My bathroom does not have a good ventilation and the water accumulates as little pools on the floor of the shower. I clean the floor with bleach, but the mildew is still there. What can I do to get rid of the mildew? Are there products or other ways to help?
By Cindy M. from Louisville, KY
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Try making a paste of Comet, rub it in and wait a while, then rinse. Keep applying until the mold disappears, I love the Mr. Clean erasers also for scrubbing. Hope this helps!
Try making a paste of water and powdered dish washer detergent, rubbing it into the spots, and letting it sit overnight. Scrub spots with a nylon scrubby, and rinse well. To prevent more mildew, sweep the water on the bottom of the stall into the drain. You could get a plastic bristle broom or long handled plastic bristle brush and keep it just for this purpose. Or you could keep a couple of old towels to wipe the floor of the shower with after use.
If you own the home, I'd think about venting the bathroom either through the roof or an outside wall. You can check out vent kits at places like Home Depot or Lowe's.
I had a similar problem in my manufactured home. The back bathroom was between two bedrooms. Take a hot shower and the steam moved into whichever bedroom door was opened. Since it was just my husband and I in that home, I pulled the fixtures and turned that bathroom into a storage area. I love it.
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How can I remove mildew from the shower?
Michelle W. from NV
Do you have a fan in your bathroom? If not, you might consider installing one (to pull out the moisture)
Mold and mildew can be a very expensive problem if it's not nipped in the bud. I just read an article of a family that needed to leave their home (permanently) because of mold.
I have a spray bottle I keep in the bathroom. It is a 50/50 bleach and water solution. When I see any sign of mold or mildew, I'll spray it and allow it to air dry.
To help prevent mold and mildew, I squeegee my entire shower after each use. Afterwards, I wipe it down with a dry towel. I also wash my shower curtains once a month in hot water with laundry detergent and bleach. You can put the plastic liner in the dryer for a few minutes, just until it gets warm and the wrinkles are removed. Then you can hang it back up in the shower to dry more thoroughly.
(01/16/2008)
For me, Tilex Professional Mildew Remover has worked the best. You can get it at Home Depot. Regular Tilex just doesn't seem to work as well.
Janene (01/16/2008)
By Janene
To help prevent mildew in the a shower/tub area, figure a way to keep the wet shower curtain pinned away from the side of the tub. My shower curtain has small suction cups on the ends so I stick each side to the shower wall. This holds the shower curtain away from the sides of the tub. The side of the tub and the shower curtain will dry faster which helps prevent mildew.
The shower curtain I had before did not have suction cups on the shower curtain so I rigged one side of the curtain by using a clothes pin and pinned it to a mesh shower pocketed bag that is hung on the back wall of the tub for our shampoos and bath products.
Even pulling back one side of the wet shower curtain would help. I also use an inexpensive clip-on oscillating fan that I bought a Wal-mart for under $10.00 and keep it turned towards the tub so it will dry faster. I have the fan hung on the wall since it had a opening in the back for hanging. I usually keep this fan on all the time and, depending on the weather, will keep the window in the bathroom cracked slightly to let in fresh air.
If you use a shower stall, this tip should also help. I also trim the bottom hem of the shower curtain. This hem holds the water and this is the area that usually is the main mildew problem on the shower curtain. The water will drip off better instead of laying in the hem. I trimmed my polyester curtain and it is fraying a bit, but I would rather have a little fray then mildew.
Does anyone have any suggestions to keep the polyester shower curtain from fraying? Thanks. (01/17/2008)
By Anne
I would like to know how to get rid of nasty mildew/mold in the bathroom. My bathroom really has a bad case of this stuff because it does not dry out properly. This particularly happens in the winter where there is a lot of moisture. I try cleaning it with regular commercial products but I end up taking the cement part between the tiles off.
So, I have to continuously re-do this cement part (don't know the right word for it). Also, when I remove this cement part in the cleaning process water gets through to the adjoining walls and ruins my rooms next door. I really would like to find something to help me avoid this problem. Thank you.Michael
There is something in the UK called Sugar Soap, its a liquid. If you use that with some warm water it will clean it spotless and is gentle on the cement stuff in between the tiles.
Kim
(11/11/2007)
Use a mixture of bleach and water. How much bleach depends on the amount of mold. Usually 1 part bleach to 3 parts water. Let stand until the mold dissolves.Then rinse with clean water. (11/12/2007)
By Dean
Clean and disinfect (bleach and water will work). Then spray the grout and tiles with WD40 (it repels water). You can wipe it off the tiles after a little while, if you want to. Next, AND MOST IMPORTANT, STOP USING BAR SOAP. It contains wax which coats your tiles and grout, trapping moisture behind it. It does not need to be an expensive liquid soap or one that leaves you feeling "slimy." Liquid soap from WalMart or the dollar store works fine. Experiment until you find one you like. (11/12/2007)
By ccarnow
Hey, this doesn't help you get rid of the mildew but what helps me to keep my bathroom dry is to buy a small cheap fan $5-$10 at Walmart etc and run it when you are showering and after until the bathroom is dry. Sometimes in the summer when humidity is high we just let it run 24/7. For the mildew it self you might try a strong solution of bleach. God Bless (11/12/2007)
By Becki from Missouri
The cement part between the tiles is called grout. If that helps. (11/12/2007)
By Holly
Putting a fan in the bath is really important to keep ventilation going and air moving. When you have the bath really dried out and mold gone paint it with a product for baths with a mildew retardant in it by Zinzer. It can be tinted to your preferred color. Keep the fan going as well. (11/12/2007)
By Rasta
Use Tilex. Its a bleach solution.
Also, once you've removed your mold you may be able to seal the grout with a sealant, but I don't know much about that. I've only read about it. (11/13/2007)
By Carol in PA
Put on mask, safety glasses, gloves to the elbows--take some bleach--pick your scent that pleases you. Stand in shower (keep clothes on! may want old ones on.)
Dip a rag or washcloth in it. Sponge the bleach to the areas. Get out, let soak, rinse. For lasting effect of bleach on areas, make a paste of baking soda and bleach to putty consistency, rub on and let soak.
This works on walls in the bathroom too. We pulled the vanity out as I could SMELL mildew somewhere. There it was. Water follows water pipes and drips, etc.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE VENTILATION at all times. Have someone to call for help if necessary.
You learn the first time, 2nd time doesn't take as much time. OH-if you have to do walls, put a kilz' etc over it and paint. If you have to cut out the sheet rock, etc. DO. (11/13/2007)
By Grandma J
After shower use, pull curtain toward center to let air circulate and dry, and heat/humidity gone. (12/02/2007)
By Annette
After thoroughly cleaning all visible evidence of mildew, buy some "Damp Rid" they sell it at most stores. It will come with a plastic basket type thing-a-ma-jig that you put the "Damp Rid" granules into the top of. They draw out moisture from the air and the water seeps to the lower basket part, empty every so often as needed and add more granules when needed. My mother used to have the same problem in her bathroom, not anymore!!
The seal that goes to the trunk of my car has a hidden leak somewhere. I still cant figure out where! It would make the whole car smell awful a few days after a heavy rain, but I put a basket (they're no bigger than a 3lb butter tub!) of damp rid in my trunk and it draws out the moisture before it ever gets smelly! Just remember to check the basket at least once a week in the bathroom so the water it draws out, doesn't overflow into the granules. its hard to explain, but google "damp rid" and check out their site! Tried and true! It GREATLY cuts down on mildew by pulling the moisture out of the air! Hope that helps! (12/19/2007)
By kim
