting Bleach

• Regardless of why you want to bleach your wall panels, you must understand that bleach is very powerful, and a tiny bit can go a very long way. Just mix 1/2-cup to 1 cup of bleach with warm water and see how dramatic of an effect it can have by gently dabbing an inconspicuous area on the paneling. Dilute the solution with more water if necessary. If you use too strong a concentration of bleach, it may leave a large, permanent discoloration on your wall.
  
  

Applying Bleach

• Wall panels are porous, meaning they absorb liquid like a sponge. For this reason, you must never pour bleach or any liquid directly onto the wall. Instead, mist diluted bleach lightly onto the wall with a spray bottle or dip a soft sponge into the solution, wring it out then apply to the wall. This will allow you to apply the necessary amount of bleach without damaging the wall due to excess saturation. Always wear rubber gloves when working with bleach. For large panels, use the sponge application technique on the initial pass then another sponge dampened with water to wipe the bleach solution away after 15 minutes. You must dry the wall to prevent mold from growing. For this purpose, use fans or a portable space heater.
  
  

Bleach Alternatives

• In place of chlorine bleach, you can use natural, color-safe bleach alternatives, including hydrogen peroxide and oxygen bleach. Oxygen bleach contains peroxide and soda ash and will not change the color of wall paneling. Peroxide and oxygen bleach are great for killing mold and stains but not for lightening the pigmentation of the wall itself. You can apply liquid oxygen bleach and peroxide without diluting them with water; however, powdered oxygen bleach requires hot water to activate it. Follow the manufacturer's directions.