Non Toxic Cleaning Products For Mold & Mildew

Sometimes it's hard to know which can pose a greater health hazard---toxic chemicals in cleaning products or the spores released by household mold and mildew. Fortunately, several natural and inexpensive cleaning agents remove mold without harming the environment or your family's health. Use them to fight mold and mildew throughout the house, paying special attention to shower stalls, cabinets under kitchen and bathroom sinks, and in basements.

Vinegar

Common white vinegar kills 82 percent of household mold strains, according to National Geographic's online "Green Guide." Put white vinegar in a spray bottle and spritz it over mold and mildew in your kitchen and bathrooms. Wipe off with a damp sponge.

Essential Oils

Tea tree oil works well for mold strains which don't respond to vinegar. Put 2 cups of plain water in a spray bottle with 2 tsp tea tree essential oil, spray the liquid on the moldy area, and wait 30 minutes before wiping off. For large areas, use warm water and additional tea tree oil, dip a scrub brush into the liquid and scrub well. Other essential oils which may prove useful include cajeput, nialouli, thyme and rosemary oils, notes aromatherapist Jeanne Rose. Use rubber gloves to avoid skin irritation.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Turn to hydrogen peroxide rather than bleach to scrub mildew from grout and faucets. Unlike bleach, hydrogen peroxide enters the water system as harmless oxygen. The University of Utah suggests mixing one part hydrogen peroxide--buy the 3 percent formula--to two parts water in a spray bottle. Spray all over the shower stall or other problem area, wait at least one hour, then sponge or rinse off.

Borax

Dissolve 2 cups borax in 1 gallon of warm water to address mold and mildew in cement basements, bathtubs, shower stalls and shower curtains. Use a scouring brush or pad for tough stains on curtains or on scratch-resistant surfaces.

Baking Soda and Lemon

Utilize baking soda's scrubbing texture and nontoxic cleaning properties, as well as lemon-juice's natural acidity, to fight mold and mildew. Mix the two together to form a paste. Apply on mold-ridden surfaces, leave overnight and wipe off. Alternatively, sprinkle baking soda on a cut lemon and use the lemon in place of a sponge when scrubbing problem areas.