Wayfaring Wednesday

Summer Mold & Mildew Busters: How to Keep Your Home Fresh and Clean When It’s Hot & Humid

Ah, summer—sunshine, pool days, fresh-cut grass... and unfortunately, mildew. Warm temps and high humidity are a perfect storm for mold and mildew to creep into corners of your home, especially in areas like the laundry room, bathroom, and anywhere towels and swimsuits pile up.

Here’s how to beat back the mustiness and keep your home smelling fresh and clean all season long.

🧺 Laundry Room: Mildew on the Move

Mildew loves damp towels, musty clothes, and forgotten gym gear. If your laundry room smells like it’s seen better days:

Tips:

• Wash with white vinegar (1 cup per load) and baking soda (½ cup) for a mildew-smashing combo. Skip fabric softener if mildew is an issue.

• Add Lysol Laundry Sanitizer in the fabric softener cup to kill bacteria and freshen laundry without heavy scents.

• Leave the washer door open between loads to let it air out.

• Clean your washer monthly with Affresh tablets or a DIY combo of hot water, vinegar, and baking soda.

• Don’t let wet laundry sit—especially pool towels. Wash immediately or hang them to dry outside in the sun (UV is a natural mold killer!).

🏊‍♀️ Wet Pool Towels & Drop Zones

We all have that one chair or corner where damp towels and swimsuits go to die... and grow mildew.

Solutions:

• Set up a designated drying zone with hooks, baskets, and airflow.

• Keep a container of DampRid nearby to absorb moisture from the air.

• Use tea tree oil spray (a few drops in a spray bottle with water and vinegar) to freshen the area naturally.

👕 Musty Clothes?

If summer clothes smell like they’ve been trapped in a cabin closet all winter:

• Wash with Borax, OxiClean Odor Blasters, or your go-to Lysol Sanitizer for extra germ-fighting power.

• Add a few drops of lavender or eucalyptus essential oil to wool dryer balls for a fresh scent.

• Store off-season clothes with cedar blocks or bamboo charcoal bags to absorb moisture and prevent mildew.

🚿 Showers & Bathrooms: Ground Zero for Mold

Hot showers = constant moisture. If you’re seeing black spots on caulk or smelling something funky, act fast.

Best Products:

• RMR-86 Instant Mold Stain Remover – gets rid of black mold stains fast (but ventilate well!).

• CLR Mold & Mildew Foaming Cleaner – great for grout, tiles, and hard-to-reach spots.

• Concrobium Mold Control – non-toxic and long-lasting; great for prevention.

• Odoban – an all-purpose cleaner that kills germs and mildew and leaves your bathroom smelling amazing.

Habits to keep it at bay:

• Run the bathroom fan during and after showers (or crack a window).

• Squeegee the walls after each shower.

• Wash shower curtains and liners every 1–2 months with vinegar in the cycle.

• Swap bath mats for quick-dry versions that you can toss in the washer weekly.

🍽️ Kitchen Tips: Keep Mold Out of the Fridge & Sink

• Don’t ignore moldy food—clean the fridge immediately with vinegar + baking soda paste.

• Use Bar Keepers Friend, Bon Ami, or Odoban to keep your sink mildew-free.

• Wipe down under-sink areas and check for slow leaks. Even a drip can turn into a moldy mess.

💡 Final Tips for a Mildew-Free Summer Home

• Use a dehumidifier in basements or rooms that feel muggy.

• Open windows in the early morning or evening to air out your home.

• Add indoor plants like peace lilies or ferns—some actually help with air purification.

• Regularly check window sills, vents, and baseboards for sneaky signs of mold growth.

Pro tip from a real estate perspective: Mold isn’t just an eyesore—it can tank your resale value and turn off buyers during showings. Staying on top of it keeps your home healthier, cleaner, and more valuable.

Stay fresh this summer, friends!

—Sandra

Where Did All the Lightning Bugs Go?
A Summer Reflection—and a Call to Care

One of the quiet joys of a Lancaster County summer is the flicker of lightning bugs dancing across the evening fields. For many of us, it’s a nostalgic sight—childhood memories of catching them in mason jars, chasing their glow through tall grass, or just watching them blink like stars closer to earth.

But if you’ve noticed fewer fireflies lately, you’re not imagining it. These beloved bugs are disappearing.

Why Are Lightning Bugs Going Extinct?

Experts say firefly populations are declining around the world—and here’s why:

🌾 Loss of Habitat – As fields, forests, and wetlands are replaced by developments, roads, and manicured lawns, lightning bugs lose the dark, damp places they need to breed and glow.

💡 Light Pollution – Artificial light at night—streetlights, porch lights, even decorative landscape lighting—disrupts their mating signals. Since fireflies communicate with flashes, too much ambient light makes it harder for them to find each other.

🌿 Pesticides & Chemicals – Lawn treatments, mosquito sprays, and chemical fertilizers can poison firefly larvae, which spend most of their lives in the soil before ever lighting up.

What Can We Do to Help?

Good news—there are small things we can do right in our own backyards:

🌱 Leave some lawn wild. Even just a corner of your yard with long grass, moist soil, or native plants gives fireflies a better chance to thrive.

💡 Turn off outdoor lights at night. Try motion sensors instead of floodlights. Or better yet—just enjoy the natural light show.

🐛 Go pesticide-free. Choose organic lawn care or skip treatments altogether. Fireflies are natural pest control!

🍂 Let logs and leaf litter stay. Firefly larvae live in decomposing plant matter. A small brush pile or some untouched leaf mulch could be a five-star firefly nursery.

Let’s Not Lose the Magic

Saving lightning bugs won’t solve every environmental problem—but it will keep a little wonder in the world. They remind us to slow down, look up, and be present. That matters.

So next time you're outside on a humid summer night, turn off the porch light, let the kids stay up a little late, and see if you can spot a tiny flash in the dark.

Here’s to keeping the sparkle in our summer nights. ✨

—Sandra

Get Real. Find Real.
Creek Life, Bugs, and the Beauty of Wonder in Lancaster County Parks

When my older two kids were little, we spent hours exploring creeks and wooded trails around Lancaster County—turning over rocks, collecting bugs, building little dams with sticks, and laughing when someone slipped into the water. I didn’t do it with any master plan in mind. I just wanted them off screens, away from the food courts and mall noise, and out in the real world.

Fast forward to today: one of those kids is in college, studying Biological Engineering, spending her summer collecting insects, growing plants, and doing stream studies for fun. And I can’t help but smile—because that love for nature wasn’t born in a textbook. It started in muddy creek beds and shaded trails right here in Lancaster.

Why It Still Matters

Whether you're raising a future scientist or just trying to reconnect with your kids—or your own sense of wonder—Lancaster County is full of places to slow down and dig into nature. You don’t need a fancy plan. Just bring a net, a bucket, and your curiosity.

Screens will always be there. But salamanders under rocks? That’s a moment you don’t forget.

Where to Explore in Lancaster County

Here’s a list of our favorite local spots to get your hands (and feet) dirty:

🌿 Lancaster County Central Park

• What you’ll find: Wooded trails, stream access, meadows

• Good for: Bug hunts, creek play, picnics, nature scavenger hunts

🌱 Chickies Rock County Park

• What you’ll find: Hiking trails, Susquehanna River views, rock formations

• Good for: Exploring geology, wildflowers, and creek beds near the bottom trails

🐸 Speedwell Forge County Park

• What you’ll find: Quiet trails and Speedwell Forge Lake

• Good for: Birdwatching, finding frogs and dragonflies, peaceful walks

🐟 Ephrata Linear Park & Cocalico Creek

• What you’ll find: A gentle walking path and shallow creek access

• Good for: Toddlers and little kids exploring minnows and water bugs

🪲 Muddy Run Park (Holtwood)

• What you’ll find: Creek access, wooded trails, camping

• Good for: Spending a full day immersed in nature

🌼 Welsh Mountain Nature Preserve

• What you’ll find: 900+ acres of protected forest

• Good for: Wildflowers, mushrooms, hidden stream adventures

🐚 Millport Conservancy (Lititz)

(Sometimes open for events or public days)

• What you’ll find: Streams, educational programming, preserved habitats

• Good for: Families looking to learn more about environmental science

Pack Light, Explore Deep

A nature day doesn’t have to be complicated:

• Old sneakers or water shoes

• Bucket or container with holes for temporary “bug hotels”

• A simple field guide or bug ID app

• Snacks and water

• A towel in the car—because someone’s getting wet

Final Thoughts from a Real Mom

I didn’t set out to raise a scientist. I just wanted to raise a whole person—curious, grounded, aware of the world outside a screen. Turns out, a little creek time went a long way.

So go out. Find something real. Look under rocks. Chase the bugs. Listen to the water. It might just shape someone’s future—or at least their weekend.

—Sandra

What’s Really Keeping Renters from Owning a Home?

If you're renting right now and wondering whether you’ll ever own a home, you’re not alone—and you're not crazy. It can feel overwhelming, like there are a hundred little doors you don’t have the key to. But here’s the thing: many of the reasons people stay renters aren’t permanent roadblocks. They’re just puzzles that need a little guidance to solve.

Remember I was once a leasing agent? Let me help you.

So let’s break it down. If you’ve ever thought, “I’d love to own someday, but I’m just not there yet,”—this is for you.

1. “I don’t have 20% down.”

That’s probably the biggest myth out there. You don’t need 20% down. There are great loan options—FHA, USDA, and even some conventional programs—that allow as little as 3% down. There are also grants, gifts from family, and assistance programs many renters don’t even know about.

A conversation with a local lender (I know a few good ones!) can help you run the numbers.

2. “I can’t afford a mortgage.”

Have you looked at your rent lately? For many, monthly mortgage payments are similar to rent, and sometimes even less. The big difference is: with a mortgage, you’re building equity. Every payment brings you closer to owning your home outright—not just helping your landlord pay off theirs.

3. “My credit isn’t great.”

Fair enough—but it may not be as bad as you think. There are loan options for lower credit scores, and many renters just need a few months of small, strategic improvements to qualify. Paying rent on time might even count toward your credit now (depending on how it's reported).

This is where having a plan—and a team—really helps.

4. “The market feels scary.”

Yes, the market has been wild. But waiting for the perfect time to buy is kind of like waiting for the perfect time to start a family, change jobs, or go on a diet. The truth is: if buying makes sense for your life right now, then it’s the right time. You can always refinance later if rates drop, but rent almost always goes up.

5. “I just don’t know where to start.”

That’s the biggest barrier of all—and the easiest one to fix.

Owning a home doesn’t start with paperwork. It starts with a conversation. If you’ve been renting and wondering if homeownership could be within reach, let’s just talk. No pressure, no pitch—just real answers to your questions.

You're not stuck. You're just not walked through it yet.

Whether it’s a little credit help, budgeting for a down payment, or just figuring out the steps, I’m here to guide you. I’ve helped a lot of families go from "someday" to "we got the keys"—and I’d love to help you too.

Reach out anytime or share this with someone who’s ready to stop renting and start building something real.

—Sandra
Wayfaring Lancaster | EXP Realty

🏡 Lancaster County Market Snapshot – This Week

📉 Overview – Slower Prices, Faster Sales

• County-wide median listing price ease to about $385K in June—a 4.9% dip from May - Redfin

• In Lancaster city proper, median listing sits at $340K, up 4.6% year-over-year realtor.com.

📈 Sales & Inventory Trends

• Listings surged ~70% from May, now around 930 homes on the market .

• Homes are moving quickly—with most sales closing in under 60 days .

Sandra Burkholder, EXP Realty
Licensed Real Estate Agent since 2000
Serving Lancaster, Chester, Berks, and York County, PA

Connecting you to your dream home and the heart of the community with a professional yet approachable touch.

www.sandraburkholder.com | www.wayfaringlancaster.com
[email protected] | [email protected]

Not intended to solicit any properties already listed for sale with another real estate agent. If your home is already for sale, then please disregard this message.

Get Pre-Approved Before house hunting. I recommend contacting Shelly.