Bye Bye Mold and Mildew

Being a mother of three small children it is vitally important that our home be free of mold. Everyone in our family has an extreme mold allergy and even the smallest amount of mold can cause some real issues. So how is a natural parent who wants to avoid bleaching and harsh chemicals going to handle this problem? There are a couple natural mold killing agents that I find incredibly useful.

Check out my top three natural mold killers with the pros and cons of each.

1) Vinegar. Vinegar is one of the safest cleaning agents you can use around children. It is not harmful if swallowed and does not emit or leave behind harmful residue. I use vinegar without as much as a second thought in our home. Many of you already know that vinegar makes a fantastic glass cleaner and multi-purpose cleaner, but it also kills approximately 85% of mold species. This is not a 100% but it can battle the majority of household molds. When using vinegar to kill mold do not dilute it. Just pour the white vinegar straight into a spray bottle and spray it directly on the mold. This is a great bathtub and shower cleaner.

2) Borax. I use borax to clean my clothes as a laundry booster, but it is also a fantastic mold killer. Simply mix 1 cup of borax to every gallon of water and pour into a spray bottle. Spray onto the mold and scrub. It is that simple.

3) Baking Soda. Baking soda is the perfect multi-purpose cleaner and is a mold killer. Put one to two tablespoons of baking soda into one quart of water and place in spray bottle. Spray onto moldy area and wipe clean. I typically let my solution set for 10-15 minutes before rinsing.

Many times we check our bathtubs, sinks, and showers for mold but forget some of the other common places that mold likes to hide. Under sinks, on your roofs, windows, and pipes are places mold really likes to hide. Try spraying a little of any of the solutions above under sinks and in your air ducts on a weekly basis to help avoid mold.

Mold can be tricky but when you are armed with the right cleaning agents it doesn't have to come in your way. Tilex recently started a Cancel The MoldShow in Your Bathroom Sweepstakes on their facebook page. You can give your tips for canceling mold in your bathroom and have the chance to win a number of fantastic prizes.



What is your tried and true method to keeping mold out of your home??

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Tilex blogging program, for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.