Mold and Mildew Cleaning with Essential Oils

Essential Oils For Mould and Mildew

Mould and mildew have have the potential to cause health problems. Mold produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins).
Inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis). Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed.
Types of mold can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma. In addition, mold exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat, and lungs.
■ The key to mould control is moisture control.
■ If mould is a problem in your home, you should clean the mould promptly.
■ It is important to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24-48 hours to prevent mould growth.

Non-toxic cleaning top 3 Essential Oils

Tea Tree Premium and Lemon Tea Tree

These two powerful essential oils can be an effective source for naturally treating small mould issues on surfaces and fabrics. Tea tree essential oil is a powerful natural anti-fungal that is often used in nontoxic cleaning solutions, and can also be beneficial in dealing with mold and mildew smells.

If you need to kill mould or mildew on clothing, or to eliminate a musty odour, simply add a few drops of tea tree oil to the wash cycle. This will also help kill mildew buildup in the washer and can be used to rinse and refresh clothing that was left in the machine too long.

If you have a small mould area to clean you can mix 1 tsp tea tree oil with 1 cup of water and put in a spray bottle. Once you have determined that the mold contamination is safe to clean yourself, you can spray this formula on the problem area, let it soak for awhile, and then carefully wipe clean. If you are cleaning a porous surface you may not want to dilute with water as this may feed the mould growth. Test a small area to make sure it does not damage the item. This should kill most spores and prevent the mould from returning. If you have a water issue or leak, you will want to make sure to get it fixed so that you do not have the same issue return.

Clove Bud

Clove essential oil is great for dealing with fungal growth. Clove is a powerful antioxidant that can help ward off free radicals and maintain a healthy immune system.

Cloves are derived from an evergreen tree native to Indonesia. The flower buds are often used as a spice. The essential oil of clove has been used medicinally in Chinese and Indian medicine and herbalism as a painkiller for dentistry.

The famous Aspergillus niger (also known as black mould) causes a disease called “black mould” on certain fruits and vegetables such as grapes, apricots, onions, and peanuts, and is a common contaminant of food. It is especially sensitive to clove bud oil. This suggests promising effectiveness in cleaning mold on hard (non-porous) surfaces.

Cloves have been shown to put an end to Candida growth in the mouth and intestine. A study found that clove “had a fast killing effect on yeast cells.”

Read our article about the power of Blue Gum Eucalyptus for more essential oil household tips.