I’ve used tea tree oil as an ingredient for my homemade deodorant, as a natural treatment for breakouts, for repelling insects, and also as a safer alternative for cleaning and killing mold and mildew. Tea tree oil may not be effective for all mold contaminations; but for small areas, on clothing, and treating non-porous surfaces it can be quite effective.
Cleaning fabric with tea tree oil
If you need to kill mold or mildew on clothing, or to eliminate a musty odor, simply add a few drops of tea tree oil to the wash cycle. This will also help kill mildew buildup in the washer and can be used to rinse and refresh clothing that was left in the machine too long.
Tea tree oil mold treatment
If you have a small mold area to clean you can mix 1 tsp tea tree oil with 1 cup of water and put in a spray bottle. Once you have determined that the mold contamination is safe to clean yourself, you can spray this formula on the problem area, let it soak for awhile, and then carefully wipe clean. This should kill most spores and prevent the mold from returning. If you have a water issue or leak, you will want to make sure to get it fixed so that you do not have the same issue return.
If the mold is growing on surfaces such as drywall, this solution will likely not remove the mold entirely and will need to be cut out and repaired by someone who knows what they are doing. Always use caution when dealing with mold, and if you are not sure, ask a professional.
I only recommend essential oils that are guaranteed to be pure. Many of the oils available today are diluted and may contain chemicals and pesticides. I only use oils from doTERRA*, which does extensive testing on each batch to guarantee purity. If you would like more information on essential oils, feel free to contact me.
Krystle Reeves assists in managing MoldBlogger.com, a website dedicated to providing a place to share and receive information that will better allow individuals to fight and conquer toxic mold and the consequences of mold exposure, and also blogs at Where the Green Things Grow where she shares her adventures and challenges in gardening, parenting, and life. If you want to learn more about essential oils you can join her Facebook group.
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