Mould prevention could be as simple and affordable as switching on the fan

An extremely humid summer, which has already resulted in Sydney’s muggiest day on record, means we’re likely to start seeing mould and mildew pop up around our homes.

While preventing the fungi from wreaking havoc often feels like an expensive exercise, there are plenty of affordable options to try including a few you probably hadn’t thought of.

One of those simple hacks is switching on a fan, regardless of whether it’s a ceiling or portable one.

Mould tends to emerge during humid weather.

CHOICE expert Chris Barnes told 9honey Living that the reason fans are so helpful in preventing mould is because they increase the air flow in the room.

“If you’ve got still humid air inside, then it’s giving a chance for mould to grow and if you’ve got a ceiling fan running or pedestal fans running, then you’re getting that air moving around and you’re not giving the mould as much of a chance to settle in and grow,” he said.

“So it can help with just circulating that humid air out of the room and into other parts of the house where it’s less of a problem. Air movement and air change is really a key part of this and fans can really help with that.”

You don’t have to spend much on fans either, as you can purchase one for under $20 and cost $30 in electricity to use throughout summer, according to CHOICE.

Even air conditioners can play a part in reducing the humidity in the air that leads to mould growth.

This is because the appliance dries the air during the cooling process and some even have a dry mode, which has a kind of dehumidifying effect.

That means you might not even need to buy a dehumidifier, which would save some serious cash.

In fact, dehumidifiers might not even be needed depending on the property and situation you’re in.

“They can be very useful in certain circumstances if you have a home that tends to build up moisture and there’s not much else you can do about it. For example, if you’re living in a rental property that tends to get a bit damp,” Barnes explained, adding the appliance is also useful if you can’t afford to fix structural issues causing mould.

“In cases where you’ve tried opening the place up, you’ve tried ventilating and you just can’t shake the mold problem or the moisture problem [a dehumidifier could be useful].”

Dehumidifiers can be useful but aren’t always needed to prevent mould.

Just make sure you get the right type of dehumidifier for your needs. A refrigerant dehumidifier is what you should be looking for if you’re dealing with hot and humid conditions, meanwhile, a desiccant dehumidifier is best for cold, damp conditions.

It’s also worth checking reviews before purchasing as CHOICE testing found cheaper models didn’t perform well. However, not every expensive model earned a spot on the recommended list so you’ll need to do some research to get the best value for money.

Once the mould or mildew has appeared it’ll need to be cleaned or removed from the home. If the fungi is really bad and keeps returning, then you’ll have to call a professional to get to the bottom of what’s causing it.

Mould loves to grow in tile grout.

But if the mould is on a surface that can be cleaned, then CHOICE recommends using a versatile cleaning product that’ll set you back as little as $1.70 a bottle, and that’s white vinegar.

Using a mix of 80 per cent vinegar and 20 per cent water and a cloth will do the job well, though you might need more elbow grease depending on the surface that needs cleaning.

Store bought mould killers are best avoided, CHOICE said, especially because they contain bleach, which tends to just remove the colour from the fungi and not actually get rid of it.

“Most commercially available mould cleaning products use bleach (often listed as sodium hypochlorite) as an active ingredient, but the concentration of bleach in these products marketed as ‘mould killers’ is often five percent or less,” Ashley Iredale, CHOICE cleaning expert said.

“While they will probably help remove mould from the surface you’re cleaning, you need a concentration of bleach to be at about 10 per cent to kill fungi. Bleach can also simply take the colour out of fungi, which can make it invisible, but it’s actually still lurking there.”