All Natural DIY Mould Remover

Before the rise of the commercial modern-day cleaners we recognise today, the way we dealt with cleaning conundrums in the home was simpler. Some home grown wisdom, a little bit of elbow grease, and a remedy often made of natural ingredients that were easy to obtain, or already in the home. Many households are returning to these tried and true remedies in an effort to reduce toxins in the home, reduce their waste, and save money. earthYARD stocks a wide range of natural ingredients that can help you on your way to being a DIY master.

As Winter takes hold in Australia, many of us are spending more time in the warmth indoors, and keeping the doors and windows shut tight against cold and drafts. Wintry hibernation habits such as hot, steamy showers and drying clothes indoors, coupled with sometimes ineffective ventilation, can create a warm and moist environment which is perfect for enticing an unwanted guest into your home: Mould.

Mould is part of a group of organisms called fungi that also include mushrooms and yeast. It thrives in the moist, dark areas of your home that lack adequate ventilation. Mould spreads via tiny particles called spores, which are carried in the air. These spores are present virtually everywhere, both indoors and outdoors, and may cause health problems if inhaled by people who are sensitive or allergic to them. According to a fact sheet provided by NSW Health*, The people with the greatest risk of health problems from contact with mould are:

• People with asthma, allergies, or other breathing conditions
• People with weakened immune systems (such as people with HIV infection, cancer patients taking chemotherapy or people who have received an organ transplant)
• People with chronic lung diseases (such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and emphysema)

Symptoms include a runny or blocked nose, irritation of the eyes and skin and sometimes wheezing. This is why it’s so important to keep mould at bay. To make sure mould doesn’t take hold in the dark, moist areas of your home, try some of these practical preventative measures:

• Maintain proper ventilation: use exhaust fans when cooking, bathing or using a clothes dryer, and when the weather permits open windows to provide cross ventilation.
• Reduce humidity: Limit the use of humidifiers, limit the number of houseplants in your home and don’t let them sit in trays of water.
• Control moisture: Repair leaks and plumbing issues, and if water does enter your home, completely clean and dry carpets, etc and discard anything that cannot be cleaned and dried completely.

*Access NSW Health Fact sheet on mould here:
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/factsheets/Pages/mould.aspx