Essential Oils
What essential oils are good for killing mold In The Household?
Aug
A lot of people believe that mold can only grow in a humid environment, but that’s not the case. Whether it is a cold, damp winter or a warm, humid summer, activities at home can result in moisture indoors and the appearance of mold.
In fact, it can grow on walls, clothes, books, toys, and even CDs, turning valuables into musty relics that only look fit for the garbage. Molds are a form of fungus. There are many different types, and they can occur both indoors and outdoors.
Molds can be very harmful to our health and our household items, so they must be prevented and/or gotten rid of.
Harmful molds can be classified into allergenic molds that cause and produce allergies and allergic reactions such as asthma attacks, pathogenic molds that cause health problems in those suffering from an acute illness, and toxigenic molds that produce toxic substances that can lead to dangerous or even deadly health conditions. This is sometimes referred to as “toxic mold.”
Around the home, we can be faced with 12 types of molds that include Acremonium, Aspergillus, Aureobasidium, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Mucor, Penicillin, Stachybotrys, Trichoderma, and Ulocladium. There are several ways by which molds can be gotten rid of, but nature provides one of the most effective ways in essential oils.
What are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are compounds extracted from plants that are obtained through distillation - via steam and/or water - or mechanical methods, such as cold pressing. Basically, Essential oils are concentrated plant extracts that retain the natural smell and flavor, or "essence," of their source.
It is imperative to know that the process of obtaining essential oils is very important. In other words, essential oils obtained through chemical processes are not original essential oils.
The benefits of essential oils cannot be overestimated. They help relieve stress, anxiety, headaches, migraine, insomnia, and other health issues. Essential oils are also used in aromatherapy, as mosquito repellents, and for industrial cosmetics.
The household uses of essential oils include cleaning wipes, toilet cleaner, hand sanitizer, car freshener, fabric spray, hand soap, home filter, carpet freshener, floor cleaner, and laundry detergent. This article is concerned with the effectiveness of essential oils in killing molds in the household.
Molds produce spores that spread by floating in the air. These mold spores can be found in all indoor environments. There is no way to prevent spores, and they can persist in conditions where mold itself cannot grow.
Mold spores would thrive better in environments that are moist and warm, so when they land on a damp spot, they begin to grow. Molds can grow on a variety of different surfaces, including fabric, paper, wood, glass, and plastic. As they grow, they begin to digest the material they are growing on.
Apart from these negative effects mold can have on our household items, mold can also have a negative effect on our health. When mold goes untreated, it will continue to spread, and may even grow into black mold, which can cause detrimental health issues.
When mold spores disperse throughout the home, they may cause symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, wheezing, stuffy nose, itchy eyes, runny eyes, and rash. Excessive mold infestation may even cause toxic mold poisoning.
Best Essential Oils for Killing Molds In the Household
While some people claim that essential oils can handle both new and long-standing mold growth, others say that essential oils work better on more recent mold growth. However, they all agree on the fact that the mold needs to be visible before essential oils can be effective.
Essential oils can also prove effective against mold spores floating in the air around your home. It should however be noted that not all essential oils can perform this function of killing mold in the household. This article highlights some of the best essential oils for killing mold, as well as how to use essential oils to achieve this goal.
Cinnamon Essential Oil
Cinnamon Essential Oil is derived from the ‘True Cinnamon tree’ that is recognized by two botanical names: Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Cinnamomum vervun. Cinnamon Essential Oil can be obtained from either the tree’s outer bark or its leaves; hence, the two main varieties are Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil and Cinnamon Leaf Essential Oil, both of which can be effective in killing and preventing mold in the household.
Cinnamon essential oil contains a high concentration of cinnamaldehyde, a popular ingredient in natural healing and cleaning methods. It has a beautiful sweet and spicy aroma that can be used for deodorizing and purifying the air at home, making it one of the best essential oils to use in the home.
Not only is Cinnamon essential oil known for its pleasant fragrance, but it is also known for its powerful antibacterial properties that make it a natural disinfectant for any type of fabric.
Cinnamon oil has proven to be one of the strongest oils for use in combating mold in the household. A study carried out on four essential oils showed that cinnamon has the best inhibitory effect against mold growing on food.
In that study, a solution of cinnamon oil used on bread constrained mold growth by 96%. Another study by the International Journal of Food Microbiology showed that a mixture of essential oils, including cinnamon oil, suppressed bacterial growth for 60 days.
The results of the abovementioned studies suggest that cinnamon essential oil could serve as an effective alternative to other food preservatives. Of the two versions of essential oil that can be gotten from the cinnamon tree, cinnamon bark essential oil proved to be more effective at inhibiting more Aspergillus and Penicillium species than cinnamon leaf essential oil.
Cinnamon bark essential oil inhibits Aspergillus species and aflatoxin, aflatoxin-B1, and aflatoxin-G1 production. These toxins are inhibited because the essential oil binds to the DNA of aflatoxins. Also, this essential oil reacts with reactive oxygen species produced by aflatoxins, which has a protective effect on cells.
Not only is cinnamon essential oil able to fight against the growth of mold on food, but also in areas of your home that may be prone to mold. In addition to these, the scent of cinnamon oil will help your home smell fresh and clean.
Lemon Essential Oil
Clothing and grease cannot be separated, especially when you have young children in the house or you work in the foodservice.
Lemon essential oil can help to remove smelly grease and can be applied to even older stains. It is an amazing and effective essential oil to add to the washing machine due to its energizing and disinfecting qualities.
The invigorating and uplifting scent of lemon essential oil helps drives away sluggishness and enhances clear thinking, so it would be a perfect fragrance for the home. Lemon is a citrus fruit and most essential oils derived from citrus fruits are capable of breaking down mold spores at a molecular level.
Lemon essential oil seems to be the most popular essential oil amongst citrus oils because of its pleasant smell. Not only will lemon essential oil kill already existing molds, but also prevent new ones from forming.
Aspergillus niger, also known as black mold, is especially sensitive to lemon essential oil, and this suggests promising effectiveness in cleaning molds on hard, non-porous surfaces. Another benefit of using lemon essential oil in your home is that it would give your home that fresh aromatic citrus smell.
Lemon Essential Oil
Lemon essential oil has several health benefits including: supporting the immune system, alleviating stress and reducing insomnia.
Vivorific’s peppermint essential oil is: 100% Pure and natural, free from fillers, additives and harmful chemicals, vegan and kosher certified and sealed with tamper evident closure and Euro style dropper cap.
Thyme Essential Oil
Thyme essential oil is derived from the herb ‘thyme’. Thyme itself can be taken by mouth for the treatment of bronchitis, whooping cough, sore throat, colic, arthritis, upset stomach, stomach pain (gastritis), diarrhea, bedwetting, a movement disorder in children (dyspraxia), intestinal gas (flatulence), parasitic worm infections, and skin disorders.
It is also used as a diuretic to increase urine flow, to disinfect the urine, and as an appetite stimulant. Some people apply thyme directly to the skin to act as a counterirritant, for hoarseness (laryngitis), swollen tonsils (tonsillitis), sore mouth, and bad breath. With these benefits associated with thyme, the benefits that can be gotten from thyme essential oil cannot be overstated.
Thyme essential oil possesses unique properties that prevent the growth of disease-causing organisms, treat viruses, eliminates mold, prevent the growth of fungus, and the aflatoxins they produce and attack bacteria. High in anti-fungal and antibacterial properties, it works as a natural disinfectant for any fabric.
In fact, studies have shown undiluted thyme essential oil can eliminate the strongest bacteria, and mold is no match for it.
Clove Essential Oil
Clove essential oil is derived from clove trees. The clove tree, known as Syzygium aromaticum, is native to Southeast Asia (especially in Indonesia), although today you may find it growing in other locations, too.
Clove Essential oil is produced by distilling the dried flower buds that are collected from the clove tree. Other parts of the tree, such as the stem and leaves, may also be used. Clove essential oil is great for dealing with fungal growth and is a powerful antioxidant that can help ward off free radicals and maintain a healthy immune system.
Blessed with a multitude of antiseptic properties, clove oil can be used to treat cuts, wounds, fungal infections, insect bites, and even stings. However, the direct application of clove oil may prove harmful. If the wound is too sore, it is advisable to dilute clove oil by adding almond or coconut oil.
These carrier oils will prevent your sensitive skin from burns that can be caused by the direct application of clove oil. The clove essential oil of clove has been used medicinally in Chinese and Indian medicine as a painkiller for dentistry.
The famous Aspergillus niger, also known as black mold, is especially sensitive to clove oil. This suggests promising effectiveness in cleaning molds on hard, non-porous surfaces. Cloves have been shown to put an end to Candida growth in the mouth and intestine.
A recent study found that clove essential oil “had a fast killing effect on yeast cells.” Not only is clove oil full of antioxidants that will help in boosting your immune system, but it is also known to prevent, and even eliminate black mold.
As we mentioned earlier, black mold can cause insurmountable damage to your home and health, so you’re going to want to keep clove oil around.
Tree Tea Essential Oil
Tea tree Essential oil, also known as melaleuca oil, is an essential oil that comes from steaming the leaves of the Australian tea tree. Tea tree essential oil, when used topically, is believed to be antibacterial.
Tea tree oil is commonly used to treat acne, athlete's foot, lice, nail fungus, and insect bites. In recent decades, its popularity has grown in other areas of the world as an alternative and complementary treatment.
Today, tea tree essential oil is commonly found in cosmetics, topical medicines, and household products. This essential oil possesses antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antifungal properties. The oil has been used for almost 100 years as a healing treatment in Australia, particularly for skin conditions. Today tea tree essential oil is used for several conditions and is probably best known for its antibacterial activity.
Some research suggests that the broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity associated with the oil comes from its ability to damage the cell walls of bacteria. The antifungal and antibacterial properties of tea tree essential oil mean that it can help disinfect your home while fighting off fungal growth like mold. To add these, tea tree oil is also known to eliminate the musty odor from mold and mildew.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint essential oil is quite popular for its therapeutic and refreshing effects, tension relief, and insect repellent properties. It has antiseptic and antibacterial properties that help soften the fabrics, retain the integrity of the fabrics, and reduce their itchiness.
Peppermint is naturally cool, minty and it helps to stimulate the mind. The most active components of Peppermint essential oil are Menthol and Menthone, which are known to reduce pain and to invigorate, energize, and prevent the growth of harmful bacteria, respectively. These essential properties make peppermint essential oil a very effective essential oil in killing molds around the house.
A study published in 2012 showed just a little bit of oil is enough to kill a wide range of fungi. The researchers went on to suggest that using peppermint for treating fungal infections was preferred over tea tree oil. The antifungal and antibacterial properties of peppermint essential oil mean that it would prove effective in disinfecting your home while fighting off fungal growth like mold. Moreover, peppermint essential oil is also known to eliminate the musty odor from mold and mildew as a result of its unique fragrance.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint essential oil has several health benefits including: alleviating headaches and energizing the body.
Vivorific’s peppermint essential oil is: 100% Pure and natural, free from fillers, additives and harmful chemicals, vegan and kosher certified and sealed with tamper evident closure and Euro style dropper cap.
Oregano Essential Oil
Historically, oregano essential oil has been used to disinfect, support the immune system, etc. This essential oil is loaded with antifungal properties that would help get rid of some of the toughest molds, including black mold.
Oregano essential oil’s potent antibacterial properties are effective against five strains of common bacteria, including those responsible for giardia, listeria, salmonella, and other common infections. Oregano essential oil was one of the molds removing oils that were proven to inhibit the production of aflatoxin by aspergillus fungus.
Most essential oils have little or no effect on mycotoxins, but this is not the same for oregano essential oil. The only possible drawback for oregano essential oil is that it mainly works on aflatoxins found on food, not in buildings.
The abovementioned essential oils have been proven to contain powerful therapeutic properties that help plant or plant products protect themselves against mold and bacteria. They can be used in two main ways to ensure their effectiveness against mold.
Essential oils can be applied in the home using a Nebulizing Diffuser
Most users of essential oils confirm that using a Nebulizing Diffuser is one of the best ways to stop mold with essential oils. This owes the fact that the nebulizing diffuser doesn't use water, and this ensures that the growth and spread of mold in the home are curtailed.
A Nebulizing Diffuser is strong and powerful and will fill a room with undiluted pure essential oils that would work fast to combat the mold and the spreading of mold spores. Even when it appears the mold is taken care of, the nebulizer can still be used frequently as a preventive measure.
Essential oils can also be applied using a Spray Bottle
When the mold is visible, mixing a couple of essential oils with alcohol in a spray bottle is a great way to hit the mold directly. To do this, prepare a mixture of about 25 drops of essential oil with up to a cup of equal parts water and isopropyl alcohol and add it to a spray bottle.
Spray this formula directly onto the surface that has been contaminated with mold and allow it to soak for ten to fifteen minutes before wiping clean. For serious mold growth or mold on porous surfaces, it is recommended that you avoid diluting the spray with water and mix only with isopropyl alcohol. Since wiping away mold alone is pointless, you need to kill the spores that are left behind which can trigger regrowth.
Are there any essential oils you feel should be on the best essential oils for killing mold in the household list? Share them in the comments below.
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