If you’ve spotted little black or green spots creeping around your home, you’re not alone. With the recent torrential rain, armies of tiny, moldy monsters have been having a field day. But here’s the thing: Getting rid of mold is, unfortunately, not a walk in the park. And with another stretch of rain upon us, it’s a problem we will have to contend with.
The infuriating thing about a mildew infestation is that swiping the surface is only half the battle. If you don’t deal with the moisture that caused the pesky fungi in the first place, they’re bound to come back.
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So here’s what to do when mold starts moving in too close for comfort.
Deal with the source first
If mold is already present in your space, get to the root of the problem. Is there condensation seeping through the windows? Water stains on the roof or walls? How about your bathroom—have you noticed it stays damp for hours after a shower? Or, like us, is there a leak under the air conditioning?
Waterproof! Fix leaks as soon as possible. Dry wet areas in the kitchen and bathroom, as prolonged moisture creates the conditions mold needs to grow.
Don’t forget the less obvious places, too. If there’s a persistent damp smell, sniff it out, as there may be hidden moisture that needs a closer look.
Get a good quality dehumidifier
Ideally, indoor humidity levels should sit between 30 to 50 percent. Ours has been stubbornly hovering at 70 to 80, even with a dehumidifier running. And we can tell. Tiny little spores have been creeping onto our doors, inside cabinets, and onto books, paintings, and even in our car.
While tempting to buy cheaper dehumidifiers, it might be worth considering a higher-quality, heavy-duty dehumidifier, especially if it will be working overtime or overnight. If your machine keeps reading 70 or 80 percent, that may be an indicator you need a more powerful dehumidifier, too.
Keep doors and windows closed while the dehumidifier is running. If you don’t have a dehumidifier, setting your air conditioning on “dry” is a moderately effective way to dehumidify a room.
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You might also be familiar with those cutely colored dehumidifier boxes with little pellets, sometimes with activated carbon. These desiccants can be slightly effective for smaller spaces like closets or cabinets.
In vinegar we trust
There’s nothing like vinegar and baking soda as a home remedy for, well, everything. You might have seen the Instagram Reels where the humble pantry mix has unclogged drains, cleaned burnt pans, and scrubbed off soap scum. And the same low-cost ingredients go for mold.
But don’t mix them together for mold removal. Vinegar and baking soda always work separately. White vinegar has acetic acid, which attacks mold on a cellular level and often stops it from coming back. Meanwhile, baking soda, which is basic, removes the smell.
First, spray undiluted white vinegar onto the mold and let it sit for an hour. Then wipe the surface clean. After, mix baking soda with water into a paste and gently scrub with a soft brush or microfiber cloth to remove that lingering vinegary odor.
Note that this is ideal for hard, non-porous surfaces like bathroom tiles, grout, plastic shower curtains, stainless steel sinks, and glass. Avoid natural stone like marble or granite, as well as metal like copper or aluminum, because this will damage the surfaces.
You can use vinegar on wood, but don’t soak for long. And don’t ever use vinegar on paper. If mold gets onto your book, let the damp paper dry, then use a soft paintbrush or cloth to sweep the mold off, then dab it with rubbing alcohol. And if you want to get rid of the musty smell, place the papers in a sealed plastic container with an open bowl of baking soda (don’t let the baking soda touch it!).
This procedure is also useful on carpets or couches. Use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to suck up the spores, then mist vinegar and water and let it sit for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with baking soda overnight, and vacuum the next morning.
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For fabrics, throw them in the washing machine on the hottest safe water setting with one to two cups of white vinegar added directly to the drum. Follow this with a regular wash cycle using your standard detergent and a half-cup of baking soda.
When in doubt…
There are other solutions you can experiment with, too. Lemon juice can break down grime and lighten mold stains, though its acidity may discolor some surfaces. A three-percent hydrogen peroxide solution can be useful on hard, non-porous surfaces.
Diluted tea tree oil is a gentler antifungal alternative. Just remember that “natural” doesn’t automatically mean harmless, so patch-test first, and never mix cleaning products together.
And if your mold problem has gotten beyond you, there’s no shame in knowing when to call a professional, too.
Don’t panic!
This is the part I wish someone had told me the first time I came home to a moldy apartment—don’t panic!
I know that it’s easier said than done when you open a cabinet and discover your lola’s wooden tray has developed a thriving ecosystem. Or when you pull out your favorite book and realize the spots aren’t dust at all. But mold spores are apparently naturally present in our environment, and in a humid, tropical country like ours, completely eliminating them isn’t realistic.
What we can do is control the conditions the best we can: Keep the humidity down, clean small patches, dry things thoroughly, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. You need not scrub your entire house from top to bottom in one night either, or think that your home is doomed just because you spotted some black spots.
During these miserable weeks of relentless rain and little sun, a little mold is just another hurdle we have to contend with. So take a deep breath as you deal with it (advisedly with an N-95 mask), one area at a time.
