Why you should NEVER use bleach to remove mould this winter - and the vinegar solution that will banish it in seconds
- A common misconception is that bleach can rid your home of mould quickly
- A mycologist has revealed why this is incorrect and only masks the mould
- One of the safest forms of mould remover is using a vinegar-based solution
When mould appears on walls and tiles in the bathroom, many homeowners reach for bleach and harsh chemicals to treat the problem.
But according to a mycologist, who studies fungi for a living, this is actually one of the worst ways to remove the toxic growths from your home.
'The fungi contain melanin and the bleach just takes the colour out, but the fungi are still there, you are just masking it,' Heike Neumeister-Kemp told the ABC.
'Six weeks later it appears to come back but it was never gone.'
According to a mycologist, who studies fungi for a living, this is actually one of the worst ways to remove the toxic sludge from your home.
One of the most productive ways of removing thick strands of mould is with a solution of vinegar and water.
You simply take 80 per cent vinegar and 20 per cent water and put it into three buckets.
'Grab a microfibre cloth, dip it into the first bucket and clean a patch of mould,' Better Homes and Gardens wrote.
'Rinse the cloth in the second bucket and rinse again in the third. Repeat until all of the mould is cleaned off.'
This works according to Mr Neumeister-Kemp because vinegar attacks the fungi 'mechanically'.
Share this article
'So it actually, via osmosis, penetrates into the structure and explodes it, so you actually kill the fungi.'
Previously, FEMAIL has sought to uncover other mechanisms for removing the black substance.
Big Red Carpet Cleaning in Townsville offered some tips on how to stay safe around particularly large infestations.
'Vacuum over the mould with a hepa vacuum to remove mould spores growing in the area,' they wrote on Facebook.
One of the most productive ways of removing thick strands of mould is with a solution of vinegar and water
'Keep your air conditioning on and set at 21-22 degrees to prevent the humidity from spreading more mould.'
For cleaning mould from carpet ABC Local Radio's cleaning expert Shannon Lush recommends two tablespoons each of bi-carb soda, white vinegar and methylated spirits, and two teaspoons each of eucalyptus and glycerine.
Sydney-based cleaner Ricky, who runs Ricky's Cleaning Services, wanted to make it quite clear that safety around mould was the number one priority.
'You need to wear gloves and a face mask to remove it,' he told FEMAIL.
'If any room has extreme mould it's better to scrub it off instead of spraying chemicals to treat it. If it's mild mould you can spray Exit Mould onto the area and brush it away.'
