Mold is a toxin that can make you extremely sick. The sickness from mold may linger for years and shorten your life. To avoid this illness, treating the mold with natural products may be the simplest step. To start, you need to get rid of the moisture.
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Stop Water at the Source
If you’ve got mold in a basement or a crawlspace, figure out how the moisture is coming in and plug the leaks. Experts with 58 Foundations recommend you also take a look at airflow. For example, sometimes, the best option for mold removal help is relocating the insulation in your crawl space and improving the ventilation. Moist air holds moisture while cool air drops it. That’s how dew forms on grass and how moisture builds up in your crawlspace.
Bleach
Add one part bleach with three parts water and spray it on surface mold. Wear gloves, eye protection and a mask. If you have a large area to work on, spray a section, then turn on a fan to move the air while you get out and get some fresh air. Spray the next section. Once the bleach water has had a chance to soak in, scrub the surface to remove the spores.
Acid
Vinegar is a mild acid that can be sprayed on standing mold. Unlike bleach, vinegar will kill most molds at the root. Spray undiluted vinegar on the mold and let it stand for an hour. Use a fan to keep air moving; the odor from straight vinegar can be quite intense. Wipe the area with plain water, then let it dry. Once it’s dry, you may want to paint the space with a mold-killing primer.
Baking Soda
Mix 1/4 tbsp of baking soda with 8 ounces of warm water. Shake thoroughly and spray onto the mold. Scrub as you go, then rinse the space with plain water. Finally, spray the baking soda again and let it dry. While straight vinegar can be sprayed from a larger spray bottle, baking soda will be easier to keep in solution with several batches in a small bottle so you can keep shaking it up.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Spray straight hydrogen peroxide on a moldy surface. If you can, find a spray bottle top that will fit directly on your peroxide bottle; the fizzing of hydrogen peroxide can happen as you pour it into a new spray bottle and leave you with a spray bottle of water. Hydrogen peroxide can be especially effective if you can’t tolerate the scent of vinegar or bleach. Even better, once hydrogen peroxide releases its fizz when it hits your moldy surface, you don’t have to rinse the surface. If you have a very large surface to treat, this may be the most cost-effective method.
Stop the water, reduce the humidity and move the air. Protect your skin, eyes and lungs whenever you spray a caustic like bleach or an acid like vinegar. Any time you’re freeing up mold spores, you will need to mask up to avoid inhaling spores.