According to Natural Healthy Home Cleaning Tips, a website created by the Rhode Island Department of Health, mold spores can live almost anywhere, including inside your home. If you have discovered that you have mold growing, there are healthy options for removing it that do not require the use of dangerous chemicals or poisonous substances. Natural Healthy Home Cleaning Tips recommends that you find out why the mold is growing and remedy that problem as you clean the mold to prevent it from growing again.
Tea Tree Oil
Natural Healthy Home Cleaning Tips recommends tea tree oil as one of the most effective substances for cleaning up mold. Tea tree oil is expensive but a little bit goes a long way, and it will last for a long time as well. Natural Healthy Home Cleaning Tips suggests mixing 2 teaspoons of tea tree oil with 2 cups of water in a spray bottle and shaking well to mix. Then you can simply spray the mixture on any visible mold. You do not need to rinse it, and the strong smell will dissipate over the next few days.
Borax
Borax is an all-purpose cleaner and can be used to get rid of mold in showers and bathrooms, says Norma Lehmeier-Hartie, author of "Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet." According to Lehmeier-Hartie, you can mix borax and water and spray it on problem areas, or you can create a paste using a smaller amount of water and borax and apply it directly to the mold. Do not rinse the borax mixture off because the residue will fight the mold as it sits.
White Vinegar
White vinegar is another common and safe household product that can kill many types of mold that may grow in your home. Lehmeier-Hartie recommends filling a spray bottle with white vinegar and then spraying it directly on any visible mold. You can also pour white vinegar straight on larger areas of mold. Lehmeier-Hartie indicates that white vinegar is 80 percent effective in killing many common types of mold.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Jill Schoff, author of "Green Up Your Cleanup," says that hydrogen peroxide is effective at killing and getting rid of pesky mold in your home. Schoff recommends filling a spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide, spraying it directly on the mold, and letting it sit. You do not need to rinse it. Hydrogen peroxide is a safe natural cleaner that is inexpensive and highly effective at killing mold spores.
References
- Natural Healthy Home Cleaning Tips: Mold and Mildew Facts
- "Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet"; Norma Lehmeier-Hartie; 2006
- "Green Up Your Cleanup"; Jill Schoff; 2008
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