Mould appears anywhere in your household that is warm and damp with little ventilation. You most often find it growing in your bathroom where it blackens your grout lines and dirties the ceiling. If you need some tips for mould removal, here are some of the most effective methods: 

Baking soda 

Baking soda is cheap and most people have it in their home already. It’s not as strong as commercial products but it doesn’t have strong fumes and is low risk. 

There a couple of ways you can use it. Mix half a teaspoon of baking soda with a cup of water and use a spray bottle to spray it over the mould. Let it dry, then wipe it away. You may need to repeat it a few times for best results. 

Another way to use baking soda is to mix half a cup with a few teaspoons of water to make a paste. Spread the paste over the mould and let it dry. Then, use a scrubbing brush and some warm water to clean it off. 

Related: The Best Grout Cleaner

Vinegar 

White distilled vinegar is another natural product that’s good for cleaning away mould. You can use it undiluted by applying it to the mouldy surface with a rag or spray bottle. Wipe the area clean and repeat as necessary. 

Bleach 

Bleach is one of the most reliable mould removers. Be careful when using it on coloured grout as it may start to fade. White grout is OK. 

Use one part bleach to sixteen parts water, and wipe or spray it onto the mouldy surface. Wait five minutes and wipe it off. Repeat if necessary. 

If you are cleaning a porous surface like wood or plaster, you will need to mix the bleach with detergent or it won’t be effective. Mix one part detergent to ten parts bleach and twenty parts water. Application is the same. 

Keep a window open and ensure there is plenty of ventilation as bleach gives off strong fumes. Make sure you don’t mix bleach with ammonia or any detergent that contains ammonia as this combination produces poisonous gas. 

Borax 

Many commercial cleaning products contain borax because it’s so effective on mould. You can buy a tub from the supermarket and it’s pretty inexpensive. 

Use one cup of borax to about four litres of water. It’s safe to use on most surfaces and doesn’t give off any toxic fumes. 

To apply, just spray it on to the mouldy surface and scrub it off with a brush. Wipe down the area with a rag when you are finished, but you don’t need to rinse it since borax helps prevent new mould from growing. 

If you are cleaning a porous surface, be careful not to saturate the material with the mixture. This can cause other moisture problems. Apply a little at a time so that it can easily dry.  

Hydrogen peroxide 

Hydrogen peroxide is a very useful cleaner. It not only kills mould but also bacteria and viruses, which makes it very good to use in the bathroom. It also penetrates porous surfaces better than bleach, so it is good for cleaning wood and plaster. 

Use a 3% mixture for most jobs or 10% for stubborn mould. Just apply it straight onto the mould and let it sit for fifteen minutes, then wipe it off. If you mix it half and half with baking soda it will prevent the mould from coming back.