Can You Recommend Any Non-Toxic Mold Treatments?

Gina Solomon responds:

No, it's not safe to spend hours in a damp basement with signs of mold!  
 
If your basement's damp, then that's the problem you should focus on, rather than the mold. It's critical that you work on finding ways to dry out the basement. First, figure out if you have a water intrusion problem. If not, perhaps you could try a dehumidifier. Dampness in homes (regardless of the presence of mold) has been linked scientifically to respiratory problems among inhabitants. So try to figure out the source of the moisture and get rid of it. There are relatively inexpensive instruments to test for humidity, so it's worth putting one in the basement. It's best to keep the humidity between 30 and 60 percent.  
 
If there's mold on permeable surfaces (such as carpets, sheetrock, etc), then the material needs to be safely removed and thrown away. If the mold is on hard surfaces (studs, concrete), then it can be cleaned with a wire brush and a 10 percent bleach solution. Studs should be sanded down as well. If the moldy area is larger than about a yard in diameter, then please make sure whoever does the work is a professional and that they use appropriate protection for themselves and for your own sake. If it's a small area then you could probably do it, but wear an N95 mask from the hardware store.