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Apr 03, 2023

Mould cleaning tips: Popular cleaning product a microbiologist warns against using to kill mould

By Rachael Gavin | 1 week ago When faced with a mould breakout in the home,

By Rachael Gavin| 1 week ago

When faced with a mould breakout in the home, many people often turn to bleach to kill and remove the nasty fungi.

But that is actually a big mistake, according to a microbiologist who shared his tips in a TikTok video.

Wes posted his advice on the platform in response to another TikToker who revealed they had been cleaning the mould in their shower with bleach, only to find it came back in just two days.

Watch the video above

READ MORE: Expert tips for dealing mouldy grout

This is a typical experience of anyone using bleach to kill mould, as the product just bleaches the colour out of the mould making it appear as though it is gone.

"The reason the mould didn't go away when you treated it with bleach is because mould doesn't get killed by bleach very well. Bleach is not a good way to disinfect things that are contaminated with mould," Wes said.

Instead of bleach, Wes recommends using undiluted white distilled vinegar.

"Spray it on the surface, or soak the dish in vinegar for about an hour, rinse it off with some water and you're good to go."

Wes' video has struck a chord with TikTok users, racking up 6.5 million views and generating plenty of questions and comments.

One person asked about mixing vinegar with hydrogen peroxide to kill mould, which prompted a stern warning from Wes.

"No. Don't do that. As someone already pointed out, it makes a much more dangerous/corrosive acid," he said.

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The microbiologist's video had such a big response that Wes ended up filming a second video to provide an alternative mould cleaner suggestion to vinegar for those who don't like the smell.

"An alternative you can use is tea tree oil actually. I've read a few studies that show that it's very effective at killing mould and disinfecting porous surfaces just like vinegar. So put a few drops of that into a spray bottle, fill it water, spray it on the surfaces," he explained.

Wes also clarified that vinegar and tea tree oil are better for cleaning mould because bleach just removes the top layer of fungi from the surface. The rest of the mould remains in the wood or whatever material/surface is contaminated with mould.

READ MORE: Professional cleaner reveals the hidden mould lurking in your air-conditioner

A TikToker backed up Wes' suggestion to use tea tree oil, saying they'd had great success using it to get rid of mould.

"I 100 per cent suggest the tea tree oil. I had mould in a closet that was on the outer corner of my house. Kept coming back. Used tea tree oil once, and it was gone," they said.

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