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1.05.2014

Eliminate Mold Naturally


Mold is scary and discovering it is never pleasant. Plus, honestly, it makes you feel like crap when you find it. First comes shock "OMG! When did this happen!" then denial "It must have happened overnight because I totally just cleaned [insert affected area here] yesterday. I like always do!" then the blame game starts "It is Twitters fault. I meant to clean the shower last week but then that thing on twitter happened and I had to follow along". Trust me. I have been there. It is always Twitters fault. 


Okay so you found mold...now what?

There are a lot of different methods to eliminate mold that accumulates in your home. Most people probably jump straight to the bottle of bleach but why exposure yourself and your family to the toxic chemicals that come with it?  There are several natural solutions that work just as good or better than bleach at eliminating mold. 

Recently I discovered mold on pretty much every window in our house thanks to the unseasonably cold temperatures we have been having. I tried 2 different methods to eliminate the mold with differing success.



Method #1 - Vinegar and Essential Oil

Pour white vinegar into a glass spray bottle and add 10 drops of any essential oil to help with the strong vinegar smell (totally optional). I added grapefruit essential oil because I love grapefruit (and it was right beside me and I didn't want to have to go back downstairs). 

Spray onto the area with mold and leave it for days. When I was researching this method this struck me as off but I figured I should actually follow the instructions so I just let it sit for days. 



After 3 days I noticed some difference but obviously the mold was still there because I had not wiped it away. I'm not sure if it is just supposed to magically disappear in some way via science but that was not the case with me.



Method #2 - Tea Tree Oil and Water

Fill a glass spray bottle with water and add 15 drops of tea tree oil. Spray onto the affected area and leave for 2 hours. Marvel in how much time you are saving over Method #1 and how you have some sense of instant gratification of how you are an awesome problem solver.

Wipe the affected areas up with a cloth. I opted to use my supply of paper towel that I reserve for bacon because I honestly did not want to be reusing cloths after them coming in contact with mold...no matter how much I would wash them.  If the area has completely dried them spray a bit more of the tea tree oil and water mix on to make the cleanup easier.

For those hard to reach areas like the crevasses and corners of the windows use a toothbrush or q-tip. 



These methods do not need to be used only for getting rid of mold on windows. They would also work on your shower and bathtubs, fabric and pretty much any other sealed service.


Mold Prevention

Mold can have a impact on your health and the severity can very from minimal to severe based on your sensitivity to mold. It can cause stuffiness, coughing, wheezing, eye irritation and even depression.  It is important that when you discover mold you not only clean it up but prevent if from coming back. 

Prevent Mold from Developing
* Use your ventilation fans for at least 30 minutes after using the shower.
* Ensure your house is at the proper humidity levels.
* Open your windows! Even in the winter...just a few minutes helps.
* Clean up any accumulated water and condensation.
* Leave your front loader washing machine door open when not in use.
* Stretch your shower curtain out after use to allow it to dry.
* Leave the shower door open after use to allow proper air circulation.
* Wash dehumidifiers with vinegar a few times a month.


Have you ever discovered mold? What did you do to eliminate and prevent it?

Related Posts - Check them Out!
Essential Oils for Beginners
Stripping Your Clothes Without Chemicals
Kicking Toxic Air Freshener to the Curb

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12 comments:

  1. I'm glad to see that the tea tree oil worked so well! Mold is the one thing that I result to a little bleach to get rid of, but if the natural way works, I'll use that instead!

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  2. Following our conversation the other day, I have noticed that pretty much ALL our windows and patio doors have some mold. I'll definitely be using my EO an vinegar to clean them!

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  3. @Connie - Let me know how you make out if you ever have to use EO's to get rid of mold.

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  4. Seriously - TTO is a life saver! That is a dramatic difference. I will definitely keep it in mind.

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  5. I'm going to admit to using diluted bleach on the grout in my shower. But after seeing your photos, I am going to try tea tree oil. Thank you!

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  6. I went bleach-tastic on the baseboard behind the dresser that I discovered the other day. I was just doing an innocent end-of-the-night sweep up, and I think I raged at the mold

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  7. I'm allergic to mold. I've used the tea tree method and liked it. But all in all mold is hard to get rid of it. By the eye it may appear to be gone, but my body tells me another thing. Thanks so much for taking the time to discuss this very important topic, I greatly appreciate it.

    Barbie
    barbiesbeautybitsblogger

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  8. Hydrogen peroxide will also work wonders.

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  9. Oil of clove is supposed to work. Spray on, leave to dry (a day or two) and wipe away.

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  10. Vinegar is used to kill the mold, rather than for cleaning it. It is a mild acid and will cause the mold cell walls to explode but it does not remove the mold. You don't need to leave it for longer than a couple of hours and then you can wipe it off. If using in the bathroom, you can add bicarb soda which helps with the scrubbing. Clove oil and Tea tree oil do a similar job. Bleach often does not kill the mold, it simply removes the surface stain so you can't see it anymore.

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    Replies
    1. In my experience I had to leave it on for longer than I anticipated to get it to work. Each situation will be different.

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  11. Oil of cloves will actually kill mold spores so greatly reducing a recurrence. Simply mix 10ml with 1ltr of water in a spray bottle and leave over night then wash.
    For items where you cant use water such as leather mix 5ml with 500ml of baby oil.

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