Homemade Anti-Mold Spray & Bathroom Cleaner + 10 Ways to Reduce Moisture in Your Home and Clean Your Indoor Air

MOLD is not my friend.  It's not welcome in my home and never will be.  I have lived in 2 rentals that had serious mold problems - one had toxic mold {aka black mold, Stachybotrys} discovered after 2 years of living there and one had massive amounts of Aspergillus penicillium and Cladosporium which developed over time.  

[Serious mold problems need to be dealt with by a licensed mold professional.  Do not let anyone who is not a licensed mold professional {including you, a landlord, contractor, etc.} start removing anything {walls, flooring, carpet, wallpaper, etc.} or disturbing the mold, this will only further damage your home and your health.]   

Most homes have common household mold from time to time, especially in bathrooms.  It's important to clean them as often as possible and as soon as you see the mold before it becomes a problem.

VINEGAR + TEA TREE ESSENTIAL OIL = BEST MOLD CLEANER 

Both vinegar and tea tree essential oil are known for killing mold.  Combining the two makes one powerful mold killer.

Homemade Anti-Mold Spray & Bathroom Cleaner

Use for preventing mold buildup, cleaning mold, killing mold and also as a common household cleaner and disinfectant. 

You'll Need:

• Distilled White Vinegar 
• Tea Tree Essential Oil or Medieval Blend Essential Oil
• Water
• Empty, Clean Spray Bottle

Instructions:

1. Fill empty spray bottle at least half full with vinegar {if you can stand the vinegar smell, I usually make mine a bit stronger with an 80:20 ratio of vinegar and water instead of 50:50}.

2. Fill the rest of the spray bottle with water, leaving about a 1 inch gap at the top of the bottle.

3. Add drops of essential oil{s} - 1 teaspoon of essential oil for every 1 cup of vinegar/water solution.  

How To Use:

• When ready to use the cleaner, shake vigorously to combine the essential oils throughout the mixture.  Spray on surface to clean.  
• To kill mold - generously spray on showers, shower doors, walls, tubs, etc. and LET SIT as a preventative, do not wipe down.  The smell will be strong but it will go away.  

Tip: Large stores like Target usually carry 1 gallons of white vinegar for around $2-3.  This is the best price that I have found for vinegar anywhere.  

If you still find that you're having trouble cleaning mold in your bathroom, here's a great household cleaning tool that helps remove/clean mold {using very hot steam}.  It's great for cleaning floors, tile, grout, etc.  It even removes rust and organic matter.


Ways to Reduce Moisture in Your Home

• Use Dehumidifers to dry out dampness.  Look for mini dehumidifers for small rooms or regular dehumidifers for larger spaces.
• If you have a water leak, fix is immediately.
• Use fans and/or ceiling fans to keep air circulating in your home, cross ventilation is very important.
• Open your windows and let the light in!  Sunshine helps dry out moisture. 
• Use moisture absorbers {like these natural bamboo charcoal bags} in your home, specifically in areas that gather the most moisture.  They are commonly made from charcoal, rock salt, clay etc.    

To Help Clean Your Indoor Household Air

• I highly recommend using True HEPA Air Filtration Purifiers {not HEPA-Type}.  They are portable and can be moved from room to room.  It's especially important to use in the room{s} you sleep in.  I use this one in Little Love's bedroom.  Look for models that work for the space you need like this one for medium size rooms.
• Change your indoor filters every 1-3 months {1-2 months is ideal}, and always when the season changes.  Replace with high quality filters, not the cheap ones that don't clean the air {cheap ones won't help you save money on your electric bill either}.  Make sure to look for brands that filter mold, viruses, dander, etc.  I use these high quality filters.    
• Open your windows to get fresh air as much as possible.  Outdoor air quality is usually better than indoor air quality. 
• Use Nebulizer Diffuzers with essential oils to clean the air.  I recommend using essential oils like Medieval, Thieves , or Germ Fighter Synergy which are known to kill mold in the air as well.
• Some indoor house plants can help clean the indoor air quality.  Be careful about moisture though, watering indoor plants can add extra moisture to your home. 

Note: I do NOT recommend the use of Bleach at all.  During my personal experience with Toxic Mold in a rental house, I learned from Toxic Mold professionals that Bleach should not be used to clean mold.  They shared that it actually makes the problem worse releasing the mold spores into the air for you then to breathe.  It's also highly toxic and emits a gas that can cause damage to your lungs. 

Amazon and Mountain Rose Herbs links are affiliate links, prices are the same for you.  Should you decide to purchase through my blog, thank you in advance and much gratitude for supporting Recipes to Nourish.