Natural Ways Of Getting Rid Of Mold From Caulk
When your caulk gets affected by mold, it is not necessary to replace old & mold-affected caulk as this can be a time-consuming process, instead, you can try cleaning the caulk first with the help of some common & natural household staples which may include ammonia or bleach but make sure not to mix these two chemicals & also not to use them at the same time. These are the effective mold killers which are very helpful in getting rid of the mold, but they are considered to be very harsh, as an alternative, other non-toxic household items including vinegar and baking soda will do the mold removal job even better. Some of the natural ways of getting rid of the mold from caulk are described below:
Way 1: Using Ammonia
- Ventilate The Area: First of all, make sure that the working area has a lot of ventilation, due to the reason that ammonia can have harmful effects when inhaled. Enhance the air circulation, which can be done by keeping windows and doors open, turning on exhaust fans, and set up other fans in order to get the air moving.
- Wear A Respirator: In areas like bathrooms, enhancing airflow is very much limited, in this situation, try wearing a respirator that will help filter out the fumes. Or simply wear a respirator anyway in order to be extra safe, as a plain paper face mask will not protect you from ammonia fumes. The best respirator that you need is an activated charcoal cartridge respirator that is fitted to seal to your face and designed to soak up ammonia.
- Make Your Solution: Enhance the ventilation in the area where you are going to make a solution, if in case you are doing so somewhere other than the area that needs cleaning. Then, combine the same amount of ammonia and water either directly in a spray bottle or another container before putting the solution into your bottle with a funnel.
- Spray And Scrub: As soon as your solution is mixed, spray an equal amount over the moldy caulk. Wait for nearly 5 to 10 minutes in order to make it settle in and start killing the mold. After that, cleanse the sprayed caulk with the help of a small brush. Wipe the caulk down using a cloth or paper towels in order to get rid of all traces when finished.
- Repeat And Evaluate: If some of the molds are still present on the caulk, try again. If you are doing it repeatedly and still nothing is happening, use another cleaner. Ammonia can be an effective mold killer on non-porous surfaces, however, it goes through a lot of difficulty with porous surfaces like caulk.
- Use Another Cleaner: Caulk may look clean after wipping it down, but mold may still be present. If it again appears after some time, even after applying ammonia, this can be an indication that the mold’s roots are too deep in the caulk that it is getting harder for the ammonia to reach it effectively. Try other natural ways given below.
Way 2: Using Bleach
- Expect The Same Risks And Limitations: Ventilate the working area like the way you did when using ammonia. Chlorinated bleach has the same difficulty when using it on porous surfaces, as ammonia was facing. Bleach can only be used as an alternative if you don’t have any ammonia available. If you have applied ammonia on caulk successfully, then skip the bleach, as it will not do a better job hen ammonia.
- Make Your Solution: Now, put in 1 cup (237 ml) of chlorinated bleach into 1 gallon (3.75 L) of water, & then blend it as long as it’s evenly mixed.
- Scrub Light Mold With A Soaked Sponge: If your mold is very light, take a fresh sponge & then dip it in your solution and squeeze out the excess. Then, simply get rid of the moldy caulk with that solution.
- Spray More Pronounced Problems Before Scrubbing: If a quick cleaning process with a soaked sponge doesn’t work, put your solution in a spray bottle. Cover the moldy caulk and give it 5 or 10 minutes in order to settle into the caulk. Then, clean it down again using your sponge.
- Repeat With A Cleaning Brush: If the mold is still there, spray the caulk yet again. Give the bleach time in order to get into the mold’s roots before scrubbing again, but use a bristled cleaning brush.
- Treat Deeply Rooted Problems With Cotton Coils: If spraying the caulk is not enough for the bleach to get into the mold’s roots, then try using cotton coils. Dip cotton coils in your solution before placing them along your caulk line and touch or push them gently into it with a Q-tip. Leave them for the whole night so the caulk can absorb as much bleach as possible. Then, clean it again in the morning.
- Spray The Caulk Again Once Cleaned: Get rid of the mold and other dirt by cleaning down the caulk with the help of a cloth or paper towels. Then, spray the area again using your solution and let it be on the caulk for some time.
Way 3: Using Non-Toxic Mold Killers
- Use 3% Hydrogen Peroxide: First, go through the ingredients carefully in order to make sure it has a concentration of 3%. Then, fill a spray bottle with the stuff and spray the caulk as long as it’s rigorously soaked. The cleaner will take at least 10 minutes to settle in, before scrubbing the caulk using a sponge, brush, or both. Clean the area when finished.
- Go With Vinegar: Use white distilled vinegar by filling it in a spray bottle and then absorb the moldy caulk with it for nearly one hour, then get rid of the mold with a sponge and rinse with water.
- Use Baking Soda With Water: Take a ¼ tablespoon of baking soda & then fill this in a spray bottle. Also, fill the bottle with water and then shake it up. Spray the affected area with this solution before wiping it clean immediately using a sponge or brush. Then, rinse the caulk line using water and spray again in order to prevent mold from growing back.
- Borax-and-water Solution: Make a mixture of 1 cup (204 g) of borax & 1 gallon (3.75 L) of water. Either dip a sponge in the solution and absorb the mold or fill a spray bottle and cover the caulk with mist. Then, scrub it down using a brush before wiping it clean.