I needed to remove mold from a hand-carved name sign my brother-in-law made for us years ago. He made it because our house can be hard to find. We hung the sign by the front door. The carved whale on the top of the sign suits the Cape Cod design of the house. Over the years, however, a dark mold slowly covered the sign, and we took it down. How could I remove it? "Mold Resources," an article on the EPA Website, says hard wooden surfaces may be cleaned with detergent and water. Absorbent surfaces , such as ceiling tiles and carpet, must be replaced. Extensive growth, such as basement walls, require professional cleaning.