Use a natural anti-fungal in the soil of your houseplants – Cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, and baking soda are all excellent natural antifungal choices. Your houseplant will not be harmed by any of these products.
Cover the soil around your plant's stem with a dusting of baking soda to stop mold from growing. Spray a solution of 2 tbsp (30 g) of apple cider vinegar with 1/4 gal (946 mL) of water to kill traces of mold on and around the plant, as the antimicrobial properties of apple cider vinegar are antifungal.
First, get rid of the existing mold.
If the mold is relatively new, that should do the trick. "If the mold is deeper than an inch or returns after a few weeks, you need to repot the plant entirely using an organic soil made for potted plants," says Dubow.
Vinegar is a proven method for destroying mold and eliminating pesky white spots from your plants. Mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with a quart of water, and spray onto your infected leaves and stems. Repeat every few days until all traces of mold are gone.
Overwatering. If you find mold on the soil in a potted plant, that typically means you're watering the plant too often and the soil is persistently moist. Keep in mind that most indoor plants require less water than outdoor plants, in part because they receive less sunlight to evaporate excess moisture.
Though it's not always harmful, mold can remove nutrients, reduce growth, and leave your plants vulnerable to diseases. If you've noticed mold growth on your houseplants, don't worry. With some routine care you can get rid of the unwanted substance and prevent future infections.
Simply wipe off the mold and sprinkle the spot with some cinnamon from your spice drawer. If cinnamon doesn't work, Gaumond says to try a houseplant fungicide spray or a homemade baking soda and water mixture. Test any solution on a small part of your plant to be sure it isn't too strong.
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is an antifungal agent and can even kill some established forms of fungus. Research has shown it's effective against some kinds of black spot and powdery mildew. 3 Best of all, baking soda is completely non-toxic for mammals, readily available in any grocery store, and inexpensive.
Natural Mold Cleaner
A bleach solution also works to kill mold. Mix one cup of bleach in a gallon of water, apply to the surface and don't rinse. Mix a 50/50 solution of ammonia and water. Spray on the surface, wait two to three hours, then rinse.
Baking Soda.
Baking soda itself isn't normally effective as a powdery mildew treatment, but when it's combined with liquid soap and water, it can be a powerful weapon. It's normally most beneficial if used as a preventative measure rather than a treatment.
However, it is the anti-fungal property that is the most important, making cinnamon effective for combating a variety of plant problems, from mold and root rot to the dampening off of seedlings.
They can be harmless at first. But if left untreated under certain conditions, they can develop into fungus. This fungus is the white stuff in the soil that you see. Asides from being unpleasant to look at, the white mold can also compete with the plant for nutrients.
Put your plants in areas that have good ventilation. Remove dead leaves, blossoms, and other material from planters. Sprinkle some baking soda, cinnamon, or apple cider vinegar on the soil for natural mold prevention.
White vinegar is a mildly acidic product that cleans, deodorizes, and disinfects. It can also kill 82% of mold species, including black mold, on porous and non-porous surfaces. You can use it safely on most surfaces, and its offensive odor goes away quickly. Pour undiluted white vinegar into a spray bottle.
Baking soda has a pH of around 8-8.1, which, while only mildly alkaline is too high for mould to thrive, meaning it serves as a natural disinfectant. Bicarbonate of soda is moderately effective, natural solution for all types of surfaces, both porous and nonporous. Add a ¼ teaspoon baking soda to 2 cups of water.
A solution of non-iodized salt is another great cure for mold growth. It draws water out of the mold spores, which starves them of water and eventually kills them through dehydration.
Although it can be diluted with water to lower the harsh scent, vinegar works best as a mold-killer when sprayed straight from a bottle to the affected area. After spraying: Allow it for some minutes before wiping it with a disposable towel. If that doesn't work, make use of a brush to scrub the area.
While it is possible to use bleach to kill mold as well, experts agree that vinegar is a much better option.
Mold generally looks slimy or fuzzy, tends to have a raised texture, and can come in a rainbow of colors, including deep green and black. Mildew is powdery, looks white or gray, always appears flat, and grows on surfaces.
Prevent Fungal Disease
Give this natural remedy a try. MAKE IT: Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 2-3 drops of liquid soap in 1 liter of water. Spray the solution on the infected plants. Baking soda helps the plants become less acidic and prevents fungal growth.
Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that results in a powdery gray or white coating on the leaves and stems of infected plants. It starts out as a few spores on the leaves, and quickly spreads, eventually yellowing the leaves and causing premature leaf drop.
Cinnamon contains a natural and very effective fungicide which will kill any remaining Fungus. Be sure to allow the top soil to properly dry out before watering again, and preferably only water from below eg. directly to the reservoir of a self watering planter.
Cinnamon can be lightly sprinkled on your plant's soil once a week until the mold growth has stopped. To use baking soda, mix a tablespoon with a gallon of water and a teaspoon of insecticidal soap for an anti-fungal spray that can be applied to the soil and leaves of your plants as necessary.