How To Get Rid Of Mould
How To Clean Mould Off a Ceiling
Don’t let mould ruin your home or your health. Use these tips to banish mould. Let's explore some ways to manage and even kill mould with these helpful tips.
Ceiling mould is unhealthy, ugly and can be difficult to clean (especially if you have a textured ceiling). Left untreated, it can permanently damage your ceiling by leaving discolouration and making the structure sag by gradually weakening the plaster.
Health-wise, mould is a big no-no and is dangerous due to the spores it releases into the air, being harmful to anyone with respiratory challenges and allergies. Following these few easy steps for black mould removal can help ensure a healthy environment and a clean, mould-free ceiling.
How to Spot Mould Spreading on Your Ceiling
Before you clean the mould, it makes sense to firstly identify and eliminate the source, otherwise, you will be fighting a never-ending battle. There are a few ways to do this:
Check for a roof leak: Water from a leaking roof is the most likely cause of most ceiling mould. Without repairing the leak, the mould will return as it thrives in a damp environment.
Circulation and ventilation: Mould often develops in kitchens and bathrooms that lack proper ventilation. Add extractors to release the moisture and fans to circulate the air.
Increase natural light: Mould grows best in dark spaces. Keep windows and curtains open to let the sunshine in. This prevents mould colonies from growing on the ceiling.
Improve your insulation: Poor insulation encourages mould growth. When cold air from the outside meets warm air from the inside it causes condensation. Improving insulation in your home creates a barrier, reducing mould growth conditions.
Check your ceiling for mould growth: You may have mould on the inside of your ceiling. Therefore, removing the underside mould will not eradicate the mould problem.
Put dehumidifiers in your kitchen and bathroom: Mould grows in damp, warm conditions. Removing the humidity from the air reduces a colony’s ability to thrive.
Keep the door open and fan on after showering: Allow the humidity in your bathroom to escape. Leave the bathroom door open and the extractor fan on for 15 minutes.
Hang your towels in a different room: Wet towels add humidity to the bathroom. Drying your towel in another room tempers the mould growth conditions by lowering the humidity levels.
What Kills Mould? and How to Get Mould Off The Ceiling
With all the provided techniques, we would recommend using non-allergenic disposable gloves and a N95 face mask to protect your skin and breathing against any potential irritations.
Method 1: Cleaning Mould with Vinegar
Vinegar is a staple in most homes and is a cost-effective solution to fight mould. This natural liquid is useful for many things, including removing stains and killing germs. This mild acid kills 82% of mould types and even helps to prevent re-growth.
Put on your masks and disposable gloves
Pour distilled white vinegar into a spray bottle
Spray it directly onto the mould and leave for an hour. This gives the vinegar plenty of time to soak into the infected area and kill the mould
Wipe the vinegar off with water and a clean cloth and let the area dry. The vinegar smell should clear after a few hours. If it doesn’t, place a bowl of lemon water in the area to help neutralise the smell
Method 2: Baking soda can kill mould (bicarbonate of soda)
If you are a fan of chemical-free cleaning, another household staple that works wonders in removing ceiling mould from your bathroom or kitchen ceiling is baking soda (bicarbonate of soda). Additionally, this mild powder absorbs moisture, acting as a preventative in keeping mould away. Another added bonus is that it is also safe to use around children and animals compared to other high-street cleaning brands.
Combine a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda with water in a spray bottle and shake until it has dissolved.
Spray it directly onto the mould and leave for a few minutes
Use a scrubbing brush or sponge to remove the mould, then wipe the solution off with water
Spray the solution on the area again and let it dry
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide may be one of the most effective mould-killing solutions. It is anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. Due to these credentials, cleaning mould from your ceiling, walls and floors using hydrogen peroxide often provides excellent results that are long lasting if other grow conditions are limited. Just keep in mind that hydrogen peroxide acts like bleach and affects delicate surfaces. Therefore, we would always recommend doing a small patch test to begin with to make sure surfaces are not damaged.
Pour concentrated hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle
Spray it directly onto the mould and leave it for ten minutes
Use a scrubbing brush to remove the mould and stains
Wipe the surface with water and let it dry
Which mould-busting method is the best?
All of these options are good non-toxic and effective mould cleaning solutions. They are safe to use and environmentally friendly. All featured products are also inexpensive and easy to come by, available in your local supermarket. If you are renting, make sure you contact your agent before you start cleaning.
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