If not attended to, mould can produce allergens, irritants and even toxic substances that could potentially be dangerous to breathe in.
Over the winter months, people may notice damp patches around their homes, which can promote the growth of mould. However, there is a simple hack that can prevent this.
Australian TikTok home and lifestyle influencer Anita Birges shared how to prevent mould from forming, particularly in the bedroom, with her 58.6K followers.
She described it as "The little chalk hack to keep mould away that every person should know", reports Express.
Bedrooms can often harbour moisture due to high humidity levels, which accumulate while we sleep, as well as hidden problems in the walls and structure of your property.
The average person spends at least eight hours each night sleeping in their bedroom, so ensuring the space is safe and mould-free is crucial.
Anita points out that mould can also begin forming in wardrobes, cupboards or even drawers if the conditions are right.
In her video, she said: "Do you have mould in your drawers or in your bedroom? Have I got the best mould prevention hack for you. It's all about absorbing moisture."
Absorbing moisture from the air can help to stop walls and surfaces from becoming wet and take away the damp conditions in which mould thrives.
"All you need to do is get yourself some mega chalk," explained Anita.
While you may be most used to using mega chalk for arts and crafts with the kids, the absorbent material is also great for soaking up excess moisture in the air.
Mega chalk can be purchased for as little as €3.95 for a pack of 12.
Anita continued: "Grab yourself some clove oil. Dab on three or a couple of drops of clove oil.
"The chalk absorbs the moisture, and the clove oil prevents the mould from coming back."
Clove oil can be purchased from Boots for €3.99 for a 10ml bottle. The oil is often recommended for mould prevention because it kills spores.
Clove oil has anti-fungal properties and may be useful for cleaning up small areas of mould before it takes hold and spreads too far. You can also apply it directly to mould to remove patches.
Generally, a quarter of a teaspoon of oil of cloves to one litre of water is recommended to kill mould on most surfaces.
Pop the chalk stick in your drawers, wardrobe or in a corner of your room. If there are particular areas of concern in your bedroom, place a chalk stick or two close by to soak up the moisture.
Viewers applauded the hack in the comments section, with one named Antoinette describing Anita as "superwoman".
She added: "Wow, thank you so much for sharing."
However, others pointed out that the smell of clove oil can be very "overwhelming". Luckily, there are some other ways to stay on top of mould in the home.
One of the easiest ways to stop mould from growing in your home is to increase ventilation, especially in warm, damp rooms such as the bathroom or kitchen.
Even in the colder months, it's important to open windows every now and then. Try to open your windows for a few hours on milder or sunnier days.
If you have an extractor fan in your kitchen or bathroom, you should also make sure to switch it on when cooking or showering.
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