Got Mold?

One of the least favorite, but very common, house cleaning challenges is getting rid of mold. A particularly nasty strain of mold (often seen in bathrooms in tightly enclosed spaces with little air circulation) is an icky black buildup.

If you have major mold and mildew buildup, I recommend starting in a totally dry environment. For example, if your shower stall is used only in the morning, then wait to clean until the evening, when the stall has completely dried out. All you need is a pair of rubber gloves and a bag of fine-grade steel wool. Rub the steel wool back and forth along grout lines (and anywhere else you have mold and mildew buildup), which will generate a “powdery dust”. When you are finished, rinse it away with water. This will remove the visible mold and mildew.

After rinsing, I suggest following up with a solution of a natural mold preventative to help keep the icky buildup from growing back. My default “concoction” is 8 oz. of white vinegar, 2 teaspoons of tea tree essential oil and 12 drops of grapefruit seed extract in a spray bottle. Keep it in the shower and spray a light mist over all surfaces a few times each week right after showering. I HATE the smell of vinegar, so I like that the tea tree essential oil helps give it a more medicinal scent.

Green Guide’s Tip of the Week also suggests a similar (allbeit, more conservative, approach).   Natural, environmentally safe and super cheap, it’s all good!