Mold can grow anywhere there are damp conditions--from a windowsill to a bathroom, to a whole house. While the health effects of most common molds are minimal, the chemicals we commonly use to remove the unsightly growth can harm our health. Mold cleaners can contain toxic chemicals such as pentachorophenol, which can be harmful through skin absorption or inhalation, and formaldehyde, which can cause cancer as well as irritate eyes, throat, skin, and lungs. Many mold cleaners carry the “DANGER” warning label and state that they should be used only in a well-ventilated area (next time you want to clean mold from your shower, look around for the ventilation...)

Fortunately, there are ways to clean and even prevent mold that are natural and safe for you and your family.

Mold is a living organism that needs certain conditions to stay alive. A moist, dark, environment with little moving air is perfect. Mold just can't live in an environment that is dry, light, or breezy. The solution to any mold problem of any kind is to introduce heat (to dry the moisture), light, or moving air (such as from a fan).

I used to live in an old house in a forest, next to a creek, in an area that has a lot of rainfall in the winter. One year was particularly cold and rainy and so to conserve heat, I closed the door on my extra bedroom, which contained books and research papers, a bed, and out-of-season clothing. By the end of winter, there was so much mold in that room that it was literally growing on my clothing. My cotton espadrille shoes and cloth-covered binders were covered with blue fuzz. What to do? Mold was covering literally everything!

In my situation, I opted to use heat. I put a portable space heater in the room and closed the door. After several hours I peeked in and steam was rising. It was like a sauna. After twenty-four hours, however, all was bone dry and I was able to brush visible mold (now a dry powder) from walls, clothing, and other surfaces. The moral of the story: if you live in a damp environment that doesn't get much sun, make sure your heat circulates completely around the house, and even though it may take more energy, it's needed to keep your home dry and safe. Mold can do damage to material possessions and human health, so its better to stay warm and dry.

If you have just a small area of mold, use a hand-held dryer to dry it up in just a few minutes.

You can prevent mold from growing by keeping areas dry. Find the source of moisture and control it. Mold in an undersink cabinet, for example, may require fixing leaky pipes. Controlling mold in a bathroom may involve installing a small space heater to run after a shower to dry out the room, or using a fan for the same purpose. No moisture--no mold.

In a closet, hang garments with space between them to allow for air-flow and install a small light, both to dispel darkness and provide a little heat. If you live in a very humid area, a dehumidifier may be necessary.

To remove mold from shower tile or other hard surface, mix borax and water, or vinegar and water, in a spray bottle. Spray it on and the mold wipes right off. Borax inhibits mold growth, so wash down the walls in your bathroom with a borax solution and just leave it on, or sprinkle borax in damp cabinets under the sink. If you need something stronger to remove stubborn mold, use hydrogen peroxide.

Steam cleaners--which clean, sanitize, and deodorize using only hot water--also work great on mold. You can purchase small hand-held steam cleaners in the housewares department of discount stores for about $50 or larger units on the Internet.

Read more about controlling mold without toxic chemicals in my new book Home Safe Home, at http://www.dld123.com/homesafehome.html.