Inside: Non-toxic mold remover recipe using Tea Tree Oil.
Mold is often found in homes and can be dealt with easily with all-purpose cleaners. Black mold on the other hand is harder to eliminate and can cause serious health issues. There are many products on the market that promise to kill black mold but very few are capable of doing the job thoroughly as I came to discover a few years ago.
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There is only one thing that can successfully eliminate black mold from your home and that is Tea Tree Oil. With its anti-fungal properties, it will kill the mold spores and prevent further spread of the issue. As a natural solution, you avoid the use of harsh chemicals with toxic fumes and keep your home and the environment safer.
Having tried all other methods, I can wholly recommend it as a solution and hopefully sharing this recipe will solve your mold problem quickly too.
What is Black mold?
Black mold, or stachybotrys chartarum, is just one of the many different types of mold and appears like a green, grey or black slime.
It is most often found in damp areas of buildings, including:
- In showers or around the bath
- Under sinks
- Within walls that house water pipes
- Near air-conditioning units
- Around windows
- In basements
- Under damp flooring
Mold thrives in damp areas, those with little air flow – so often in hard to reach areas. Bedrooms and bathrooms are hotspots due to the high humidity in those rooms. The bathroom is obvious of course, but did you know that we each breathe out 3-4 litres of vapour in our sleep? All of that hot damp air hits the window and causes condensation, which can then result in mold forming on window frames or elsewhere in our bedrooms.
Is black mold harmful?
As a one off occurrence it isn’t anything to be worried about and can be cleaned away easily. The harm comes when there is prolonged exposure – most commonly due to the fact that people may be unaware of its presence or its harmful nature.
The spores are an allergen, so when inhaled from the air can cause respiratory issues such as asthma attacks, a chronic cough, sneezing and eye irritation. The effects vary from person to person, depending on their overall health. Someone with asthma may notice effects within an hour or so whereas someone with no long term conditions may never have any symptoms at all.
With prolonged exposure, a persistent headache, shortness of breath, chronic fatigue and other respiratory problems can begin to appear as symptoms – again it depends on overall health as to how severe, with the elderly, those with allergies or with other preexisting conditions being worse affected.
There are split opinions on whether black mold can kill you, but if left untreated and symptoms continue to worsen then your immune system would be seriously impacted and this could lead to future health problems.
Why is black mold hard to eliminate?
When we had a slow leak from a pipe under the floorboards in our bathroom, we were completely unaware of the black mould that was forming in the damp conditions. It was only when I began to smell mould, get headaches and finally noticed a damp patch forming on the ceiling below that we opened up the floor.
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When the floorboards were lifted we found huge patches of black mold that spread over almost the entire space below. The ceiling below was removed and had to be left to dry out before a new ceiling could be put in place again. Not only that but we had to kill the mould too or else it would reappear again.
Many products will remove the visual surface mold but will not remove the spores that spread their roots into porous surfaces. And this is where the problem lies.
If a product is bleach based then it is fine for cleaning non-porous surfaces like sinks or glass shower screens but will not be able to kill the root of the spore in grout, sealant or something like floorboards or ceiling plaster.
Worse still, most bleach products are actually 90% water based and so will contribute to further spread of the spores which love damp conditions.
Instead, you need to use a solution that will penetrate down to the root, eliminating the spores for good.
What is Tea Tree Oil?
Tea Tree Oil is an essential oil, made from the distillation of leaves from the Melaleuca Alternifolia tree found in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. It has long been used in herbal medicine to treat fungal or bacterial infections such as dandruff, acne and scabies, although there is is not enough official evidence to prove that it is effective.
Its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties also make it the ideal cleaning agent too as it will kill off germs!
It’s important to note that it is toxic if ingested so should be kept away from animals and children, as well as from your own mouth if using it to treat spots or other skin conditions on the face.
How does Tee Tree Oil kill black mold?
Tea Tree Oil has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties and will penetrate down into the porous surfaces to kill the mold spores at the root. All you have to do is make up a solution with water (or you can use white vinegar if you prefer) and spray it onto the affected area. You can also spray it onto a cloth and use it to wipe down surfaces that are likely candidates for mould as a preventative measure.
We had tried various products that had removed the black discolouration but failed to remove the root. We could tell this from the smell that lingered and the fact that the black patches would reappear. Once I’d discovered the powers of Tea Tree Oil we were able to avoid another serious mold problem, allow the area to dry out and have a new ceiling put up.
Tee Tree Mould Remover Solution
The best way to kill and prevent toxic mold is to use tea tree oil.
Depending on what you need the solution for, you may wish to scale up the measurements (as we did for spraying an entire ceiling cavity).
Method:
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Add 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil to 1 cup of water (or scale up as necessary).
Add the solution into a spray bottle and spray over the moldy surface. There is no need to wipe it or rinse it as the tea tree will sit on the surface, kill the mould and prevent any further spread.
You could also use a damp cloth dipped into the solution to wipe surfaces as part of a maintenance routine. Just remember to wear protective gloves so that you do not get any skin irritation on your hands.
Note: The smell of Tea Tree is quite potent and will linger for a few days. However, it will dissipate in time leaving your house free from mould and the dangers it brings.
How to remove mold stains
If you have any moldy area with unsightly mold or mildew stains, you can make up a cleaning scrub to lift them right out.
Method:
Add 1/2 cup white vinegar into the spray bottle followed by 2 tablespoons of baking soda. It will fizz up at first but once it has settled, add in 10 drops of the Tea Tree oil. Use a scrub brush to work the mixture into the stain and then leave it for an hour or so to allow it to get to work. The baking soda will lift out the mold stains with its abrasive qualities, the vinegar is a great cleaning agent due to its high acidity, and the Tea Tree will ensure you don’t have a mold issue in that area again.
How to prevent black mold in the future
The best way to deal with household mold is to stop it growing in the first place. This can be achieved by regular cleaning of the surfaces in your home that are often damp, using the cleaning solutions above to wipe down window frames, grout and sealant in bathrooms and any other rooms that you’ve discovered an issue in the past.
If you air your clothes indoors, make sure you keep the air flowing well with windows open to allow the damp air to escape. Opening up your windows and doors regularly to air the house is a good idea anyway to keep allergens at bay and to freshen rooms each morning – especially bedrooms that will be full of the stagnant air of the night before.
Air conditioners and air dehumidifiers are great for keeping humidity low or if you don’t have the money or space for larger equipment, these dehumidifier pots work great! Simply place on close to the affected area and it will absorb the moisture from the air.
As well as hard surfaces, mold can affect material such as clothing, upholstery and carpets. Avoiding carpets in rooms such as bathrooms and entryways will help keep risks of mold infestation low. You can also buy hanging moisture remover sachets to place inside wardrobes to protect your clothes. They key is to keep materials clean and dry so conditions are unfavourable for all mold species.
Hopefully this will give you an idea of the severity of black mold in the home but also give you the tools you need to deal with it quickly and effectively.
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Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Recipe
