Simple Ways to Prevent and Remove Mould in Your Home

Bonjour Cherie, explore these handy tips to help you prevent pesky mould from making an unwanted appearance in your home. The simple tips are mostly natural and low cost and they work.

Mould loves to grow in damp dark places with high humidity and little air. The golden rules to keep your home free from mould are ensuring there is plenty of air circulating and allowing light to shine in the space – two beautiful natural resources we all have access to freely.

Daily Habits to prevent mould from growing

Make it a daily habit to open windows and doors to keep fresh air circulating in your home. Cross breezes are fabulous to keep the air flowing (and can also remove cooking odours that may linger in your home).

Allowing plenty of light in for periods of the day is essential. Open blinds and curtains to allow the sun to stream in, being mindful to close the blinds again to avoid any sun damage if strong sunlight is constant.

After being in the shower or bathroom as well as in the kitchen, turn on an exhaust fan if you have one and open the windows to allow trapped steam to escape.

Ensure your clothes and shoes are dry before putting them away and keep your wardrobe and cupboard doors open regularly to air them. Leaving closets and cupboards open for a period of the day may seem unnatural as it appears untidy but you will get used to it and they can be closed later in the day.

Chemical free, easy solutions to removing household mould ~ Oil of Cloves

There are natural remedies for removing mould once it appears. According to author of the book Spotless, Shannon Lush, oil of cloves is a popular remedy for mould, particularly on hard surfaces. Oil of cloves is known for killing mould spores rather than say just bleaching them, which is what common cleaning agents will do.

Shannon recommends using a solution made up of 1/4 teaspoon of oil of cloves per litre of water (do not make it stronger as it will be no more effective and can damage surfaces). Popped in a spray bottle, the clove oil solution can be applied to the mould area as a mist and left overnight. Wipe the dead mould off the next day with white vinegar. Buy oil of cloves at a chemist or anywhere that sells natural essences, just be mindful to follow any safety instructions.

Use a salt solution to remove mould from fabrics

Seek professional advice on delicate fabrics. However, for mould spots on general fabrics and soft surfaces, Shannon suggests soaking them in a salt solution. Mix one kilo of non-iodised cooking salt to nine litres of water. Soak the fabric items overnight and then allow it to drip dry on the clothesline.

To remove mould from large fabric items and canvas, such as a beach umbrella, camping gear or outside furniture,  generously paint the salt solution over the fabric with a paint brush or broom and leave to dry until salt crusts form. The mould and salt crusts can then be brushed off with a soft brush.

If it’s your good jacket or child’s uniform blazer, brush off the mould and take to a dry cleaner as soon as possible to avoid permanent staining and store in an airy cupboard that’s had mould removed.

Other remedies include placing moisture absorbents in key areas. If your absorbent has a cloth cover, add a drop of lavender to it. Regularly using a dehumidifier and fan to circulate the air is a useful effective way to keep the environment free from damp.

For serious issues such as rising damp speak to a specialist.

Final word, keeping your home light and air as possible is key to preventing mould and being mindful that mould is a sneaky pest that needs to be managed. Once all is done for the day, have a relaxing cup of tea.

With thanks to Sayaka of Olivermouse.1024 for her beautiful Maileg images.

With thanks to Shannon Lush Queen of Clean.

References 

Shannon Lush on Mould Prevention

Biome: Six things to Know About Using Clove Oil to Remove Mould