| Controlling Mold Without Toxic Chemicals | | | | materialpossessions and human health, so its better to |
| Mold can grow anywhere there are damp | | | | stay warm anddry. |
| conditions--from awindowsill to a bathroom, to a whole | | | | If you have just a small area of mold, use a hand-held |
| house. While the healtheffects of most common molds | | | | dryerto dry it up in just a few minutes. |
| are minimal, the chemicals wecommonly use to | | | | You can prevent mold from growing by keeping areas |
| remove the unsightly growth can harm ourhealth. Mold | | | | dry. Findthe source of moisture and control it. Mold in |
| cleaners can contain toxic chemicals such | | | | an undersinkcabinet, for example, may require fixing |
| aspentachorophenol, which can be harmful through | | | | leaky pipes. |
| skinabsorption or inhalation, and formaldehyde, which | | | | Controlling mold in a bathroom may involve installing |
| can causecancer as well as irritate eyes, throat, skin, | | | | asmall space heater to run after a shower to dry out |
| and lungs. | | | | theroom, or using a fan for the same purpose. No |
| Many mold cleaners carry the "DANGER" warning | | | | moisture--nomold. |
| label andstate that they should be used only in a | | | | In a closet, hang garments with space between them |
| well-ventilatedarea (next time you want to clean mold | | | | to allowfor air-flow and install a small light, both to |
| from your shower,look around for the ventilation...) | | | | dispeldarkness and provide a little heat. If you live in a |
| Fortunately, there are ways to clean and even prevent | | | | veryhumid area, a dehumidifier may be necessary. |
| moldthat are natural and safe for you and your family. | | | | To remove mold from shower tile or other hard |
| Mold is a living organism that needs certain conditions | | | | surface, mixborax and water, or vinegar and water, in |
| tostay alive. A moist, dark, environment with little | | | | a spray bottle. |
| movingair is perfect. Mold just can't live in an | | | | Spray it on and the mold wipes right off. Borax |
| environment thatis dry, light, or breezy. The solution to | | | | inhibitsmold growth, so wash down the walls in your |
| any mold problemof any kind is to introduce heat (to | | | | bathroom with aborax solution and just leave it on, or |
| dry the moisture),light, or moving air (such as from a | | | | sprinkle borax indamp cabinets under the sink. If you |
| fan). | | | | need something strongerto remove stubborn mold, use |
| I used to live in an old house in a forest, next to a | | | | hydrogen peroxide. |
| creek,in an area that has a lot of rainfall in the winter. | | | | Steam cleaners--which clean, sanitize, and deodorize |
| Oneyear was particularly cold and rainy and so to | | | | usingonly hot water--also work great on mold. You can |
| conserveheat, I closed the door on my extra bedroom, | | | | purchasesmall hand-held steam cleaners in the |
| which containedbooks and research papers, a bed, | | | | housewares departmentof discount stores for about |
| and out-of-seasonclothing. By the end of winter, there | | | | $50 or larger units on the |
| was so much mold inthat room that it was literally | | | | Internet. |
| growing on my clothing. Mycotton espadrille shoes and | | | | Read more about controlling mold without toxic |
| cloth-covered binders werecovered with blue fuzz. | | | | chemicals inmy new book Home Safe Home: Creating |
| What to do? Mold was coveringliterally everything! | | | | a Healthy Home |
| In my situation, I opted to use heat. I put a portable | | | | Environment by Reducing Exposure to Toxic |
| spaceheater in the room and closed the door. After | | | | Household |
| several hours | | | | Products, at |
| I peeked in and steam was rising. It was like a sauna. | | | | Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York |
| Aftertwenty-four hours, however, all was bone dry | | | | Times, Debra |
| and I was ableto brush visible mold (now a dry | | | | Lynn Dadd has been a leading consumer advocate for |
| powder) from walls,clothing, and other surfaces. The | | | | productsand lifestyle choices that are better for health |
| moral of the story: if youlive in a damp environment | | | | and theenvironment since 1982. Visit her website to |
| that doesn't get much sun, makesure your heat | | | | learn moreabout her new book Home Safe Home, to |
| circulates completely around the house, andeven | | | | sign up for her freeemail newsletters, and to browse |
| though it may take more energy, it's needed to | | | | 100s of links to 1000s ofnontoxic, natural and earthwise |
| keepyour home dry and safe. Mold can do damage to | | | | products. |