Spring is almost here! Warmer days and nicer weather mean a chance to spend more time outside—and the opportunity to throw open the windows and clean your house after a long winter spent indoors.
Some of that cleaning might be easy—putting away papers, toys, or other clutter might be time-consuming but not difficult. Other cleaning, though, might not be so simple—especially if in the course of your spring cleaning you encounter mold or mildew.
How can you clean these household fungi safely? And what should you do if they leave stains that won’t go away? This article will break down some cleaning options—and let you know how we at The Tub Pros can help.
First: what are mold and mildew?
Mold and mildew are both types of fungus, and both grow in warm, moist areas—bathrooms are often hot spots for this type of growth. They’re also both very common, especially in bathrooms—humidity and water make for perfect conditions.
Mildew is usually white or pale gray, and can often be easily removed from surfaces. It might grow on floors, walls, or bathroom surfaces, and can also grow on fabrics, paper, or leather. In many cases, because mildew only grows on the surface of an item, it can be easy to remove.
Mold, on the other hand, is often darker—green or black—and can be much harder to remove, because it grows deeper into the surface than mildew does. It’s especially common in areas where water damage occurs.
While both mildew and mold can cause allergic reactions, mold has some varieties that can be more harmful to health—it’s always a good idea not just to clean the mold or mildew, but to find the cause and stop it from happening again. When you see mold, investigate to see if it’s caused by a leak—it could be a sign of greater damage to come.
How can I clean mold and mildew?
If mold and mildew have found their way into your kitchen, bathroom, or outdoor surfaces—Jacuzzis and porch furniture are particularly vulnerable to growth—there are a few approaches you can take to cleaning. Keep in mind that if you have a lot of mold—ten or more square feet—it’s a good idea to call in a professional.
For smaller amounts of mold or mildew, you can efficiently tackle the problem yourself. While sourcing industrial cleaning products may be difficult, common household products can be just as successful. If fabrics are the problem, take the item outside and brush off as much as possible before washing it in hot water.
For hard, solid surfaces, like most of those found in the bathroom, a mixture of bleach and water will kill the mold. Mold may grow on grout, tile, or in cracks around bathtub drain areas. Mix one cup of bleach and one gallon of water and apply this solution to the problem area—let it sit for 15-60 minutes before scrubbing the area. Ensure that you keep the windows open, and follow directions for how to use bleach safely.
Walls take a bit more attention—that bleach and water solution will drip and possibly bleach the floor covering without resolving the problem. To fix this, mix a small amount of dishwashing soap into the mix—one part of that to ten parts of bleach and twenty parts of water. Spray this mixture onto the problem area, and scrub away after five minutes.
What do I do if the mold or mildew left a stain?
Even after you’ve cleaned up the actively growing mold or mildew, you might find that it has left a stain behind. Mold is particularly likely to stain—because mold is often a dark green, the color can transfer to the surface and remain after the mold has been cleaned.
While these stains aren’t harmful to your health or home like mold is, the stains can still make even the cleanest surface look worn and dirty. There are plenty of mold and mildew stain removers on the market—these can help to get rid of the stains. But there are more common options that might be less expensive, too.
If you find that mold or mildew has stained a fabric and it doesn’t come clean in the wash, soak the item in a mixture of water and oxygen bleach (like Oxi-Clean). White fabrics that can be bleached can be washed with bleach—just take care to follow the package directions.
Mold often stains grout, too—while nonporous surfaces like tile may come clean fairly easily, the softer and more porous grout is more likely to stain. If this is the case, mix up a paste of baking soda and water and apply it to the grout. Afterwards, spray with vinegar and scrub with a brush, like an old toothbrush, to get rid of stains.
What if the grout stains won’t go away, no matter what you try? Replacing the grout might be another step to take, though it’s not the only one. Reglazing, or refinishing, will often cover the grout while updating or refreshing the color and coating on the tiles, tub, or sink. It can give the bathroom a clean, uniform look—and means that you won’t have to scrub mold from grout in the future!
Where can I find tub, shower, tile, or porcelain sink refinishing near me?
Looking for sink, shower, tile, or bathtub refinishing in the Greater Memphis Area? We are located in West Memphis, Arkansas and service an 80 mile radius of Memphis, Tennessee; Including Jackson, Tn. Jonesboro, AR. and Mississippi. We are now also serving Little Rock, Arkansas and surrounding areas.
The Tub Pros is a proud member of the Professional Bathtub Refinishers Association, Angies List, HomeAdvisor, Thumbtack, Porch and The Better Business Bureau. We are also preferred vendors for Crye-Leike and Coldwell Banker. Our certified professionals can refinish a variety of surfaces—whether that’s a porcelain, fiberglass, or acrylic tub, a cultured marble shower, a Corian countertop, or many other materials. And if you’re wondering can you refinish a jacuzzi tub? We can help get your hot tub looking good as new, too.Whether you have unsightly stains on your grout, or other problems—like chips, cracks, or damage to your bathroom or kitchen fixtures—we’re here to help! Give us a call at (901) 871-8827 or contact us today to get started on your project.
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