The Best DIY Mold Test Kits

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The subject of DIY testing for mold is a complex one and really varies from situation to situation. I have an entire page dedicated to the basics of mold testing so please head over there and give it a read.

Now that you are up to speed on why you should test for mold, when you should test for mold, and the various mold test options, let’s talk about those DIY mold test kits.

Home mold tests can also be referred to as a black mold test kit, a mold detection kit, a tape lift test, a swab test, a duct test, and a petri dish test. They employ different testing methodologies so be sure you really understand what you are purchasing.

Types of Home Mold Test Kits

Method one is a petri dish type mold test.

The user leaves the open petri dish in a room for a specific period of time (known as settle sampling) and then allows the petri dish to grow whatever landed on it. The specific mold test should come with a chart showing you what the various types of mold that might grow on the petri dish look like. You can then determine if mold might be growing in that area of your home.

The limitation with this method is two fold. First, airborne mold spores can change second by second. So you likely are not getting an accurate look at what is going on in your home. Secondly, you don’t know exactly what type of mold is growing as a lot of molds are the same color and texture.

There is a more advanced option with the petri dish testing in that you can send the dishes into a lab where they will analyze the colonies that grow and email you a report telling you exactly what was growing on the petri dish. Again, you are limited by what spores were floating around at that exact moment but at least you have a better idea of the types of mold that may be in your home.

In order for the petri dish method to be even halfway effective, you really need to put a test plate in every room of your house.

These petri dishes can also be used to conduct surface mold sampling where you use a swab to collect a sample of any visible mold. Then you transfer the contents of the swab onto the petri dish. The analysis works the same way.

Method two is a tape lift type of test or a swab test.

This is best used when you have visible mold to determine the exact species. You place the tape or swab against the mold growth, seal it, then send it off for analysis.

Tape lift and swab mold tests can be used to lift material from just about any area with the hope that a mold spore ends up on the tape or swab. While this can happen, it has limitations.

Where Can I Buy A Mold Test Kit?

It depends on the specific home mold test kit. You can find a lot of different ones on Amazon or in places like Lowes or Home Depot. Other kits are found at specific online retailers.

Do DIY Mold Test Kits Work

They can work… but you really need a knowledgeable professional (like me) to help you understand the results. There are a LOT of ways to interpret the results and a professional will ask a lot of questions about your specific situation to help you better understand what the results really mean and what steps to take next.

If you suspect a mold problem but do not actually see it or smell it, these test kits DO NOT help you locate the problem or tell you how serious it is. So while a DIY mold test kit can indicate there is mold in your home, it doesn’t do much more than that. You still need to figure out where the mold growth is, how much mold there is, and why mold is growing.

Really, there is no substitute for a professional mold inspection. You need that visual component to go along with any mold tests.

Having said that, the home mold test kits listed below are a popular and affordable first step in determining if you have a mold problem that warrants additional testing or if you should hire a professional mold inspector.

In the interest of making sure you choose the very best home mold test kit, I am sharing my top picks based on rigorous testing. These are also testing kits and labs that I use professionally when a specific situation warrants it.

The Best DIY Mold Test Kits

Immunolytics Diagnostic Mold Test Kit

Top Pick
ImmunoLytics Test Plates and Swabs

Gravity Plate & Swab Testing, that is fast, easy and thorough!

The Mold Check-Up begins with a collection kit customized for your space and designed to be simple and easy-to-use. Video guides and step-by-step instructions walk you through sampling rooms, surfaces, pets, HVAC, and more— like one of the pros. Once completed, the collection kit is sent back to the Lab for expert analysis.

Learn More or Buy Now

Immunolytics Diagnostic Mold Test Kits offer the cost efficiency of independent mold testing with the benefits of professional laboratory analysis. Results include spore counts, mold types, a relevant mold glossary, and health risks of findings. 

I have used both their swab tests and their petri dish style test thousands of times myself.

Pros of the Immunolytics Diagnostic Mold Test Kit

  • Easy to use
  • The petri dish is ready right out of the box – no need to add solution to it
  • You can choose to just order the petri dishes and then analyze them yourself visually OR you can have professional analysis done.
  • Low cost per test
  • Quick turnaround time – 7 days or less from the time the lab receives your sample
  • Two testing methods – surface sampling and mold air settle sampling
  • Great customer service and free phone support
  • Multi-packs available
  • Affordable

Cons of the Immunolytics Diagnostic Mold Test Kit

  • Literally none. For the price point, this is a great way to gather some initial information OR to conduct spot checking in your home throughout the year.

Average Price of the Immunolytics Diagnostic Mold Test Kit

$36 for a single test.

Superstratum Mold & Mycotoxin Detection Kit

Our Choice
Mold & Mycotoxin Detection Kit from Superstratum

The Superstratum Mold & Mycotoxins Detection Kit is an easy, at-home test that detects not just mold but also the poisonous mycotoxins that mold leaves behind.

Included in the kit:


  • 1 mold tape
  • 1 mycotoxin swab
  • Test instructions
  • Prepaid shipping label and envelope


Learn More or Buy Now

In my opinion, this is one of the best tests on the market. You are able to check both mycotoxin and mold levels in your home using a swab and a tape lift test. The results are sent to one of the best labs in the country. You receive a very detailed report.

The Superstratum tests use liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) which is a powerful analytical technique that can be used to detect molds and mycotoxins in environmental samples. LC–MS works by separating a sample’s components using chromatography, then detecting them by mass. The sample is injected onto a chromatography column, where it interacts with the column and the solvents running through it. The sample is then ionized, and a mass spectrometer detects the analytes based on their mass-to-charge ratio. This technology is the most accurate mold and mycotoxin testing on the market.

Pros of the Superstratum Mold & Mycotoxin Detection Kit

  • Analysis performed by Hayes Microbial Consulting which is a highly accredited lab with over 25 years of microbial identification experience
  • Easy to use with clear instructions
  • Patented technology that makes it the most sensitive mold test on the market
  • Detects molds often missed by traditional air settling samples
  • Takes just a few minutes to collect samples
  • You can add on additional swabs when you order
  • Excellent customer support

Cons of the Superstratum Mold & Mycotoxin Detection Kit

  • It might be out of reach financially

Average Price of the Superstratum Mold & Mycotoxin Detection Kit

$349 for a kit with one swab and one tape lift

EC3 Mold Screening Test Kit

Most Affordable DIY Screening
EC3 Mold Screening Test Kit

EC3 Mold Screening Test Kit is an effective mold detection kit that includes everything you need to test for elevated levels of mold in your indoor air or on belongings. Each kit includes 6 mold test plates, as well as detailed instructions on how to perform a test for the presence of mold in your indoor air or on specific items and/or surfaces. It takes just a few minutes to test, and you can use the package insert to read your results in just 5 days.

Note: This is NOT a diagnostic test and does NOT provide information as to the species or types of mold present. This test kit does not include laboratory analysis.

Learn More or Buy Now

The EC3 Mold Screening Test Kit is exactly what the name implies. It is a screening tool you can use to show if you have a mold problem and possibly what room it is in.

Each kit contains 6 mold test plates and detailed directions to test indoor air or specific items for the presence of mold. This form of culture testing takes just minutes to perform, and will provide accurate, conclusive information to help protect you and your family’s health in just 5 days. Results will confirm if mold has reached unhealthy levels with allergy and disease implications.

Pros of the EC3 Mold Screening Test Kit

  • The test kit not only shows you if you have a problem but also the severity of the problem.
  • Easy to use
  • Accurate
  • Results in 5-7 days
  • Clear directions
  • Can be used to test the air or surface samples

Cons of the EC3 Mold Screening Test Kit

  • You can’t send the mold test plates in for analysis.
  • The test only shows IF you have a problem and not the types of mold.
  • You may misinterpret the levels of mold that grow.
  • The kit is not certified by the American Industrial Hygiene Association.

Average Price Of The EC3 Mold Screening Test Kit

You can grab a 6 pack for $36.

The EMMA Combo Test

EMMA Combo Test
$399.00

The Environmental Mold and Mycotoxin Assessment or EMMA Combo uses sensitive molecular detection technology to look for the presence of 12 of the most toxigenic molds AND 16 of the most poisonous mycotoxins in a dust sample or in material from AC or heater filters. 


Learn More or Buy Now

The EMMA Combo test is designed to look for 15 molds and 16 mycotoxins that are the most toxicogenic. It determines their presence and relative abundance using its patented Mycotoxin detection technology.  This environmental mycotoxin test provides a comprehensive diagnostic of not only which molds you are being exposed to, reported in fungal elements/ml instead of spores/ml, but also measures the degree to which you are being exposed. This, along with additional optimizations that RealTime Labs scientists have performed, will give the test much greater sensitivity to help identify mold issues that were previously unknown and undetectable. 

Testing couldn’t be easier, only requiring a small cut out of an HVAC filter or a swab of dust from an area you can see or suspect mold to be present in. The kit is packaged with two sterile swabs and a sterile piece of gauze to help collect a sample. 

Pros of the EMMA

  • RealTime Laboratories is a CAP and CLIA accredited mycotoxin-testing lab
  • Easy to use
  • There is the option to send in a piece of your HVAC filter instead of using the swab
  • Clear instructions and great customer support

Cons of the EMMA

  • You have to wait several weeks before getting your results
  • It might be out of reach financially

Price of the EMMA

$399

Other Home Mold Test Kits

While I do not personally use these mold test kits, here are a few additional options to check out:

If you are considering other mold testing options, please be sure to visit my mold testing page. In addition, you can learn more about mold air tests here.

Three petri dishes - one being swab as part of a DIY mold test kit

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2 Comments

  1. Kurt Brock says:

    Hi, thanks for sharing. How high is the accuracy of such kits compared to a professional inspection and mold testing service?

    Regards,
    Kurt

    1. I recommend DIY testing ONLY to determine if there might be a possible mold issue. It does not replace a professional inspection by any means. The mold test kits will tell you that you have mold but not where it is, whether or not there is an active water leak, etc…