Tips on getting rid of mold in shower?

[Molly Meow]

Ever since we went away for two weeks this summer, I've been battling black mold in our shower.

It's in the caulking that "attaches" the fake tile shower wall to the bathtub. It's also around the faucet handles.

I've tried every cleanser I can think of - even straight bleach and I can't get it to go away.

Does anyone have any suggestions? We rent and I'm afraid the landlord is going to keep our deposit when we move out if I can't figure this one out.

Just a little additional info - we have a VERY weak vent fan in the bathroom that I think vents into the wall or ceiling. It certainly doesn't vent outside. We also have no window in the bathroom.

Thanks for any help! I'm about to go nuts!

 

[barkley]

beyond the commercial stuff (tilex seems to be targeted for this) the only thing i could suggest is vinegar. we had a mold problem in our old dishwasher and it did'nt clear up until i ran a full glass of white vinegar through a cycle.

it could be that the caulking has actualy gotten stained from having the problem over time.

look in the yellow pages for a janitorial supply company-they may be able to suggest a product or means for cleaning it up.

 

[foxfire]

I was going to suggest putting Clorox in a spray bottle & spritz it on the places where you see mold but you said you've already tried bleach. That always works for me so I don't know of another suggestion. Hopefully, someone else can offer an idea.

 

[foxfire]

Oops sorry, I double posted.

 

[SC Minnie]

Clorox clean up has always worked for me. But it does sound like what someone else said the mold has either gotten underneath the caulk or has stained it.

 

[Tina]

I would suggest removing and replacing the caulk. Its not that hard to do. Just make sure its completely clean and dry in the gap before applying the new caulk.

 

[charlie,nj]

We soak some bunched up tp with Clorox and lay it on the mold...push it on so it makes good contact.

Let it sit on the mold for a few hours.

When you take the tp off the black mold is gone..


.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

We had the EXACT same problem many years ago when we rented. The bathroom had no window and only a weak fan vent, so after a nice long shower, the room stayed humid for a long time. Heard it said that the best approach is prevention -- Take shorter showers and always towel off the walls, but that wasn't and still isn't our style.

One thing you do not want to do is apply new caulk on top of the old (the old sweeping it under the carpet approach). It's like feeding it, and the mold will only get worse.

After trying an array of the household cleaners, we bit the bullet, got a razor blade, and removed the old caulk between the tub and wall. We then used something (forget if it was vinegar or bleach), to scrub clean the surface and all of the remaining black mold (some of the mold had stained the caulk and some was under it). After a day of drying out, we applied new caulk and it was fine -- at least until we moved out.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Redo the caulk. Very easy and inexpensive.

 

[liamsaunt]

Have you tried x-14? It smells terrible, but it should take the mold off.

 

[SeeDisney]

Have you tried opening up the window for some air flow? We always do this and it helps out a great deal.

 

[mrsdon]

Also try Mr Clean magic erasers..
I had a bad stain probelm in our bathroom and nothring every worked until I tried the Mr Clean thingy.

 

[nwdisgal]

As a long term, preventative measure, recaulk, make sure you have a good seal on the caulk, and keep the area dry, if at all possible (i.e wipe it down with a towel, when you get out of the shower). There are actually mildew resistant caulks on the market formulated for bathrooms and kitchens. I've read too that good ventilation (and outflow from your bathroom fan and vents) has a lot to do with discouraging mold growth.

 

[Art Vandalay]

Best stuff I've found for removing glop from showers is Tilex Mildew Root Remover (not just the regular Tilex). Seems to clear up just about anything I've come across.

 

[J&D]

Here is a link for a free Tilex Mold Detector Kit. It comes with 2 tests and some info on Tilex Mold & Mildew Remover and Tilex Mildew Root Penetrator & Remover. I got my sample today.

Sample

 

[Lil_Tink]

Get a good scrubbing brush and scrub..

And to prevent it after showing completly dry off the shower..

 

[Disney Deb]

I was going to suggest putting Clorox in a spray bottle & spritz it on the places where you see mold but you said you've already tried bleach. That always works for me so I don't know of another suggestion. Hopefully, someone else can offer an idea.

How would you remove mold from a bathroom's painted ceiling. I currently shower with the window open AND bathroom door open.......but I still get mold in the corner of my ceiling. Thanks in advance.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

How would you remove mold from a bathroom's painted ceiling. I currently shower with the window open AND bathroom door open.......but I still get mold in the corner of my ceiling. Thanks in advance.

The only thing I can think of is to paint it with KILZ. Then dry the ceiling after showering.

 

[Mishetta]

How would you remove mold from a bathroom's painted ceiling. I currently shower with the window open AND bathroom door open.......but I still get mold in the corner of my ceiling. Thanks in advance.

2/3's bleach to 1/3 water in a spritz bottle & after covering anything that could be damaged by the bleach, spray directly onto the mold. That kills the mold & also removes the stain of the mold.