This post may contain affiliate links or mention our own products, please check out our disclosure policy.

How To Naturally Get Rid Of Mold In Your Home And RV

This post was updated on March 15th, 2024

How To Naturally Get Rid Of Mold In Your Home And RV

Mold can be a big problem in the fall and wintertime. Moisture from rain and snow in the air will give this toxic fungus a nice damp environment to thrive.

You could find it growing anywhere from cabinets and drawers in your home to the walls and ceiling in your RV.

Cleaning mold right away can save your RV from expensive damage. Some types like black mold are also dangerous because of spore-borne toxins they produce, known as mycotoxins.

Sign up for the newsletter today!

Please enter a valid email address.

An error occurred. Please try again later.

× logo

Thank you for subscribing to the Do It Yourself RV newsletter, keep your eye on your inbox for updates.

But you don’t have to use bleach or strong chemical solutions from the store. These natural remedies will help get rid of any unwanted fungus around your home and RV, and they’re much more kid and pet-friendly.

Vinegar

The great thing about vinegar is that it’s probably already in your kitchen or cupboard. It’s a versatile cleaning agent with lots of natural uses to shine up your home & RV.

mold
Photo by Pixabay

Sure, it doesn’t smell like roses, but it will almost always do the trick when it comes to cleaning up mold or mildew. It’s naturally anti-microbial, so you don’t even need to mix it with anything, you can just use vinegar directly onto the mold to start cleaning.

But if you would like to dilute the awful smell a little bit, you can also try mixing half-vinegar and half-water in your spray bottle.

Tea tree oil

Tea tree oil not only keeps spiders away, but it also works as a strong natural fungicide. Fill a spray bottle with water, add about 10-15 drops of the essential oil, and spray it around places where you have existing mold.

Depending on how much has grown, it may require some tough scrubbing. But with a little bit of elbow grease and repeated use, this oil will clean it away and also prevent it from growing back again in the future. Remember to shake it well and allow the solution to completely mix together.

Tea tree oil. Photo via Wikipedia Creative Commons
Stephanie (strph) from Oklahoma City, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

If you’re dealing with a lot of mold, you can also try adding more oils for a more powerful solution. Pour a cup of distilled water into a spray bottle with a cup of vodka and 10-15 drops of tea tree, eucalyptus, and lavender essential oils. Then spray it on your surface to see if you have better results.

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a natural alternative to chlorine bleach, and it’s actually thought to be more effective. To make a solution, pour 3% concentration hydrogen peroxide into an empty spray bottle and completely saturate the moldy surface.

Let it sit for a good 10-15 minutes before scrubbing away the stains. Afterward, wipe the surface down one last time to remove any mold residue that still may be left over.

Distilled ethanol (“Bottom shelf” alcohol)

You don’t even need the good stuff for this. Just the cheap “bottom shelf” spirits, which are usually less filtered than top-shelf bottles.  Spray the alcohol directly onto the mold to clean, or to dilute the strong smell, you can also try diluting it with water.

Photo from Wikipedia Creative Commons
Decatur Wine & Spirits, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Grapefruit seed extract

Grapefruit seed extract is a nice, odorless alternative to tea tree oil, but it often costs more. Try mixing about 2 cups of water and 20 drops of grapefruit seed extract, spray it on mold-affected areas and scrub away as needed.

Grapefruit seed. Photo from Pxfuel

Don’t rinse it off—letting it air dry will help prevent mold from growing back in the future.

Baking soda

Baking soda has many more uses than making cookies. It can also get rid of musty odors in your carpet before vacuuming and help clean mold that’s growing in your home and RV. Try mixing about 1/4 tablespoon in a spray bottle full of water, and use a rag (or old kitchen sponge) to wipe the surface clean.

Baking soda. Photo from Pixabay

If it seems like you get an excessive amount of moisture in your RV, or in rooms like your bathroom or kitchen, you may want to consider investing in a small, portable dehumidifier. Also, make sure to attend to any leaky pipes as soon as you notice them, and avoid leaving wet towels (like after the shower) or clothes lying around without laying them out to completely dry first.

If you loved these tips on natural cleaning, check out these Natural Ways To Keep Spiders Out Of Your Home And RV!




2 thoughts on “How To Naturally Get Rid Of Mold In Your Home And RV”

  1. Water is the root cause of any mold problem. A nonheated vaporizer filled with 3% peroxide is another idea.

  2. Mix borax with powdered sugar for ant control. They take the mix back to their nests and the borax is toxic to them. Don’t know if it works for spiders. It’s also harmless to pets and kids.
    Hair spray applied directly to spiders will kill them. Not my first choice but it is sometimes the only thing there at the time.

Comments are closed.