It’s unsightly, smells, and can make you sick. Mould is the last thing you want to find in your Seattle home. If caught quickly, however, it should be easy to remove by yourself. No matter where you find mould in your home, there are safe, effective ways to remove it from a variety of household materials and to prevent it from coming back.
All you need are some basic household supplies and a general understanding of what mould is and what kills mould to get your house back to its original mould-free condition.
What Is Mould?
First of all, what is this nasty household infestation called mould? Mould is a fungus made up of minuscule living organisms that thrive in moist environments like your damp bathroom or basement. Mould and its spores are everywhere. There are over 100,000 types of mould, and every homeowner finds at least one type in their home at some point.
Many types of mould are harmless, even useful–others are dangerous. Either way, you don’t want it in your home. Mould breaks down matter, triggers allergies, and can make people sick. It also looks like soil build-up.
Because mould is a living organism, the best methods for getting rid of it involve killing and removing the mould; otherwise, it will come back quickly. As long as household mould is contained to a small area, you should be able to do this yourself.
What Kills Mould: Bleach vs Vinegar
Uh oh, you found mould. What do you do? Most homeowners’ response is to douse it in bleach or another cleaning chemical. Unfortunately, while these cleaners are toxic to you and your family, they don’t do much to mould. The real mould killer is vinegar.
How does vinegar kill mould when harsh chemicals can’t? Well, bleach can clean off surface mould, but its chemical structure prevents it from permeating porous materials where mould spores have dug in deep and built a protective membrane. It just can’t get to the root of the problem.
Vinegar, on the other hand, can penetrate porous materials and attack the mould membrane with its acidity, effectively killing the entire mould colony so no surviving spores can reproduce and grow back. Bleach might clean a mouldy surface temporarily, but vinegar can wipe it out completely.
How to Get Rid of Mould with Vinegar and Other All-natural Solutions
So now that you know bleach doesn’t work, you’re probably wondering how to get rid of mould with vinegar and if that’s the only solution.
Good questions! Vinegar is very easy to use on mould, and there are other equally easy and effective non-toxic mold killers you can try as well. Here are the best all-natural ways to get rid of mould in your Seattle home:
Vinegar: Simply put some vinegar in a spray bottle and generously spray the mouldy surface. Let the vinegar sit for at least an hour while it works its magic. Finally, wipe the area with water and a cloth or paper towels and let air dry. That’s it!
Hydrogen peroxide: Hydrogen peroxide is an antifungal that works similarly to vinegar on hard surfaces. Pour 3% concentration hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle, soak the mouldy surface, and let it sit for 10 minutes. Scrub off the mould and wipe everything down to remove any residue.
Baking soda: This mild ingredient has the right pH to effectively kill mould without being dangerous to pets and people. Just mix a quarter of a tablespoon of baking soda in a spray bottle of water and spray the mouldy area. Scrub the area and rinse with water. Then spray the area again and let it dry. If any residue remains, wipe it off with a damp cloth.
Tea tree oil: You may not have this in your cupboard, but you can find tea tree oil at health food stores or online. It is a very effective fungicide that can be used to kill mould. Mix two teaspoons of tea tree oil with two cups of water in a spray bottle. Spray the mould and let it sit for 24 hours. Clean off the dead mould.
