Eco-Friendly Mold Removal Tips
Few things are quite as unpleasant as uncovering a patch of mold. You might have found it while innocently moving furniture, or while trying to track down the origins of an unpleasant smell, or in the process of searching for your lost favorite coffee cup. While your instinct might be to rain down
Posted — UpdatedFirst, you need to know that mold loves warm, moist conditions, and that it can penetrate well below the surface. If, for example, you notice mold on the wall, you should be aware that it may be inside the wall as well. You need to get the area to dry out; keeping the humidity in your home low is actually a great way to prevent mold. A dehumidifier can be the best option for controlling humidity levels, although some companies also make containers full of absorbent materials that you can set out to draw water out of the air.
You'll need to be consistent and determined about bringing the humidity level down. In the short term, the goal is to stop mold growth. In the long term, you should be thinking about prevention, and you may want to take a look around the house to think about all your humidity controlling options. For example, you might need stronger fans in the bathroom and over the stove, and you could need to replace the weatherstripping around your windows. If your house is overshadowed by trees, it may be time for some strategic thinning. You should also clip undergrowth away from the walls of your home to provide lots of air circulation.
Once you have the climate under control, take at look at the mold itself. You can actually clean up and successfully kill mold with some ingredients you may have inside the medicine cabinet or in the kitchen cupboard.
Plain white vinegar is another great fungicide. As above, use it in a spray bottle to keep moisture to a minimum. The smell may make you wrinkle your nose, but think about the long-term payoff, and remember that it should clear in a few hours as the vinegar dries.
From the medicine cabinet, try the 3% hydrogen peroxide solution commonly sold in drugstores. Spray it onto the mold, allow it to sit for ten minutes, and then blot. If you need repeated applications, it's important to let the surface dry completely between sessions, and remember that hydrogen peroxide can stain, so you may want to test it on a hidden corner of the surface you're cleaning before you start spraying indiscriminately.
Baking soda and vinegar or water can make a great mold scrub, and as a bonus, it has no strong odor. It's especially useful for surfaces like grout, where mold can get into the cracks and may be hard to scrub out without a great deal of elbow grease. Try applying baking soda and vinegar, letting it sit for a minute, and then scrubbing to lift the mold deposits.