Sniffing and sneezing during the winter period is not always being caused by a cold. In some cases, it may result from allergic reactions to certain molds. Mold usually grows during the winter because it needs high moisture in the air to reproduce. During the winter times, people often heat up their homes and rarely open the windows or let the air circulate. This causes higher humidity levels and mold to grow.
What is mold?
Molds are fungi that reproduce by releasing small spores into the air. Spores land on moist objects and begin to develop. There are thousands of different types of mold and people come across many of them every day.
Molds flourish in damp, humid conditions like bathrooms with poor ventilation. An exhaust fan needs to be installed in order to prevent formations of mold. Leaky water pipes or roof leaks may also cause problems with mold. They should be repaired immediately. Mold may also form as an after effect of floods.
Ways to fight mold
The main concern about fighting mold is to dry out anything that is damp. Basements and carpets should be properly dried out, even with the help of a dehumidifier. Plumbing and roofs should be fixed for leaks and all of the spills, even those from the shower, must be carefully dried out.
A dehumidifier may be used to fight mold at home but there are also some very good natural substitutes. Tea tree oil, grapefruit seed extract and vinegar are nature’s best solutions against mold. The cheapest and most available is vinegar, but it may leave very a strong smell that lasts for a couple of hours.
A spray made of tea tree oil may show the best effects. Tea tree oil is quite expensive but, it is efficient and it can last for a very long time. It leaves a strong smell but it will disappear in a couple of days. To prepare this spray one should mix two teaspoons of tea tree oil and two cups of water in a spray bottle. Affected areas have to be sprayed carefully and should not be rinsed afterwards.
Grapefruit seed extract may be used instead of the tea tree oil but in somewhat different proportion. Twenty drops of grapefruit seed extract should substitute two teaspoons of tea tree oil. Both of the solutions last indefinitely.
Vinegar spray should be able to kill a high percentage of mold. White distilled vinegar should be used pure, without any water, and be sprayed on the moldy area and let to dry out without rinsing. The unpleasant smell will disappear in a couple of hours.
Your thoughts on this
Loading...