Mildew and Mold Are Difficult to Remove, Easy to Control

Alison Palmer • Feb 08, 2017

Mildew on Shower Curtains is Easy to Deal With There are few things more yucky than a shower curtain coated with mold and/or mildew. Unfortunately this happens all to often in the humid air of Chesapeake homes.  The good news, however is that there is an easy fix.  Throw a couple of towels in the washer.  […] The post Mildew and Mold Are Difficult to Remove, Easy to Control appeared first on Custom Maid.

Mildew on Shower Curtains is Easy to Deal With

There are few things more yucky than a shower curtain coated with mold and/or mildew. Unfortunately this happens all to often in the humid air of Chesapeake homes.  The good news, however is that there is an easy fix.  Throw a couple of towels in the washer.  Take down the shower curtain and put it in on top of the towels.  Then put two more towels on top.  The towels act as scrubbers to remove the mildew.  Use normal laundry detergent and the hot setting for both wash and rinse. Skip the spin cycle.  Voila!  Your shower curtain will come out good as new and ready to re-hang in your clean shower.

Mildew Can Be Removed Without Using Bleach

Instead of using bleach which gives off toxic fumes and can burn your skin  (I avoid it at all costs), make a mixture of a half cup of hydrogen peroxide and one cup of water in a spray bottle.  This will lose its power over time so make it fresh each time.  Spray the affected area and let the mixture sit (called dwell time in the cleaning biz) for an hour.  Then scrub the mildewed area vigorously with a stiff bristle brush.  This should remove the mildew.  When mildew gets into the caulking in your shower, no amount of scrubbing will remove it.  Your only alternatives are to live with it or to remove the caulking and start from scratch.

It’s Easier to Control the Mildew

In Chesapeake, mildew thrives on damp, dark areas so run your vent fan not just during your shower, but for at least 15 minutes after.  Be sure towels are folded rather than puddled on the floor.  That way they will dry more quickly.  Leave the lights on in the bathroom.  Light is the foe of mildew.  Consider using a squeegee on the walls and floor of the shower after each use to remove excess moisture.

Follow these ideas and your shower should remain mildew free.  One side note: if mold or mildew gets on the drywall, you may need a professional mold remediator to get it out and that will cost you a lot.

Another way to stay ahead of mold and mildew is to hire Custom Maid to clean your Chesapeake home weekly or bi-weekly.    Call us at 499-8568 for an estimate of price.

Request an Estimate

Editor’s Note:  We originally published this article in April 2014.  We have edited it for freshness, accuracy and comprehensiveness.

 

 

 

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