Banish Mould Forever: Proven Home Remedies

Have you got an issue in your home with mould or mildew? It’s a bit of a constant battle for any home owner, so you’re definitely not alone. Mould is horrible, it spreads, it smells and it’s bad for your health, so it’s best to remedy the situation as soon as you find the issue, typically the quicker you identify the problem the easier it is to get rid of.

What is mould & where is it found?

Mould is a nuisance, its an eye sore, but most importantly it can be bad for your health. It is a fungus that occurs in almost every home and can be found pretty much everywhere, but the most common areas you are likely to find it is in damp or cold sections of your home. Mould is often found around your shower tiles, next to windows, on window ledges or on the ceiling.

In this guide we cover how you can get rid of the mould & stop it from returning, for smaller mould issues this can be easy to remedy with household cleaning products, however larger infestations may require more intervention.

What should I do if I find mould in my house?

Mould can grow almost anywhere in your home and may be especially prominent in damp places. Typically you can easily spot mould as it appears in a close collection of black spots, and often if you get up close there will often be an unpleasant odder. If you are unsure whether an area is effected by mould or if it’s just dirt then you just need to dab a few bits of bleach onto the effected area (or a mould cleaning product), if after a few minutes it clears up then unfortunately you have a mould issue that needs tackling.

Tools required to tackle mould issues

Materials vary dependent upon the severity of the mould issue, however here are some of the tools you may require for the job in hand:

Bleach, detergent or ammonia
Dust mask
Rubber cleaning gloves
A sponge or scrubbing tool
Bin bags

If the mould is more severe then you may need tools to do some more labour intensive DIY, like a saw.

How do I get rid of mould?

There are quite a few ways that you can get rid of mould, here are a few of the most common methods:

Remove Mould With Bleach:

Bleach works wonders, amongst those wonders is the removal of mould. It can virtually kill any mould that it comes in contact with, as well as leaving the surface sanitized & protect from future mould issues.

To kill mould with bleach you should:

Mix 1 cup of bleach with 4 litres of water
With gloves use a spray bottle or a sponge soaked in the mix and just dab the bleach on the effected area
You don’t then need to rinse the bleach, you can leave it to do it’s work & prevent future mould growth

Remove Mould With Baking Soda:

The natural & safe method of getting rid of bleach. It’s effective if you are worried about bleach being too harmful or corrosive, if you have pets or young kids. It also does a great job at removing the smell of mould completely.

To kill mould with baking soda you should:

Add a quarter of a table spoon of baking soda to a spray bottle
Fill the spray bottle with water & mix it a little
Spray the walls or effected area with the solution
Scrub the area after spraying with a sponge
Once you have got rid of all the mould, rinse the surface with water & dry it

Remove Mould With Detergent & Water:

This simple method is effective, just as it says on the tin all you have to do is mix detergent & water. This method doesn’t kill the mould itself, but if you completely clean it up then it shouldn’t come back, but you have to make sure that you get all of the effective area or it will continue to grow.

How do I reduce mould in my house?

You’re always at risk of mould taking hold of your home & returning, however there are a few things that you can try and do to prevent the problem.

Mould loves moisture, so anywhere that is an issue you should aim to fix it, here are some of the common problems & things you can do to prevent further infestations:

Roof leaks – Regularly check your roof, loft & drainage to ensure that it is preventing water from entering your home, if there is an issue found, fix it straight away.
Open your windows – Obviously not a popular one in the British winter, but opening your windows to air out your home on a regular basis is a must, it allows condensation to leave, particularly in the bathroom.
Window condensation – Often you may find that there is condensation around your windows, wipe any condensation away & potentially look at getting a dehumidifier in that area.
Basement / cellar leaks – Sometimes if your basement / cellar isn’t properly tanked it can lead to mould issues around your house.