You could email Clorox Bleach that question. Not rinsing would save a lot of work.

Here is a link that might be useful: Clorox

That was my thought too. Thanks for the link, I've sent off an inquiry and, if/when I get an answer, I'll post it.

I wouldn't bother rinsing. Depending on how big the area, I probably wouldn't even dilute the bleach. Kill all that mold full strength. My luck if I diluted it, just enough would come back that I have to keep doing it.

Even if it was my living space. I wouldn't stick my nose in a bleach bottle but to me it smells a heck of a lot better than musty mold.

Somewhere I remember reading that diluted bleach actually works better. I don't recall the details, but it made sense at the time.

This may seem like a no brainer, but having done this myself, I just want to say please make sure to wear protective eyewear, clothing and headscarf, because that cinderblock will splatter when scrubbed!! I used diluted bleach, no rinse, worked great, mold/mildew didn't return!

The Clorox people got back to me and said that rinsing was imperative, since otherwise the bleach would "keep eating away at it." Eating away cinderblock? And for how long? Bleach neutralizes with time, doesn't it?

The e-mail I got from them wasn't very well written, which makes me doubt the whole thing.

Thanks for all the advice so far! I'd love to hear more personal experience from anyone who's had to de-mildew his or her basement walls!

What you can do is spray the wall down with bleach ... let it sit for a couple of hours, then spray it with baking soda in water to neutralize it.

What you can do is spray the wall down with bleach ... let it sit for a couple of hours, then spray it with baking soda in water to neutralize it.

Bleach isn't acidic, so baking soda won't neutralize it. (It is very corrosive, but not acidic. Household bleach has a pH of 11 or higher, which puts it definitely in the alkaline range of the pH scale.) An acid like vinegar would work, though, or sodium sulfite (not sulfate) which one can find at pool stores.

I like the idea of neutralizing instead of rinsing.

I have some kind of black mold/mildew on the basement cinder blocks. If I use a diluted bleach solution, will it stain the wall or the floor if it drips?

I agree......chlorine bleach, when exposed to air will neutralize itself. The chlorine dissipates.....but add vinegar and you create something like mustard gas.