http://www.care2.com/greenliving/three-ways-to-kill-mold-naturally.html
3 Ways to Kill Mold Naturally
By Annie B. Bond
A proliferation of mold and mildew can be the hallmark of hot and humid summers. I have a friend who has green mold growing on the shoes in her closet! A humidifier might be the best help for her, but there are also three natural materials that can be used as a spray to kill mold and mildew. They are all an excellent substitute for less environmentally safe bleach.
Learn these three tricks for killing mold and mildew. One of these you most likely already have in your kitchen cupboard.
Over the years I have found three natural ingredients that kill mold: Tea tree oil (an essential oil found in most health food stores), grapefruit seed extract and vinegar. There are pros and cons of each, but all three work. Vinegar is by far the cheapest. Tea tree oil is expensive, but it is a broad spectrum fungicide and seems to kill all the mold families it contacts. The problem is that it has a very strong smell, but that dissipates in a few days. Grapefruit seed extract is also expensive, but has no smell.
Mold can be dangerous to your health, even if you aren’t allergic. Many people react to mold by getting tired and even depressed. Try to stay on top of moisture and mold as soon as either arises. Dry out anything that is damp, such as basements (use a dehumidifier) and carpets. Fix leaks in plumbing and roofs. Wipe up spills. Make sure water doesn’t escape from shower
curtains. Vigilance will pay off!
Tea Tree Treasure
Nothing natural works for mold and mildew as well as this spray. I’ve used it successfully on a moldy ceiling from a leaking roof,
on a musty bureau, a musty rug and a moldy shower curtain. Tea tree oil is expensive, but a little goes a very long way. Note that the smell of tea tree oil is very strong, but it will dissipate in a few days.
2 teaspoons tea tree oil
2 cups water
Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse. Makes about 2 cups, lasts indefinitely.
Grapefruit Seed Extract
The advantage of using grapefruit seed extract instead of tea tree oil for killing mold is that it is odorless.
20 drops grapefruit seed extract
2 cups water
Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse. Makes about 2 cups, lasts indefinitely.
Vinegar Spray
Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour some white distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy area, and let set without rinsing if you can put up with the smell. It will dissipate in a few hours.
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123 comments
add your comment »Dehumidifers are kind of hard to find and can be pricey. They usually cost $150 plus.
Does anyone know of a good source for those little packs that they put in shoe boxes and vitamin bottles to suck up moisture?
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Vinegar, tea tree and grapefruit are all AH-mazing and have endless benefits! There really isn't a need for any other cleaners (except maybe baking soda!) if you have a supply of white vinegar!
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Yes, vinegar is very good for all sorts of things. For instance, when I start having a sore throat, I gargle with warm water with a bit of vinegar inside. It works wonders.
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add a few drops of peppermint oil to the vinegar and it will help with the smell. Vinegar and Peppermint oil are both great anti microbials. (Vinegar is the best, most effective anti-microbial you can get).
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Too much spam in this thread. Air conditioning is huge waste and causes as much as 2/3 of the energy waste and pollution of the summer months. It is also unhealthy for other reasons.
Sunlight and good ventilation should be more than adequate, if not you need to look into your problem deeper not just keep throwing money and energy at as so many lazy americans have been conditioned to do.
Four other natural antifungals that can be used to clean at various times and places:
Walnut hulls from black walnut
Garlic
Eucalyptus
Fermented Urine (essentially ammonia)
And Peroxide is not a natural substance, even if it is eco friendly.
Now How do I get rid of all these quotes from Chopra every time I post something?
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Hydrogen Peroxide
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Thanks for these good tips. I like cleaning with vinegar, but didn't realize it's mold killing properties. Thanks for sharing.
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You wrote "I have a friend who has green mold growing on the shoes in her closet! A humidifier might be the best help for her" but I think you meant to write "dehumidifier". If your friend uses a humidifier, she will get even more mold!
I live in Japan, and here the mold is everywhere for more than half of the year. We have the rainy season right now, and the temperature is already in the 90s, and after that in July and August it will go even hotter and with more than 90% humidity level. Great environment for mold. It's everywhere. And I'm constantly battling with it. One of the solutions is to keep all windows and doors opened so have a constant air flow, and also to keep things clean. Mold tends to cling to the tiniest stain.
I am often very depressed. I did not know that mold could also be one of the factors.
Anyway, for people worried about mold inside their body, eat yogurt! Probiotics are know to fight mold. Yeasts and molds are mortal enemies.
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Can anyone help? I picked up two beautiful heavy leather suitcases. Problem is there is some black mold on it and probably has been there for awhile as they have been stored for years. Also some faint water stains. Is there a natural treatment to remove it or at least get the worst of it off? I can't bear to part with them when there may be some solution out there. Thank you to anyone with advice, I am so afraid of ruining them with my own ideas. :}
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I tried vinegar spray yesterday with no results :-( although I left it for several hours and was very generous with application.
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