Every so often, we will post tips to (hopefully) help you achieve healthier indoor living (and working). If you have any suggestions, please feel free to share! Email us with your name and city/state (or you may request to remain anonymous).

It is highly advisable to not use biocides (such as chlorine bleach) to kill mold in your home, contrary to popular belief and practice. Dead mold, when not properly eliminated, can become an allergen. Futhermore, like the human body’s ability to become resistant to antibiotics when taken on a regular basis, molds have the ability to become biocide-resistant. On hard, non-porous surfaces (ceramic tile, finished wood, plastics, metals, etc.), simply damp-wipe visible mold growth with water and detergent, and dry thoroughly.

Many online documents related to mold remediation recommend using a solution of chlorine bleach and water to clean up mold. Chances are, they are outdated, so check the dates on those documents. With the serious issue of chemical sensitivities apparently on the rise, and the fact that when chlorine is broken down it releases dioxin into the environment, it is best to use bleach to a minimum for general household cleaning, and not at all for mold clean-up. (For information on dioxin, visit www.ejnet.org/dioxin and www.cqs.com/edioxin.htm.)

According to American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), biocides 1) do not remove allergens that can lead to allergies in sensitive individuals nor do they remove other metabolites from mold that can cause adverse reactions in some people. Even though the application of biocides may kill spores, the only way to remove the allergens and other metabolites is through physical elimination of mold and moldy materials by thorough cleaning or removal; 2) commonly used biocides do not effectively kill molds. For example, active fungal growth on a surface may produce a spore density of 1 million spores per square inch. Treating this site with a biocide that has an effectiveness of 99.999% would still leave an estimated 10 viable spores per square inch. As such, mold growth may recur if the underlying moisture problem is not resolved.”

Highly Recommended: “How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 Houseplants that Purify Your Home or Office,” by Dr. B.C. Wolverton (Penguin Books, 1996). After just the first few pages, you’ll get a pretty clear idea why trees are so critical to our environment. Most of all, you’ll be appalled to realize just how much and what kinds of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are in the very air we live and work in, and how we ourselves unknowingly contribute to our (poor!) indoor air quality. This book will show you how houseplants can be the best filters of common chemical pollutants/poisons that are released by furniture, carpets, building materials, cleaning agents, etc. It also contains beautiful, color photos of all 50 houseplants, Latin/botanical name and info on each plant, caring of the plant, and overall rating (i.e., removal of chemical vapors, ease of growth & maintenance, resistance to insect infestation, transpiration rate). Best of all, almost all of the plants in the book are readily available here in Hawaii, such as Areca Palm, Lady Palm, Rubber Plant, Ficus Alii, Boston Fern, Peace Lily, Golden Pothos, Kimberly Queen Fern, Heart-Leaf Philodendron, Snake Plant, Dendrobium Orchid, Anthurium, Croton, Poinsettia, Aloe Vera, Cyclamen, and Moth Orchid.