Asthma-household cleaning products

[Michelle Moreland Orlando]

I am trying to keep my house free from molds,dust,etc.

Is there anything that can be effective that is non toxic, smellproof that I can use to clean mildew,mold besides bleach--especially cleaning rags with the mildew on them that I throw in the washer on very hot water?

I live in SWTexas and it is humid down here at times. Try to clean as much as I can and it has helped with my asthma, until now as I have a respiratory infection and can't clean my house! Grrrrrr! Watching the dust pile up. Lady that helps me clean can't come over to clean and wipe clean surfaces do to docs advice right now.

On the allergy webpages the mold inhibitor,etc. are expensive! $11.00 a squirt bottle.

Thanks!

Michelle

[Vox Humana]

You can put the rags out in the sun to dry. That will prevent them from mildewing. Steam is a good cleaner that is non-toxic and helps kill all sorts of pathogens as well as molds that are allergens. Running a dehumidifier or AC unit also helps inhibit mold growth by lowering the humidity. A good filter for your furnace, like an electrostatic filter, will remove dust and allergens. You can also get an ultraviolet sanitizer that will go in your ductwork that helps kill pathogens. I like Swiffers for removing dust. I suppose you could wear a mask when you clean. If you haven't already, get rid of your carpeting.

[Lloyd Randall]

Borax helps remove mildew and keep it from reappearing.

My latest success was with my felt Stetson, which I wear in winter. Hanging on the wall in hot, humid weather, it gets mildew spots. This year I wiped it with a cloth dampened with a solution of borax in water, and the mildew didn't come back.

A quart of water will dissolve only a tablespoon or two of borax, so it's not expensive to use. Some add a couple of tablespoons of ammonia. I keep some of the mixture handy in an old detergent squeeze bottle.

[Julie Moretto]

I would start with an air purifier and/or a dehumidifier.