Mold and mildew
Ick! While we’ve tackled a few gross jobs in the past, there are few things yuckier than a dirty shower. If you’ve ever played chicken with your loved ones on who will clean it next, you know that everyone winds up a loser.
Today we’re going to tackle how to get your shower back to sparkling
TAKE A MOLDMENT
Before we get to work on ridding your bathroom of ick, take a minute to look at any mold or mildew issues that you have. Due to a bathroom being a humid environment, it’s common for mildew to spring up. However, mold and water damage on your ceiling or wall may indicate a leak and should be investigated with the help of a professional. If you suspect that you have black mold, or Stachybotrys chartarum, instead of common bathroom mildew it is important to get testing completed so that proper mitigation can happen. Black mold can be dangerous to your household’s health.
GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES
To complete this task, you will need baking soda, vinegar, dish detergent, a spray bottle, cleaning gloves, a stiff bristle brush, and a cleaning cloth.
Please note: baking soda and vinegar are great general-purpose cleaners for most bathrooms, but not if you have marble or natural stone surfaces. Please use a specialty cleaning product to prevent etching or damage.
SPRAY IT
While we are not using harsh chemicals to clean your bathroom, proper ventilation is still important. Please turn on your bathroom’s vent fan and open up windows to keep any fumes to a minimum. It will make cleaning a much more pleasant experience.
Get started by putting vinegar in a spray bottle and spraying down your entire shower. Let it soak in for an hour or two to loosen any grime then rinse off your shower.
SCRUB A DUB DUB
Next, toss on your cleaning gloves then mix half a cup of baking soda with two tablespoons of dish detergent and enough water to form a thick paste. Spread all over the surface of your shower or tub using a cleaning cloth, rubbing in circles. This should start loosening any built-up grime. In areas that are especially icky, like grout lines, use a stiff bristle brush or toothbrush to scrub. Let sit for 10 minutes then rinse thoroughly.
Now it’s time to evaluate. Is your shower ick-free? Congrats! If not, make more paste and scrub again before rinsing. If this doesn’t do the job then it might be time to move on to more intense measures to do the trick. A shower cleaner like Clorox with Tilex should do the trick. Please carefully follow the directions on the cleaner.
GIVE GRIME THE MOLD SHOULDER
Now that your shower is spic and span, let’s keep it that way! Always crack open your bathroom window or turn on the exhaust fan before showering to remove humidity from the air. Is it time to clean your fan again? Here’s how.
Water pooling in your shower leads to scum. One of the best — and cheapest! — ways to take care of this issue is to squeegee your shower once you’re done. You can pick up a shower squeegee at the hardware store for about $5.
What type of bath products are you using? Bar soaps tend to leave a film on surfaces. Typically, body washes leave less residue in your shower. It could help to make a switch.
Plan on cleaning your shower at least biweekly to stay on top of scum. In between scrubbings, keep that spray bottle of vinegar on hand and spritz in the shower after squeegeeing it down. A few drops of essential oils can help make the smell more pleasant.
If your bathroom is really icky or you’d like to schedule a regular cleaner to help you stay on top of the task, we can help!