Managing Mould in a Rental
Mould creeps up and takes over our homes - it doesn't smell great, can ruin clothes and furniture and it just simply terrible for our health.
Mould can be particularly bad in rentals as they are often older homes with poor ventilation, glass windows that have terrible insulation and can be deficient of adequate sunlight each day. And as a renter you often can’t change these things or request a change to your landlord due to the risk of the rent going up (again).
Here are some tips to stay on top of the mould in your home.
1-
“Mould prone” means you have a ventilation problem
Mould loves moisture and warmth. You’ll find it growing behind couches, down the sides of tables and in the darkness of the wardrobe. People often say they have a mould problem like it’s taken up residence and they don’t know how to kick it out.
The answer is ventilation. Here are some quick hacks to improve ventilation:
Open the window just a crack (every little bit counts)
Keep a dehumidifier running (these are cheaper than air con to run)
Keep a fan on (even if this is when you leave the house). Cheapies from Kmart will do the job
Keep indoor plants away from areas that mould pops up in (moisture and mould are besties)
Keep showers short and air the bathroom out after (keep the moist air moving out)
Leave the glass shower door propped open to avoid moisture getting trapped
Open the blinds and curtains everyday.single.day to let light in (no matter how short - every little bit helps)
Keep clutter in the house to a minimum (less places for mould to accumulate)
2-
Cleaning mould is an ongoing project, not a one off task
If you have mould in your home, cleaning it once will not solve the issue. You have to keep on top of it, particularly through humid, wet and cooler months. Too often I hear about people saying they cleaned the house top to bottom, but then the mould returned. Exactly. Unless the weather outside has radically changed, mould will return because of poor ventilation and moisture.
Treat it as an ongoing process to keep a careful eye on. Even at the hint of mould forming, bust out the cleaning products.
3-
Vinegar, vinegar, vinegar.
Cleaning vinegar is found in the cleaning aisle of the supermarket and actually kills mould.
Vinegar (cleaning vinegar from the cleaning aisle of the grocery store, not stuff you put on salads - cleaning vinegar is stronger) will be your best friend here.
Vinegar actually kills the mould, unlike bleach which is pretty rubbish at killing the mould entirely and can sometimes make the issue worse by feeding the mould.
Buy a bottle of vinegar and pop it in a spray bottle with some water. Spray the vinegar+water on the mould and wipe - or if its really bad, leave it for a few minutes and then wipe.
Do not use vinegar on stone, marble (you fancy), or metal surfaces/fixtures as this can damage the surface. For any other surfaces and how they interact with vinegar do a quick Google to see if it’s safe.
4-
Where bleach is useful
Apart from the risk of getting it on your clothes, bleach can be great for lifting stains. Sometimes the vinegar just won’t lift stains on painted walls, whereas bleach or the bathroom sprays containing a bit of bleach will help to lift stains. Use sparingly and make sure the room is well ventilated when you do use it.
5-
Keeping mould to a minimum
Keeping mould to a minimum can be tricky in some places. It can feel like the mould is out of control and that you are fighting a losing battle. Here are some tips for keeping on top of it
Wipe down mould-prone areas each week (add it to a weekly cleaning schedule)
Keep furniture off the walls to improve ventilation (even a few cms off the wall can help)
Keep windows and doors open as much as possible, even a tiny crack in the window can help
Keep the sunlight coming in each day
Keep moisture inside to a minimum
Dry clothes outside where possible
If using a dryer, always put the fan on and clean the lint catcher each time you put on a new load
Have shorter showers to keep steam to a minimum
Keep oven use to a minimum to keep steam away
Use appliances to keep air moving (fans, dehumidifier, air con)
Wipe down wet windows each morning to keep moisture at bay
Staying on top of a mould problem can be a total drain, but letting it continue to grow will make you feel more tired and trigger allergies. It’s worth the effort to keep cleaning and keeping it out of your rental as homes are where we sleep and therefore we breathe it in each day. No go buy some vinegar of dig it out of your cleaning cupboard.