Borax (also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate or disodium tetraborate) is a natural white mineral powder, commonly found in many household products, and is used for many purposes, such as detergent, insect killer, herbicide and fungicides, which makes it a great product to help remove black mould.
Products like bleach and other commercial cleaning products may be more concentrated than borax and therefore work more effectively on more serious infestations. This is ideal for a lightweight infestation that’s relevantly easy and friendly to use.
Advantages to using borax
- Borax is easy to find
- Inexpensive
- Natural
- Low toxicity
Video
Here’s a quick video on how to remove mould with borax…
Equipment required
- Cup of Borax- can be found in most grocery stores in the laundry isle.
- 1 gallon x Hot water
- 1 x Spray bottle
- 1 x Scrubber/toothbrush
- 1 x Wiping cloth
- 1 x Safety gloves
Instructions
- Mix a cup of borax with a gallon of hot water and stir well
- Pour the solution into a spray bottle
- Spray generously onto the affected area and allow to settle for a few minutes
- Use a scrubber or toothbrush to tackle both lightly and heavily effected areas, and ensure all the mould is physically removed
- Wipe away the excess mould
- Don’t rinse the borax away, as it will continue disinfecting the area
- Allow the area to naturally dry and repeat if necessary
Safety
While borax is natural, it can be toxic if ingested or excessively made direct contact with it. It is advised to wear safety gloves while using borax, as it can cause mild skin irritations.
Prevention
Once your mould colony is treated, it is important to understand that it grew for a reason in the first place. Mould grows due to environment conditions, and in order to prevent the infestation from developing again, some changes may need to be made to your home and/or habits.
Please remember that prevention is the best cure for mould, so please take time to understanding why mould occurs and how you can prevent mould from occurring.