Homeowners have been urged to ditch bleach in favour of natural cleaning products when dealing with mould. Mould clings to walls, ceilings and other surfaces and can be very difficult to remove.

Mould is a fungus, and certain types including black mould can be damaging to your health. They release spores and toxins that can cause rashes, allergic reactions, breathing problems and inflammation. If you leave the mould, it will grow and spread around your home, leaving you exposed to serious respiratory illnesses and skin conditions. Cleaning expert Matthew Harrison at PriceYourJob.co.uk outlines the best and worst methods for clearing mould. He advised: "While bleach isn’t the very worst method for cleaning mould, there are better products you can use. It doesn’t work well on porous surfaces and can discolour and damage some surfaces. It’s also worth remembering that it’s a harsh chemical, so you do need to wear cleaning gloves and keep rooms well-ventilated."

There are a number of effective ways to remove mould from surfaces around the home, but these are the ones that Matthew says are known to work the best:

White vinegar

If you’re keen to use a natural cleaner and to avoid harsh chemicals, white vinegar is a good solution.

Its antifungal and antibacterial qualities mean that it’s capable of killing mould, although it’s thought to only be around 80% effective, and it can be slower at treating mould than shop-bought products.

However, it’s safer to use on fabrics than some shop-bought removers and can be used without needing to dilute it.

Lemon juice

If you’re keen to use a natural mould remover but can’t stand the pungent smell of vinegar, you could use lemon juice instead as it holds the same mould-clearing properties.

It’s best to use it undiluted and leave it for a short while to allow it to work before you wipe the mould away.

Baking soda

Mould prefers a slightly acidic environment, so baking soda’s alkaline pH can be good for clearing it away. It also neutralises the stale smells that mould creates. Baking soda can be used as a paste to help scrub mould from surfaces or as a spray.

It’s an eco-friendly cleaner that’s safe to use on most surfaces and isn’t harmful to pets and children. However, baking soda isn’t as effective as other natural solutions, so you may need to do more scrubbing. Therefore, it’s only suitable for tackling small patches of mould.