How to clean mould in the home

Mould can be invisible but once it grows those dark patches become unsightly. It is important to remove and clean mould as soon as you see it, as it can be harmful to your health.

Mould is appearing in the most unlikeliest of places due to the continuous rainfall we’ve had. Mould thrives in damp areas. Damp happens when warm air hits cold surfaces. 

Mould is no only unsightly but it can smell and ultimately be very bad for your health. 

Mould can irritate the eyes, nose, lungs, and skin and if you have asthma it may worsen the symptoms. For this reason it’s really important to regularly clean to help prevent the mould from appearing. And if you do see it, clean it away quickly. 

Mould can appear even in the most cleanest of homes. I have had mould in my home. I found it on my fridge a few days ago, even though mould shouldn’t be able to survive on metal, my fridge was a little dusty and from the weather had water droplets from condensation which the mould loved. I’ve also found it on my blinds as I often keep windows open (I love fresh air), and also on some of my wicker items I have around the home. 

I cleaned my fridge using the Astonish Mould & Mildew Stain Blaster. Although I threw the wicker basket, pictured above, out as it was not saveable. 

There are several ways you can prevent mould from appearing in your home. 

  • use a dehumidifer to reduce the humidity in the air. 
  • keep all windows and doors closed to stop the warm humid air getting inside
  • avoid using your clothes dryer
  • use moisture absorbers in your cupboards, acts as a natural sponge to absorb moisture. 

TIPS FOR CLEANING AWAY MOULD

It’s important to know mould can be invisible, so regular dusting, vacuuming and cleaning helps prevent mould from settling and growing. Mould can thrive on many surfaces such as wood, paper, walls, blinds, clothes, prams, lunchboxes, washing machine seals, food or dusty wet areas. 

1.

Remove and clean mould once you see it
Along with helping to reduce symptoms that can be brought on by mould, it can stain surfaces and may be hard to remove if left too long. 
 

2.

Never brush it away
Brushing mould will spread mould spours throughout your home.
 

3.

Do not vacuum
Vacuuming mould will also throw mould spours into the air, to land in other places and for you to breathe. If you do vacuum mould please clean your vacuum filter throughly after use. 
 

4.

Clean with a paper towel
I prefer to use a paper towel to clean the mould as I can then throw it away. Alternatively, you could use a reusable cloth to clean away mould however, ensure you soak your cloth in vinegar for an hour or overnight to kill and prevent mould growth on your cloth, a strucket would be ideal for this.
 

5.

Understanding bleach cleaners
Bleach or cleaners containing bleach will make the mould disappear, but it won’t kill it. The mould will come back. If using bleach try the vinegar solution below to kill the mould. This Astonish Mould and Mildew Stain Blast is my go-to spray to have on hand if needed. 
 

6.

Kill mould using my ‘Mould Be Gone Spray‘ DIY recipe

Vinegar is a natural cleaner and I promise you the vinegar smell will disappear within 20 seconds. Start by trying to kill the mould by adding 1 part vinegar, 1 part water and a few drops of dishwashing detergent to a spray bottle. The vinegar will help kill the mould and the detergent will clean the surface. If this does not work you may need to try a solution of bleach followed by the vinegar spray to kill the mould.

7.

Use Clove oil

Clove oil is also a very popular product known to kill mould, I’ve never had success; however, I also really don’t like the smell, but I believe many find success using clove oil to remove and clean mould. 

8.

Don’t oversaturate the area

It’s important to not saturate your already mouldy surface, especially wooden surfaces. Spray your cleaning solution onto a paper towel then clean the surface. Ensure the surface is dried thoroughly after cleaning. 

Removing mould from clothes

Vinegar is an excellent mould killer especially to remove the stain from clothes. Soak mouldy clothes in a bucket of water with 1-2 cups of vinegar. Washing in the washing machine with detergent on a regular cycle using cold water. Dry in the sun to help further kill any bacteria.

 

FROM MY SHOP
Astonish Mould & Mildew Stain Blaster
Bamboo Charcoal Air Purifying Bags
Strucket Bucket, perfect for soaking
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