How to get rid of Black Mold

Today we will go over how to get rid of black mold. Black mold, found in moisture-prone areas in your homes, is a health hazard that needs to be treated as soon as you spot this issue. With a musty and suffocating smell, these black or grey-colored molds can cause severe respiratory infections and skin allergies, if not treated the right way. While most people seek professional help to get rid of black mold, you can also make use of some home remedies to remove this, especially, if the black mold has newly appeared in a particular area of your home.

What to know before you proceed to get rid of black mold?

• Never start cleaning black mold without wearing the right protective gear. A clean pair of gloves, safety gloves, respirators or appropriate masks, a full-sleeved shirt and trousers are some of the basic safety gear essentials you should wear during this process. Black mold can emanate some toxic substances; hence, you need to wear these to safeguard yourself from respiratory ailments and skin allergies.
• Always seal the rooms or areas where the black mold treatment needs to be done. You don’t want the spores to travel to other parts of your home, putting all lives at risk, do you? Switch off the air-conditioner, heater, or fan in the room before you start to clean the black mold there to prevent the particles from circulating all over the room.
• Open the windows to allow some fresh air to circulate in the room. This will mitigate the effect caused by the spores in the black mold.

Different methods of getting rid of black mold

You will find many mold cleaners and mild liquid detergents in the market to help you get rid of black mold thoroughly. However, you can also resort to simple home remedies for this purpose, instead of relying on store-bought cleaners that may contain a lot of chemicals.

Using baking soda and vinegar

• Make a solution by mixing baking soda, water and white vinegar in a ratio of 1:5:5.
• Pour this solution into a spray bottle.
• Spray the mixture over the black mold, and allow it to soak in there for about 30 to 60 minutes.
• Use a clean sponge to scrub the area well after 3o to 60 minutes. You can use a small quantity of dish soap or liquid detergent when scrubbing on the black mold.
• Let the surface dry, and you will notice that the black mold has completely disappeared. You can repeat the process if some marks still remain on the surface.

Using tea tree oil

• Make a solution by adding one teaspoon of natural tea tree oil to one cup of water.
• Pour this solution into a spray bottle, or use a towel to dip in this solution to apply on the moldy surface.
• Spray or apply the solution on the black mold, and wait for it to dry. Give it about 60 minutes to dry, before you proceed to the next steps.
• Use a clean & soft towel, or a microfiber cloth to wipe away all the oily mixture, and you will be happy to see no traces of black mold on the surface anymore.

Using grapefruit seed extract oil

• Add about 10 drops of grapefruit seed extract oil to one cup of water. Pour the solution into a spray bottle, or use a damp cloth for applying this on the moldy surface.
• Spray the mixture on the black mold and wait for about 10 minutes. If the surface is badly affected, you can allow this solution to sit on the marks for an hour.
• Use a clean and soft microfiber cloth to wipe away the oils, and you will notice that the polyphenols present in grapefruit seed extract have helped you get away with moldy surfaces.

Using hydrogen peroxide

• Use 3% hydrogen peroxide to thoroughly remove black mold from porous surfaces.
• Mix 3% hydrogen peroxide and water in a ratio of 1:2 in a spray bottle.
• Spray the solution directly on the moldy surface, and allow it to remain there for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• After some time, use a soft-bristled toothbrush to scrape away the dried-up solution.
• Use a clean cloth to remove all traces of the hydrogen peroxide solution from the surface to bid goodbye to black mold forever.

Using lemon juice

• Mix the juice of 4 or 5 lemons with a little dish soap.
• Pour this mixture on the moldy surface and wait for 5 minutes.
• Use a toothbrush to scrub the area thoroughly, and spread the solution to all the affected areas.
• Use a clean and damp towel to wipe away the lemon juice solution, and the black mold would gradually start to lift from the surfaces.

Using bleach

• Pour a bleach solution over the affected, moldy areas.
• Allow the bleach to sit there for about 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, wipe away the bleach with a clean cloth.
• For areas that have a lot of black molds, dip a few rags in a bleach solution.
• Apply these cotton rags on the affected areas, and let them sit there throughout the night.
• Take out the rags in the morning, and wipe away the affected areas with a clean and soft microfiber towel. The black mold would have disappeared completely.
• Always wear protective gear when using bleach, as it can damage your skin.
• When using bleach, always test a small quantity on a tiny part of the moldy surface to ensure it is safe to be used.

Since black mold can cause quite a few health hazards, you shouldn’t spend a lot of time experimenting with these tips. If you don’t see an improvement with the method you have opted for, you should seek professional help right away. If you or your family members have respiratory ailments, or any mold-related illness, it is definitely recommended to get professional help right away, instead of trying these DIY cleaning tips.