Cinnamon oil and Clove Leaf for killing mould

 https://www.escentialsofaustralia.com/search?q=cinnamon+oil

https://www.escentialsofaustralia.com/products/productid376?_pos=1&_sid=966d0ffc4&_ss=r

During winter and damp weather we often find mould in and around the house, especially in bathrooms,  laundries and on windows. A few drops of Cinnamon Bark oil mixed with water in a spray bottle is a must have in the battle to eradicate mould. Spray on the mould and leave for at least an hour in order for the oil to soak into the mould and then wipe it off with a sponge or cloth. Make sure your keep mould prone rooms properly ventilated too or you will keep having the problem. Cinnamon oil is a skin irritant so handle with care. 

White vinegar is another important mould inhibitor that can be applied either neat or in a solution of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. However white vinegar will not kill mould on porous surfaces such as carpets and rugs, so it's best to remove them. According to online sources white vinegar is the front line defence against mould followed up by using Cinnamon oil, or you can combine them in the spray bottle. It is worth noting that Cinnamon oil is used small scale not a large scale mould infestation, and both vinegar and Cinnamon oil are not a permanent solution either you will need experts for serious infestations. People are also using dehumidifiers in the battle against mould but again it doesn't prevent mould completely.

https://mouldcleaningaustralia.com.au/blog/will-a-dehumidifier-get-rid-of-mould-in-your-house

If you are in your own home and not renting it is worth painting mould prone rooms with paint that has mould inhibitor in it. Paint the ceiling, cornices and walls with this paint, but above all is proper ventilation. If you are in a rental house it is the landlords responsibility to remove any mould to prevent illness. Depending on what country or state that you live in you need to look online to see what laws protect your rights as a tenant. 

Symptoms of mould illness are, itchy watery eyes, a blocked nose and sinus congestion. Wheezing and breathlessness, cough and throat irritation, skin irritations and headaches. Left untreated serious illness can occur. Blood tests and urine tests are usually the first step in detecting mould infections. 

Update : Clove leaf is also used to kill mould. I just forgot to add this to the post. The link for the price is at the top now too. 

Australian winters shouldn't feel this unbelievably cold

 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-21/australia-winter-cold-insulation-freezing/105421176

Lol, try living in Canberra or down the Snowy Mountains, that’s cold 😂😂❄️☃️ I woke up to minus 7.8 this morning and still waiting for the dreaded minus 8 still to come. We used to have gas ducted heating in our house until the ACT government made it so expensive to use because of the BS climate change. They also stopped people having combustible fires to heat their homes too. Electricity prices have skyrocketed too. So heating your house in Canberra is very expensive now, many people have switched to using solar panels for energy efficiency but at night time you don’t get free electricity and you need to warm your house or you will freeze. Damned if you do and damned if you don’t. 

Off to spotlight everyone to buy thermal lined curtains and snakes for the doors. 😂🥶A good idea for open doorways is put a heavy curtain up to keep the heat in the room and stop the drafts coming down the hallway. Perhaps even a heavy curtain at the front door on the inside to close when you are home for the evening. Insulation tape around windows and door frames to prevent the cold from coming through also. 

I have noticed some people commenting online about using bubble wrap on windows in winter to use as insulation too. I guess you have to do what you have to do to, but don’t neglect ventilation to prevent black mould from building up on your windows, because that will make you ill. 

The writer of this article is a twat because fossil fuels will never run out that is utter BS. It is impossible for this planet to run out of fossil fuels or water either for that matter and everything in the universe goes in cycles that can be scientifically proven as well astrologically proven. And it’s the Dutch that wear clogs not Scandinavians, sheesh. 

Borax Powder for personal use

 I thought people may be interested in uses for Borax powder, such as an anti fungal treatment and an additive to epsom salts or magnesium chloride in the bath or a foot bath.

Borax has multiple uses and you should use it very carefully. Just because it is natural doesn’t mean that it cannot be harmful. So please do read up on the do's and don'ts of using Borax. 

I am an insomniac and live in a house that adds up to the number 5, which is a notorious number for insomniacs. Anyway, I started using a tablespoon of Borax in a foot bath with magnesium chloride last week and boy oh boy what a great sleep as well as my feet feeling great. I still use my magnesium cream with chamomile and lavender at bedtime too.

Borax is good for keeping one’s skin acid neutral and is useful for deep cleaning to remove excess oil from your skin, so a must have for those who have oily skin. It is used in commercial shampoos, exfoliants, creams and cleansers. Borax is also known as a preservative in preventing bacterial growth in shampoos, creams and lotions. However some people have allergies to Borax and long term use can cause skin rashes. 

Please make sure that you keep it away from children and pets. Large amounts can be harmful, so use with caution and follow the instructions on a reputable website. 

Borax has multiple household uses too so if you can’t tolerate it on your skin it may be good for cleaning your house and as a laundry booster to keep your clothes mould free. 

https://www.blants.com.au/

Click on the link and read up on the uses for Borax and Magnesium Chloride and Epsom salts. Good health to everyone. 

Warm and fuzzy hugs 🤗 

Mouldy clothes or bedding in winter

 https://www.bhg.com.au/lifestyle/cleaning/how-to-wash-mould-clothes/

With the cold and damp weather back, mould is back too. There are natural ways to remove mould from clothing, bedding and other things. One of the most common and effective ways is using borax, using white vinegar or bicarbonate of soda in your washing machine. 

Sunlight is a powerful tool in not just drying your laundry but also killing spores and fungus. Make sure that your laundry is completely dry before bringing it indoors. If you have an inverter tumble dryer that will completely dry any damp clothes that will help. 

Water must be at least 65 degrees celsius to kill bacteria and that includes your washing up water when washing dishes. If your sink water is only 50 or 55 degrees centigrade then you can’t kill bacteria, either so add boiling water from the kettle or buy antibacterial dishes washing detergent. 

For bed linen to keep fresh and avoid mould in a damp environment use borax, you should ventilate your rooms and use moisture removal products like damp rid, regularly to pull the moisture out of the air. These tubs fill with water quickly depending on where you live and if the house is prone to dampness. You can buy the replacement granules for your damp rid pots which works out cheaper than buy new tubs when the crystals are used up. Keep an eye on your windows for black mould too and wipe them down often through winter. Some houses and flats or apartments get mould on the inside walls too so you may need to move furniture to check for mould especially near beds. 

I remember as a child and newly arrived in Australia when I lived in a Sydney flat with stone walls inside, and my mother had to keep cleaning the mildew off the walls in our bedrooms. She was fastidious about cleaning the house and always opened the windows every morning but still the mildew would happen. 

 Mould does affect your health and must be taken seriously as mould can lead to serious illness including cancer. 

https://www.blants.com.au/natural-pure-borax/ 

Mould-related illness research possible 'game changer' for people afflicted by unseen menace

 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-16/australian-first-study-mould-biotoxin-illness/101223548

This year has been the worst for black mould in Australia. Keep a regular check in bathroom, laundry and bedrooms for mould. Windowsills and all around and inside the window frames too. Even the glass can have mould on it. Do a regular deep clean in the window track too because stuff builds up in there too.

Use micro an paint in all wet areas of the house too, including the ceilings. Take a damp cloth around windows every morning to get rid of condensation as well. Ventilation in all wet areas in a must and clear ceiling fans and air extractors. Then if you have floorboards watch out for powdery mildew and use whit vinegar in warm water to clean the area. 

Carpet is bad for asthmatic people but it also traps mould too. I removed our carpets when my children were small as one of my children is  asthmatic, I am a mild asthmatic too. This year has been a meri go round with mould and I can’t wait for springtime. 

One important thing to remember when cleaning mould is wear a P95 mask. Read on the packet what the masks protect you from such as dust, mould etc. So make sure that you buy the correct type of mask. You don’t want to breathe in the mould spores. 

Sydney woman reveals crippling mould health battle as government develops GP guidelines

 https://www.9news.com.au/national/new-mould-illness-clinical-guidelines-underway-sydney-woman-reveals-health-battle/2aafb020-bbdb-4ab0-8a2e-698e926cf322

Mould is a dangerous thing to have in your house. Also if you are a tenant, you have rights that are legally binding. It is important to bring such issues to your doctor’s attention immediately and if you rent the house the landlord or agency needs to be informed immediately. The landlord needs to be given the chance to fix the problem if it is possible. 

Don’t put your life at risk, mould is toxic.  Winter is the time in Australia when mould really builds up so you need to be vigilant when you see it. Check all windows too; including curtain backs and blinds. Don’t forget to check all your window frames because mould does get down inside the frames. 

Good ventilation in the bathroom, toilet and laundry and paint that is anti mould and anti bacterial is a good idea. But a ventilated room is a must. Don’t forget  ceiling fans can gather a lot of dust and mould too.

Once you get sick from mould it is very difficult to have a return to normal health. I am glad that I pulled out the carpet in my house years ago because of allergies and asthma that several family members have.

When I bought my house, I had no idea there was a cheap nasty plastic in the felt underlay. I couldn’t work out why I could never  get rid of black marks that kept coming up in the lounge room. It was only when I pulled up the carpet that I saw what was underneath and some mould too. If you have autoimmune issues carpets can be a problem.  I could never go back to having a carpet in my house.