Green Office Cleaning Methods: Mould Removal Using 3 Different Products

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Indoor dampness has been estimated to affect anywhere between 10 to 50% of indoor environments in Australia. Consistently prevalent damp environments are particularly ideal for encouraging mould growth. If you have found any presence of mould in your office, contact professional cleaning contractors immediately to remove the mould as it may become a health and safety hazard. Although some cleaning companies rely on harsh chemicals, there are green office cleaning methods that are just as effective. These methods are explored in detail in this article.

Relying On Any Type Of Household Vinegar

Here's a little known fact: common household vinegar is not only a great ingredient to have around the house, but can also be used as a cleaning detergent as it has been found to kill off approximately 82% of mould species. Unlike many of the harsh chemicals that are constantly used to remove mould, common household vinegar is non-toxic, safe for human beings and pets, and also free of dangerous fumes. White, distilled vinegar is usually most effective. To remove mould with vinegar:

  • simply pour some vinegar onto the affected area. You can pour the vinegar directly onto the mould without watering it down.
  • allow the vinegar to sit there for at least an hour undisturbed. Let the vinegar work on the mouldy area. If you find that the vinegar is unable to remove all mould, you may want to pour more vinegar onto the area and wait. 
  • wipe the area clean with water. The vinegar smell may linger for a bit; however, this is only temporary. All scents of vinegar should disappear within several hours.

Vinegar is inexpensive and also easy to work with. You won't need to use any safety equipment to handle the vinegar, and you may be surprised at just how effective vinegar can be. 

Take Advantage Of Mother Nature By Using Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil comes from Melaleuca alteringfolia. Tea tree oil has been regarded as an extremely effective mould removal product for a long time, as it possesses anti-fungal and antibacterial properties and is capable of killing all types of mould. Although tea tree oil may be a tad more expensive than common household vinegar, just a little bit of tea tree oil will go a long way. Most natural food stores carry tea tree oil. To use tea tree oil:

  • concoct a solution that contains 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil for every cup of water that has been added. You can either pour this solution into a spray bottle or submerge a cloth into the solution.
  • either spray the solution onto the mouldy area or scrub the mould away using a cloth that has been submerged into the solution.
  • allow the tea tree oil to sit there. If you still see signs of mould after several hours, you may want to reapply the tea tree oil.

Tea tree oil is organic and not the least bit harmful to human beings or pets. You will not need to rinse the tea tree oil after it has been applied. Tea tree oil has a unique and strong odour. You can expect the odour to dissipate within several hours.

Use Grapefruit Seed Extract

Grapefruit seed extract has properties similar to tea tree oil with one exception; it does not have a strong odour. The citric acid within the grapefruit seed extract will kill of all types of mould and disinfect and deodorise the area as well. Grapefruit seed extract can be found in many natural food stores. In fact, studies have shown that grapefruit seed extract is 10 to 100 times more effective than chemical disinfectants that can be found in stores, such as chlorine. To use grapefruit seed extract:

Grapefruit seed extract has an extremely long shelf life. Once you have made the solution, you can keep it for a long time without dumping it, and it will still retain its effectiveness.

Conclusion

If you strongly prefer green office cleaning methods instead of traditional ones, you will want to consult with each professional office cleaning company to determine the type of tactics that they implement to deal with mould. It is important to remove the mould as soon as possible before it becomes a bigger problem.


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