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| Monica Buck |
This post is not a "magic bullet". It's main purpose is to save those of you who have this same problem lots of wasted time and effort. I wish somebody had told me this sooner. :-)
For months I have been trying every product and method known to man or woman to remove the mold that had somehow taken hold in the two corners where the shower door meets the shower stall. I started out with natural cleaners (lemon juice, vinegar, tea tree oil, etc) and eventually was forced to try more caustic measures. My most recent attempt involved spraying straight bleach from a spray bottle, letting soak for several hours and then trying to rub off the black stains with a Magic Eraser. Nothing.
After more research today on the subject, I finally realized that NO CLEANER was going to get rid of this gunk because it was now PART of the silicone caulking. It wasn't something that could be scrubbed off, because it was IN the caulk. ugh. While that was NOT what I wanted to hear...it made perfect sense and I had reached the point where I was willing to do WHATEVER it took to get rid of it.
So...with a single-edged razor blade and a pair of tweezers...I proceeded to remove the caulk on the two shower door seams. It was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be. Run the blade underneath the edge of both sides of the caulk line, then I took the tweezers and pulled off sections at a time. Probably took me about 15 or 20 minutes. Tops.
And here is proof positive of what I was talking about. See that black spot. That is mildew ENCASED in the silicone. It's not on the surface of either side of that little clear piece of silicone...it is actually embedded inside of it! No WONDER nothing I tried worked!
After I'd scraped off all the silicone caulk...I gave the areas another good cleaning with some diluted bleach and dried it thoroughly. (It should be noted that now that the caulk has been removed...other less caustic cleaning agents could be used such as Lemon Juice, Vinegar, Hydrogen Peroxide, Tea Tree Oil or Borax).
I can't tell you how thrilled I am to FINALLY have that black stuff gone!
Even though it was a very small amount...mold is nothing to mess around with. Shower mold dangers include a number of respiratory disorders, stomach infections and allergies.
Now that the mold is gone...it's all about prevention.
Ventilation:
Obviously ventilation is important. I plan on replacing our bathroom ceiling fan with a new and improved model. It doesn't seem to be doing the job lately and has been making a crazy sound.
Keeping the Shower Dry
I'm also going to take the advice of my friend Denise in ARK and keep a "shower drying towel" hanging on a special hook in the bathroom and do a quick wipe down after each shower.
Shedding Some Light On The Subject
And finally, since mold flourishes in the dark and our shower is in a windowless room with the toilet, keeping light on the subject is going to be imperative. Haven't quite figured out what my plan for that will be yet...but I will. :-)
But for now....I'm off to research how to replace silicone caulking in your shower. ;-)
A DEEP DOWN CLEAN is today's.....
Look up the painter's tape method and use your fingertip to smooth it. My husband insisted on buying the "special caulk tool" - a small chunk of plastic that cost about $5 - and made a horrible attempt at replacing our shower caulk. I peeled it all off and re-did it with a couple yards of tape and my index finger.
ReplyDeletetip- remove the old caulking by soaking the area with rubbing alcohol on cotton balls.
ReplyDeleteWe just had to have mold removal people come in due to an overly set high humidifier. The mold seemed to be contained to the bedrooms areas and windows. Our bathroom has a window in the shower, and it is not helping with the mold problem in the shower area. The mold people said not to use bleach on porous areas. Bleach only cleans the surface and doesn't do anything for behind that area such as drywall, etc. Mold has roots and will continue to grow, even after cleaned or painted over. Just my two cents...
ReplyDeleteInstead of a "drying" towel, my mom always kept a squeegee in the shower and wiped down the walls and shower doors after every shower. Her 50 y.o. shower has very little mold (at least visible).
ReplyDeleteI dry the door and I leave my shower door open for awhile, so it can dry out...seems to work
ReplyDeleteYes, I have learned to run the fan - no matter how noisy, leave the shower door open, and open a window when weather permits.
ReplyDeleteCaulking is really easy. Have a damp cloth handy and squeeze out the caulk in a long fluid motion. Run your finger down and wipe off any excess with the cloth. I don't use tape, just the cloth
Way to go! Replacing the caulk is definitely the easiest part. Just remember to use a wet finger to smooth it out or it will become a part of you for a while! ;-)
ReplyDelete1/4 teaspoon of oil of cloves will kill mold :)
ReplyDeleteI married a plumber, problem solved. ha ha. :-)
ReplyDeletehave fun re-caulking. I agree for a first time caulker the tape on either side of the area you are filling and then using your finger to smooth would work best. My hubby does most of the calk in the house though.
So not what I wanted to hear...mold is stuck in the caulking. I have bits here and there so I guess it's recaulking we go. Boo..
ReplyDeletehaha Mandy...I can totally relate. I tried EVERYTHING before I finally accepted the inevitable. It's not as bad as it seems. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThey have little tools for removing caulk. I was amazed at how much easier it was to remove the old stuff.
ReplyDeleteThe tools for removing the caulking are a good idea because they don't cut into the material around the shower and leave scratches where the mold can find a home. I guess ceramic tile wouldn't be a problem, but fiberglass would.
ReplyDeleteAfter all that work, use some Turtle Wax or any car body wax on the surface, just like you would a car. Water stays away and it protects the surface for almost a year with only minimal cleaning.
ReplyDeleteIf you're replacing your fan, see if you can get one with a timer on it so you can leave it run for fifteen or twenty minutes *after* you get out of the shower to completely clear the excess humidity. Most people have mildew problems in their bathrooms because they flip off the fan when they flip off the light leaving the room after their shower, and the humidity is stuck in the room.
ReplyDelete