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Keep Mold & Mildew at Bay with These Green Cleaning Secrets

Apr 29 by 12 Comments

Keep Mold & Mildew at Bay with These

Keep Mold & Mildew at Bay with These Green Cleaning Secrets

If you’ve ever had mold or mildew you know how unsightly it is. But, did you know it also has detrimental effects on your health? People with compromised immune systems, the elderly and infants are especially susceptible.

Left untreated, growing mold can cause a variety of health problems:

  • Allergic type reactions (such as nasal stuffiness, scratchy throat, coughing, sneezing)
  • Mental fog
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Itchy and irritated skin conditions (if you come in contact with it)
  • Aggravate and worsen asthma conditions
  • Respiratory infections
  • Lung damage

Mold and mildew may be in your home without you even realizing it. It tends to grow in damp, humid places, like the bathroom, or around leaky pipes or windows. Mold looks like green or black dots, and sometimes grows in a circular pattern.

You might not see the mold if it’s growing under the sink or in the basement but if it has been growing in an enclosed space you will definitely be able to smell it. Mold and mildew have a strong musty odor.

Since mold is hazardous to your health it’s advisable to protect yourself when cleaning it by wearing gloves, a mask or respirator and eye protection. In fact, mold can be so dangerous that if the area of your mold problem is more than 3 square feet you should consider hiring a professional.

If you choose to do the cleanup yourself, you have a few “green” options. You probably have some of these products in your cupboards already.

Vinegar & Baking Soda Paste

Items you will need:

  • ½ cup white distilled vinegar
  • 1 cup baking soda
  • A toothbrush, applicator or cheap paint brush you can throw away afterwards
  • 1 gallon hot water
  • 2 Tbsp. liquid castile soap
  • Bucket
  • Cloth

Combine baking soda and vinegar in a bowl. Be careful because vinegar and baking soda will fizz and overflow if you do not add it slowly. Once you have a thick paste you can take your applicator and apply generously over the mold spots. Allow it to dry overnight.

Then, add hot water and liquid castile soap to your bucket and use your cloth to remove the dried paste.

Tea Tree Oil Spray

Items you will need:

  • 16 oz. spray bottle
  • 2 tsp. tea tree oil
  • Warm water
  • Cloth

Add water and tea tree oil to your spray bottle and liberally spray on effected area. Leave on for 30 minutes and wipe with damp cloth. Tea tree oil has a very strong scent but it will dissipate in a few hours.

** Don’t forget your protective gear.

This should remove the mold and mildew. But once you have a mold or mildew occurrence it is likely it will return without regular care. Regular care can mean cleaning up to once a month or more depending on the level of humidity. It’s much easier to keep up with the regular cleanings than having to deal with the mold problems.

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Filed Under: DIY, Frugal Living, Lifestyle

Comments

  1. veronica lee says

    May 1, 2015 at 8:37 am

    Thanks for this useful tip. Pinnned this – https://www.pinterest.com/pin/182114378658596673/
    Hi! Stopping by from Mom Bloggers Club. Great blog!
    Have a nice day!

  2. Mai T. says

    May 6, 2015 at 1:38 am

    Tea Tree Oil Spray is such a creatively easy one! I need to print this out to use in the future. Thanks for the tips!

  3. Rita Corey says

    May 7, 2015 at 10:50 pm

    I love these green cleaning tips. I live in south Florida and I am constantly battling mildew in the bathrooms. I hate using the commercial cleaners because the fumes are toxic and affect the whole family. I’m definitely going to try these out. Thanks.

  4. Kimberly says

    May 9, 2015 at 7:12 am

    I love this! I have fibromyalgia and other health issues, I have to be careful with fragrances that can flare up. I have been cleaning with Dawn and warm vinegar for several years. Any tips and recipes are so nice to get when you have to make homemade.

  5. Ann H says

    May 9, 2015 at 4:21 pm

    Thank you for sharing!

  6. Melissa S says

    May 9, 2015 at 10:31 pm

    I am going to have to try the tea tree oil option since I have all of the ingredients on hand. Thank you for posting.

  7. Megan A says

    May 10, 2015 at 1:06 pm

    Vinegar & Baking Soda Paste is my favorite thing ever, I use it often!!

  8. Starla B says

    May 12, 2015 at 5:56 pm

    I have never used any of these but I am definitely going to pin this post. These sound wonderful and I have a list of housework to do! xo

  9. krystel says

    May 12, 2015 at 8:47 pm

    really great diy green cleaning tips thats really good rather then wasting your money at the store

  10. Megan A says

    May 13, 2015 at 6:44 pm

    I need to do this to my boyfriend’s bathroom, pronto!!

  11. Edna Williams says

    January 7, 2016 at 5:40 am

    Thanks for the tips!

Trackbacks

  1. How to get Mildew Smell out of Towels Quickly says:
    January 2, 2016 at 10:57 pm

    […] used towels lying around can give off a nauseating smell. Often enough, the smell is caused by mildew that sets in after use, and isn’t very easy to get rid of. Washing your towels a few […]

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