Thank you for info on mold. Can the oregano oil be mixed with water and used as a spray? Would it work for large areas where mold is on wood behind walls?
Thank you,
Laura

Thanks for your tip on uses for oregano oil. I have learned that some essential oils should not be used by pregnant ladies, such as sage oil. It is always best to thoroughly research a new cleaning product, even an essential oil, before using. I will try it and want to say thank you for sharing your information...Much appreciation~Reenie Rogers, Tallahassee, FL

This sounds ideal! Almost too good to be true! Was wondering if the initial application of it lasts quite a while to keep the mold from regrowing?
Thanks!
Ruth in Wisconsin

Reenie and Laura, thank you for your comments. Oil and water don't mix without something to emulsify it so I usually don't put it in a sprayer because it guks up the nozzle and inside of the container. You could experiment and add soap to try and emulsify it, but it is easy to mix it up each time I want to use it so I just use a bowl.

I don't know about mold in your wall. That sounds like a serious situation. First you should find out what kind of mold it is. I would be very careful if you have major mold and get the advice of an expert. You may be able to get info from your health department or environmental health department. If it is Black Mold you need help with it. You may need to replace the wood in your wall.

If it is just a light amount,the wall covering needs to come off and you could try soaking it with a heavier solution of Oregano Oil but first it would need to be scrubbed and dried. Anytime you work with mold you need to protect yourself and your family. Cover yourself and use a mask and gloves, and take a shower and wash your work clothes after you finish. Do not use a vaccuum because the mold will blow in the air and contaminate your vac. Use water for for cleaning because you want to keep the spores contained and not dispersed into the air. Any cleaning cloths or paper towels should be disposed of if you have a lot of mold. Seal them in a plastic bag or burn them. For regular household cleaning you could wash them in hot water. I use Oregano Oil for common household mold and caution you to get help for severe mold conditions.

Just to emphasize that essential oils are powerful. Make sure the oregano oil is pure oregano oil, not derived from wild marjoram, which is often labelled as oregano. Check the latin name, it should read {origanum compactum}.

Take care about the company you buy from, try to ensure that it has been distilled using water, not chemicals, and if you can certify that it comes from organically grown oregano, that's even better, no chemicals in the oil.

True oregano oil is VERY hot, it is one of the essential oils that should be diluted with a base oil before being applied to your skin. So when using this oil for cleaning, be sure that you don't get a bunch on your skin. I give workshops and talks on green cleaning and always emphasize that when switching from bleach to essential oils, know your body. Research the essential oils. We usually teach folks to start with a gentle essential oil, like lemongrass. But even with lemongrass, which is an effective, inexpensive essential oil with antibacterial properties and a light scent, some sources say pregnant folks shouldn't be using it.

My point is, I know my body's tolerances to many essential oils. I've read about them, researched further, and got to know just one oil first (which is part of my first aid kit): lavender. Lavender is amazing and lots has been written about it. After lavender, I tried tea tree, and sweet orange, and rosemary, lemongrass, peppermint and eucalyptus. I've cleaned moldy areas using any or all of these. I've never tried oregano and will do that soon. Thanks, again!

Thanks for your comments Reenie. I am using Oregano Oil gel caps from the supplement brand NOW, which I got at the local Natural Food Store. It is Origanum Vulgare, Wild Marjoram with Fennel and Ginger Oil in a base of Olive Oil. It is not organic but I do have Oregano in the garden and may play with it to see if I can make my own potion.

It says on the label to not ingest if you are pregnant or lactating but I don't know if one needs to be concerned about fumes or getting it on your hands. I dilute it a lot when I use it, a capsule in a medium size bowl. If someone is health compromised or pregnant they should consult their health care practitioner. I am not either but I want a better way to control mold rather than bleach and commercial mold cleaners. I am not bothered by having it on my hands and I like the smell.

I love Lavender for it's calming properties. When I am feeling anxious I can depend on a sniff of Lavender essential oil (organic) and some slow breathing to ground me. It doesn't work for everyone but it works really well for me.

The other thing I use it for is small burns. Chefs I know carry it in their tool kits for minor burns from reaching into the oven too far. I have have tested it on separate burns and it soothes right away and takes away the sting and heals faster than the ones I did not put it on. I was a pastry chef and got lots of those annoying burns. I am talking about those small kitchen burns without broken skin. Serious and large burns need to be cared for by a Health Practitioner.

I tried using oregano oil as recommended to clean mold from my shower grout. I noticed the capsules I bought were also Origanum vulgare--not origanum compactum. Could that have been the reason that the oil was not effective in removing the mold? It did, however, make my bathroom smell like a pizza parlor. I also was wondering how long one is supposed to leave the oil in place before seeing results. I left it on for two days, and it didn't help. But again, could that be because it was the wrong type of oil? Please advise. Thanks.

Thanks for your comments Andrea. Oregano Oil-water solution will dissolve mold on surfaces like sealed wood windowsills and windows and wipe off. Because the grout is porous, once you have mold growing, it will stain the grout. On my sink back- splash, the grout is discolored from being damp but mold will not grow there now because I scrubbed it with full strength Oregano Oil with a tooth brush to remove all the surface mold, and then I wiped the excess off. You don't have to leave it on for 2 days. The object is to get the surface mold off and make an environment that mold won't grow on. Clean it with Oregano Oil and keep it as dry as you can. If your shower grout is stained there is no way to make it like new. You can remove the grout and put in new and then seal it so it is not porous but the sealer is nasty and I don't know of a healthy alternative. Once you have killed the mold you could try painting the grout and it might improve how it looks. When I put the tile in my kitchen I went for a tan grout rather than white and it is aging well and doesn't discolor as badly as white. Good luck with your shower and I hope this info helps. You may not need to use it full strengh, try a scrub brush and Oregano Oil in warm water. Yes, it does smell like pizza for a short while but I like that better than bleach or tile cleaner. That stuff gives me a headache and Oregano Oil just makes me hungry.

Hi - we continue to have bad mold/mildew problems in one of our showers, a glass one that is totally enclosed except a 1' space at the top of the door - even leaving door open when not in use does not help much. Thanks for the above suggestions - now I need some additional help:

I am sure I read somewhere on this site, having to do with mold in showers (ours if fiberglass shower, no tile, grouting only as sealant on corners and along bottom), that once the mold is taken care of, carefully scrubbed off etc, THEN one should be using some sort of safe "sealant" (was it a "safe" wax of some sort? Can't find any reference to it here on *this* section...) on the surface of the shower in order to prevent further mildew buildup - can anyone help direct me to wherever that was mentioned, and also, how often one would need to do this?

I would assume that drying off the walls and floor of shower after each use would certainly help - but problem is, getting men here to DO this is an impossible task - ah me. Have also had a squegee(sp)in there too but to no avail! :( Thank you, Les from Hawaii

Was wondering if anyone has used diluted ammonia to neutralize
mold and the spores? I heard this recently, but figured that with MCS I would never tolerate it. Any comments appreciated.
Ruth

I need to clean carpet(cannot rip out as am renting)in a closet that is moldy. I was even considering bleach in a small amount,to lessen the mold problem. Has anyone cleaned carpet using oregano oil?
Since it is a small space that is the worst problem area,I would consider putting it in a carpet cleaner.
If anyone has done so,would appreciate any tips.

Rachel: You could try cleaning the carpet with diluted Oregano Oil but I suspect that the mold is throughout the carpet and into the pad. In the past when I rented a place that had bad carpeting I documented the condition of the carpet (with landlord or rental agent) and asked permission to take it out with the agreement that I would replace it when I moved out and then wrote it into the contract. This may not be feasible for you. I have asthma and can't tolerate any carpeting at all so I would only rent places that didn't have it or that I could remove and replace it later. My floors now are wood with throw rugs that I can throw into the washer. I have one large area rug that I can haul out onto my deck rail and beat the dust out of it and wash it by hand if I need to.

If you do some research online you will find that carpeting is one of the dirtiest collectors of toxins in your house. When new it is very toxic (unless you buy a green carpet)and off gasses. The products most folks use to clean carpets are toxic (check out Kelly Preston's story online about her son Jett Travolta). When my girl was a baby and we visited grandma's house and she played on the carpet, she would get a rash on her legs and arms. She also would get a rash from baby bubble bath! So I knew early on that she had sensitive skin.

Everything that your family (including pets)steps on in the outside world, ends up on your carpeting. And most carpet is in your house for many years. Everytime you step on the carpet the particles go up into your air. Commercial cleaners will shampoo your carpet but that only affects the surface, and not the dirt that has sifted down into the carpet. Imagine if you wore the same jeans every day for years, and once in a while you wiped off the top surface with a wash cloth. ewwwww!!!

Many years ago I attended a training at our county health department where they analyzed the particles that were contained in a used carpet sample. The number of toxics was astounding, including fecal matter and lead. I don't have a list of the contents anymore, but it did make a very lasting impression on me.

So, I encourage you to not live with wall to wall carpeting for your health and your families health.

Sal, I totally agree with you as to the disgusting nature of carpet. It does collect every dirty and stinky thing. We rented a house and a few rooms had carpet. Only due to needing a rental and not having found a better less toxic house,we ended up here.

As far as ripping out carpet,that does not seem an option. I think I will clean it with oregano oil. It is the closet that is the area of concern. I do put an air purifier in the closet daily,which is some benefit. Anyhow, I am looking forward to a new space,when lease is up. Thanks for your commenting.

Rachel, about your question on cleaning carpet in closet. I'd approach this chore in one or two ways.

One way, I'd rent the Rug Doctor from our grocery store. It's a carpet cleaner. Costs 24 dollars (I think this includes the extra upholstery attachment). They want you to purchase the specific rug doctor cleaners. I never do.

I add hot tap water to the Rug Doctor's reservoir and then add 1/2 to a cup of white distilled vinegar, a tiny squirt of dishsoap and about 10-20 drops of lemongrass essential oil.

You don't say how big your closet is, so it might seem like over doing things for a tiny closet. But what I like about the Rug Doctor is that it squirts out the hot water with the press of one button, then sucks it up with the press of another botton.

For additional cleaning power, I might have a bucket prepared so that I can spot clean on my hands and knees. I'd fill a bucket 1/2 way with hot tap water. THen I'd add 1/2 to 1 cup white distilled vinegar made from grains. To this I'd add a tiny squirt of earth-friendly dishsoap. Then I'd add maybe 15 or 20 drops of lemongrass essential oil, and if it's really nasty a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil. Then I'd take my hand scrub brush and scrub the rug on my hands and knees.

I'd suck up the moisture with the Rug Doctor and face a pedestal fan into the closet to help the drying process.

Good luck!