IF you are struggling to get rid of stubborn mould that’s gathering around your windows and condensation that just won’t shift, fear not, we’ve got you covered.
There’s nothing more annoying than spending ages scrubbing away, only for mould to grow back just a day later.
And if you wake up to wet windows every day, you’ll need to listen up.
Condensation is a build up of moisture on surfaces around the home that collects as droplets on a cold surface when humid air is in contact with it.
If left untreated or prevented, condensation turns into mould – and the toxic fuzz is not only dangerous for your health, but a nightmare to get rid of.
Adam Pawson, property expert at Safestyle, explained: "The main reason that condensation gathers is due to factors inside your home, such as the ventilation and how many people live in the property, so there’s plenty of ways to try and prevent it.
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“However small it may seem, it’s a problem that shouldn’t be ignored.
“If moulds, which contain allergens and toxic substances, begin to form in your home it has been proven to cause serious problems for people with existing health conditions.”
But luckily for you, here’s six simple ways to battle mould – including a mad hack that you need to try.
And don’t worry, there’s no dehumidifier in sight – so you won’t need to go out and splash the cash on pricey gadgets.
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In fact, these quick and easy tricks are super cheap and you may already have the answers in your cupboards.
Silica gel packets
Mould and condensation can be a real nuisance to get rid of, but it turns out, a common household item that you probably throw away without even thinking about it, could be the key to preventing the pesky problem.
Hold on to your silica packets, ladies and gents – that’s right, the little sachet that you flippantly throw away when opening a new pair of trainers could actually protect your walls and window sills.
Silica gel packets are designed to prevent moisture from damaging a product, making them ideal for keeping dampness at bay around your home.
The tip comes from consumer group Which?, which posted on Instagram some of the innovative ways to reuse the tiny packets.
The drying agent can be popped on a window sill or in your steamy bathroom to capture some of the condensation.
But be sure to keep these sachets away from children or pets, as they can be toxic if ingested.
Tea tree oil
Not only are silica gel packets useful for banishing mould and condensation, but tea tree oil is super handy too.
Cleaning experts from Mould in Homes found that if you mix two teaspoons of tea tree oil (which you can buy for as little as £1), with two cups of water and spray the solution on mould, it can be an extremely effective method for battling mould.
According to the pros, tea tree oil is a natural fungicide that is effective at killing mould spores throughout the home.
Not only is it environmentally friendly and harmless to pets and people, but you’ll only need a small amount of it for an extremely effective result.
White vinegar
If you don’t have any tea tree oil in your cupboard, white vinegar is another to try.
Cleaning expert Laura Harnett, the founder of Seep eco-cleaning tools has revealed that white vinegar is a go-to product to use for getting rid of harsh mould and condensation.
Speaking to the Express, she said: "White vinegar has antifungal and antibacterial properties and will remove mould in an eco-friendly and cost-effective way.”
The acetic acid in white vinegar makes it perfect for killing mould, and you want to buy one that contains five to six percent of the acid.
White vinegar can kill up to 82% of mould types including black mould on porous and non-porous surfaces.
To use white vinegar around the home, mix one tablespoon of it with one tablespoon of baking soda and one tablespoon of hot water to create a paste.
You can then use the paste on areas of black mould to get rid of the stains.
The two ingredients combined creates carbon dioxide gas to lift dirt and the gritty baking soda will remove stains.
You can gently scrub the mould off with the paste and wipe clean.
After dealing with the stains, apply concentrated white vinegar on the effected areas to stop mould growing back.
Bleach
Mrs Hinch fans have long hailed bleach as an effective solution to banish black mould and condensation for good.
Posting on a Mrs Hinch Facebook page, a cleaning fan asked for tips to remove mould from a wall by her window.
She said: "Can anyone help with what will get rid of [mould] please? And get it to stay off for longer than two days please.
“We've tried the mould spray you can get but it just keeps coming back.
“Tried what Environmental Health said and leave the window open and heating on for an hour but we can't keep doing that as we can't afford to leave the heating on for basically nothing.”
The post was met with a flood of comments from sympathetic group members who had their own suggestions to help her out.
The overriding advice was to douse it in bleach which can cost as little as 39p a bottle, either straight up or mixed with water.
One person said: “Clean with pure bleach, wait until it’s dry and maybe use a damp seal paint, that’s what I’ve had to do to ours.”
Another agreed: “I used raw bleach on mine a few months ago and it hasn’t come back.”
A third said: "When my son was a student he often had trouble with mould in his digs.
"Once a month, they would wash mould away with warm water and bleach added.”
Salt
Not only is bleach a cheap and effective hack, but according to experts, salt is another simple but game-changing trick.
It’s an old wives tale but for good reason – placing bowls of rock salt on your window sills is said to be a great way to stop condensation and mould.
Stephen Day from iHeat said: "Salt, like cat litter, is hygroscopic and can absorb some moisture.”
According to homecare expert and archeologist Barry Gray from The Tool Square, salt is able to “pull moisture out of the air, making rooms drier” and less damp.
He added: “This can help to prevent mould growth and other harmful conditions in enclosed spaces like homes or offices.”
Washing up liquid
If you’ve got some spare washing up liquid in your cupboard, you’ll need to get that out and slap it on your windows, as according to cleaning pro Lynsey Crombie, the simple trick will get your windows sparkling in no time.
Sharing her advice, she explained: “What you’re going to need is washing up liquid. You literally only need a tiny drop. A tiny little drop.
“This tip is very similar to shaving foam on a shower screen – so you’re creating a barrier which is going to stop the water from sticking on it.
“My mum swears by this – her mum does it.
“You're just literally going to coat it [on the window].
“Both my nans were cleaners – they swear by it.”
Experts from Get Home Things also added: “By taking a small drop of washing up liquid and rubbing it into the condensation-prone window with a dry cloth you can completely stop the issue all together.
“The washing up liquid forms a barrier on the surface of the windows, preventing the water from sticking.”
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