You know that the musty smell you’ve got at home comes from mold and mildew and needs to go away for once and for all. The first step to win this battle is to do some proper cleaning. How? Today you'll learn some easy DIY and cost-saving tips to clean mold in 4 different areas: bathroom walls, carpets, towels, and grout. They’re fairly simple and toxic-free. Most of the job is done with just vinegar and baking soda. And well... maybe a little elbow grease. Are you ready to rock it?
Step 1: Identify if you need a professional
For bad cases of mold and mildew, you will need a professional service to do the inspection and cleaning. For others, you can do the cleaning yourself. But, how to know? Well, let’s see:
- Check all spaces to identify areas with black mold (please don’t touch it).
- According to Dengarden, “If you have over 10 square feet of mold growth the EPA and the American Industrial Hygiene Association recommend you contact a professional.” They also say it's a better idea to ask for an evaluation from a Qualified Indoor Environmental Professional (IEP) or Industrial Hygienist instead of a mold remediation company.
- If they confirm that you need a professional service, go ahead and call a professional mold remediation company to do the cleaning.
- If you definitely don’t need a professional, you're ready to follow our easy tips.
Step 2: Get ready for cleaning
Just like when you cook, you need to get all your gear, tools and ingredients ready. Each is important to do the perfect cleaning. Also, make sure to put yourself in the right mood. Turn on some music and make cleaning fun!
- Mask/Respirator (make sure it’s safe for mold)
- Gloves (Nitrile)
- Goggles
- Clothes that protect you (don't leave any skin visible)
Step 3: Clean the mold!
Area 1: How to clean mold on bathroom walls
Tools:
- Spray bottle
- Washcloth
- Drying Towel
Ingredients:
- Vinegar
- Hot water
Instructions:
A piece of cake!
Source: WikiHow
Humidity prevention tip: Take cold short showers and use a vent fan in your bathroom. For better results use a dehumidifier.
Area 2: How to clean mold from carpet
- Vacuum
- Spray Bottle
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of Vinegar
- 2 cups of Warm Water
Instructions:
Important note: Don’t soak the carpet, because this can cause mold and mildew to grow again. After you finish these steps, please make sure that the carpet gets completely dried.
Source: Spot Removal Guide
Humidity prevention tip: Please remember to dry your carpet very well every time it gets wet. You can do this with some towels, use fans or turn on your dehumidifier. For very humid areas, you may want to think about changing your floor to a mold resistant one.
For further tips on how to remove humidity from furniture and textiles, click here.
Area 3: How to clean moldy towels
Tools:
- Washing machine
- Drying machine (not necessary but preferred)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of Vinegar
- 1/2 cup of baking soda
Instructions:
Source: Bethany Fontaine
Humidity prevention tip: Hang your towels to dry immediately after every use (preferably outside). If it’s not possible, make sure that your bathroom has sufficient ventilation.
The same goes for sweaty clothes and shoes (set them out to dry immediately). And please remember that we don’t recommend drying clothes indoors.
Area 4: How to clean mold in grout
Tools:
- Recipient
- Toothbrush/ Brush
Ingredients:
- Baking Soda
- Water
- Vinegar
1. Mix 50% water and 50% baking soda in a recipient to make a paste.
2. Moisten the grout to prevent spores from flying all around.
3. Place the paste on the grout and let it stand there for at least 10 minutes (if it’s too dirty, you should leave it there for around 2 hours).
4. Scrub with the brush, but be very careful, because this can spread the spores onto the air. Make sure you’re ventilating the space, but keep the bathroom door closed so that the spores don’t fly to another room and go outside instead.
5. Rinse with warm water and wipe.
6. Dry.
7. To prevent mold from growing on your bathroom walls, every now and then you can pour a mixture of vinegar and water on them right after you shower.
Step 4: Prevent Mold Growth
Now that you know how to clean these areas, make sure to keep humidity away if you don’t want mold showing up over and over again. Remember that it's what makes them stay alive and growing. Stop any water leaks that you may have around and also check your indoor relative humidity. If it’s higher than 55%, a dehumidifier is recommended.
Enjoy a mold-free life. A life well-lived is what it's all about!
To learn more, you can also read:
TOSOT Dehumidifier Reviews
“Just received this a few days ago but my basement is already dry & moldy smells almost gone. Love it so far.” trishaearley
“Runs great, is quiet and my basement is nice and dry with absolutely no mildew smell.” Katherine Kress
“We had a flood and needed to dry the underfloor. This really pulls the water out of the air. We have to empty it several times a day.” Rev Shoshana
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3 comments
If they confirm that you need a professional service, go ahead and call a professional mold remediation company to do the cleaning.
This article is very good and bookmarked. I also found an article about How To Get Mildew Smell Out Of Hiking Boots I think it also helpful for people. thank you.
I’m going to make this mixture but make it more moist than usual and spray it – will that work pretty good?