Chemical vs. Earth Friendly Mold and Mildew Cleaners: How Effective Are They?
Mold. We’ve all seen it. Perhaps you’ve had to battle it out of the corner of your shower stall or even work away at moldy grout. Whatever your case, you know that mold is stubborn. An uninvited house guest, it can be difficult to remove and seems to make frequent comebacks. Even if your home hasn’t suffered from any water damage or if you live in a relatively dry climate without mold inspiring humidity, your property can still fall victim to mold. Most homeowners reach for the heavy duty chemical cleaners but now, there is a new trend in eco-friendly cleaning solutions. So how do they stack up?
To begin, let’s reiterate where mold likes to grow: areas with poor air movement coupled with a source of moisture. When it comes to the average household mold problem, we’re looking primarily at a bathroom and possibly a kitchen. When it comes to the average household mold cleaner, we’re basically looking at chemical and non-chemical mold removers.
A common myth that is currently being debunked across the web is that bleach kills mold. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Mold is rooted into a mold spore. While Bleach has more power on non-porous surfaces, it cannot reach into porous surfaces, such as grout where bath tub mold usually grows, and thus, affects only the top layer of mold by bleaching the color. In essence, it removes stains, not the mold because it does not have any effect on destroying the roots of mold spores. Furthermore, there is some argument that bleach worsens the problem because it tends to make surfaces more porous due to its abrasive nature.
Currently, publicly available chemical mold cleaners are bleach-based. For example, Lysol has a mildew and mold remover product. The copy on the product states “whitens and removes mold and mildew stains while removing soap scum. Cleans and disinfects with the power of Lysol and the whitening of bleach.” Stains removed, mold remains. Then we have products like Tilex and X-14 Mold and Mildew Stain Removers: Tilex is more open about its use of bleach to deter mildew while X-14, though it does not openly state that it relies on bleach as its primary cleaner, it boasts that it “keeps stains away for up to 2 weeks**” (notice the asterisks). So basically, you are using these products as a temporary “fix”. Further to not actually killing the roots, every time you use one of these cleaners, you put yourself and anyone else in your home, especially pets, in danger. Have you ever read the precautionary statements on the back of your bottle of store bought mold remover?
“Hazardous to humans and domestic animals. Causes eye irritation. Do not get in eyes or on clothing. Prolonged breathing of vapors may be irritating. Use in only well-ventilated areas. Avoid prolonged contact with skin. Harmful if swallowed. Not recommended for use by persons with heart conditions, asthma or other chronic respiratory problems. If vapors bother you, leave the room while working.”
In cases where mold growth is so dire that a professional mold remediation and restoration company must be called in, you will observe the experts working in personal protective gear such as bio hazard suits with the use of respirators. Because mold can be toxic and usually grows in areas lacking ventilation, protective gear is a must. Unfortunately, the common bottle of store bought Mold Remover doesn’t come with a blow up bio hazard suit attached to the bottle.
If you take into consideration that store bought chemical cleaners are dangerous to use and only provide temporary aesthetic relief from unsightly mold and mildew, one might consider the application of a natural mold cleaner. Also known as non-toxic, eco-friendly, earth friendly and green cleaners, natural mold and mildew removers range from homemade concoctions to newly branded products available for consumers in stores everywhere. For several years, people have been using commonly found ingredients in their home to combat mold and finally, companies such as Clorox figured out there was money to be made. Key components of natural cleaners are that they are not hazardous to your health and are biodegradable, so they are not hazardous for the environment. Most types of new eco-friendly cleaners available utilize vegetable-derived enzymes to break-down, dissolve and remove mold and mildew. Brands like Naturally It’s Clean and EcoDiscoveries offer enzyme-based products designed to effectively kills and remove mold. Alternatively, there are lines such as BioZap that utilize tea tree oil to remove mold and mildew. For maintenance, there are several other green cleaners available on the market such as Method, Ecover, Seventh Generation and Green Works (by Clorox). Most national retailers now offer earth friendly products, though some, such as Naturally It’s Clean, may only be found in specialty stores. In addition, there are several online stores that specialize in green products.
In general, common household mold and mildew cleaners are not a permanent fix to your mold problem. When it comes to mold, prevention is key. If you suspect that you might have a large area of mold or generally concerned about mold growth in your home, you should contact a mold removal and remediation specialist. This specialist can conduct investigations and testing to determine what is causing the mold in the first place. Remediation specialists can also remove mold and completely restore your home, as well as guide you to take actions which will help prevent future mold growth. Nonetheless, there are options available for consumers seeking temporary mold relief and thankfully, we now have several eco and family friendly options as well.
For more information on how to safely remove mold and mildew from your home, please contact Advanced Restoration, Inc. at 1-800-DRY-ME-OUT.
Questions and Answers
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