The rumours are true, vinegar can be used to kill and remove mold. And let’s face it, if there’s a way of getting rid of bleach that doesn’t leave a horrible bleach smell around the house, we’re going to try it.
Cleaning can be therapeutic for many people. But what is not enjoyable is the lingering chemical smell filling the house after removing mold. Using home remedies for some cleaning tasks means you don’t have to use lots of chemicals, products and strong smelling cleaners. And more often than not, the results are exactly the same!
Instead, you can use natural cleaning supplies, and often just a few items that you already have hanging around in your cupboards right at home.
One of the best ways to clean, remove and kill mold in your home is actually with vinegar. Vinegar works just as well, if not better than bleach to kill mold and remove mold spores with ease. With a little vinegar, you can disinfect, remove and kill up to 82% of mold species, including black mold. And the biggest bonus – vinegar smell disappears within minutes.
No more will you have to worry about that strong bleach odours filling your home. With a few common household products you can effectively clean or clear mold, getting your home back in ship-shape.
Does vinegar really kill mold?
Yes, vinegar does work to effectively kill and remove mold. This is because it is a mildly acidic product that works to clean, deodorize and disinfect any surfaces that it comes in contact with.
Vinegar is best used as a cleaning solution on both porous and non porous surfaces, and can be used safely on nearly all surfaces to remove mold, including black mold, and get rid of mold spores in the air or around the surface.
Some products will claim to remove mold, however, they may not remove the mold spores entirely, which means that the mold will just grow back within a short space of time.
Products such as bleach tend to do this, they will only remove the mold on the surface, not any deep rooted mold or mold spores. On the other hand, vinegar effectively removes mold spores too, which makes it one of the most popular cleaning solutions available.
This is because the vinegar works to penetrate porous and non porous materials, which will then kill and remove any mold from the roots and on the surface.
What kind of vinegar kills mold?
Unfortunately, you cannot just use any vinegar to clean, such as malt vinegar or brown vinegar, it would have to be white vinegar. This is because white vinegar is more pure, and it is only made with acid and water, which makes it rather acidic, and perfect for cleaning.
With white vinegar, it is best to leave it on the mold, or the area stained with mildew for a few minutes or even up to a few hours, and then you can scrub it away to remove the dirt or mold completely.
White vinegar effectively kills, removes and eradicates mold and mold spores, making it the perfect natural and chemical free cleaning solution for your home!
How to use vinegar to kill mold
White vinegar is a safe, effective, and natural mold and mildew remover that is perfect for cleaning your home. To use this natural mold killer, all you have to do is fill a spray bottle: with white vinegar or soak a sponge in the vinegar and spray or dab on the affected area.
- Spray the affected area with white vinegar, or dab the vinegar on with a sponge.
- If you’re removing vinegar from a vertical surface, soak paper towels in white vinegar and stick them onto the surface over the mould.
- Leave the vinegar to soak in for a few hours.
- You should be able to remove the mould residue with a damp cloth, or some light scrubbing.
- If the mold remains, repeat the process and leave for longer this time, to allow the vinegar to really penetrate the mold.
Can apple cider vinegar clean mold?
Another natural way that you can clean mold, grime and dirt is with apple cider vinegar: All you need to do is spray a little on the affected area, and leave it sit for a few moments. Once it has sat on the mold and dirt, you can simply wipe it away.
When it comes to cleaning mold with vinegar, you are best off just wiping or scrubbing it off after it has treated the mold, instead of washing it away as this just adds extra moisture and can increase the risk of mold growing again.
Although apple cider vinegar can be used for cleaning mold, we would still recommend using white vinegar as this will work much better, and will smell a little better.
Does vinegar and baking soda kill mold?
Yes, vinegar and baking soda is an effective way of removing and killing mold. Luckily, these are usually two things that are already in your cupboards. Baking soda can be used in addition to white vinegar to remove stubborn mold and mildew.
All you need to do is pour some distilled white vinegar into a spray bottle, and spray onto the moldy surface. Try not to forget to wear a mask as mold spores can go into the air and cause reactions or allergens.
Once you have sprayed the moldy surface, you should leave it for about an hour, with proper ventilation so that the vinegar can seep into the surface and reach all aspects of the mold. The mold or mildew should then absorb the vinegar entirely.
If the mold is a little more stubborn, then you can make a baking soda and water solution. To do this, just combine two cups of water and one teaspoon of baking soda into a spray bottle and shake it well. Then spray the solution onto the mold, and scrub it with a brush or scouring pad until removed.
Rinse with a damp, warm cloth and spray again with the vinegar to kill any remaining mold on the surface.
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