Cleaning shower grout mildew/mold without bleach? (Home Depot, window, smells)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Is there a way to do it without bleach and without absolutely exhausting amounts of "elbow grease"? Even when I use bleach/bleach products there's lots of scrubbing involved. I just did my shower/tub with a spray on "bleach gel" product. Opened the window all the way but there is no exhaust fan in there (apt in an old old house) and I absolutely hate the bleach smell, fumes, and how I get a headache from it.
I normally opt for more natural options when possible (vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda) but it seems like the only thing I've ever found to work on bathroom grout is the heavy stuff. I just hate it. It makes me feel awful.
CLR and Lime-away bother me too. I am just wondering if there are less caustic options.
Big D'oh on the peroxide!! Don't know why I didn't think of it since I often use it successfully on clothing (whites) for blood stains and so forth. I think the bleach has really gotten to my brain.
One of the major bathroom cleaners has a peroxide based cleaner that works pretty well. The product that hangs in the shower and you let it spray after every shower is, I believe, alcohol based. It does an ok job of keeping the mold at bay, if you don't mind the ugly thing in your shower.
I hate the smell of chlorine, but it does the best job on mold.
One thing I found on Pinterest--mix equal parts of Dawn (has to be Dawn) dish detergent and vinegar. Put it in one of these Scrunge No Scratch Dishwashing Soap Dispenser: By O-Cedar |*O-Cedar and wipe down your shower every few days. I also have a spray bottle of vinegar and water for any stubborn spots.
One thing I found on Pinterest--mix equal parts of Dawn (has to be Dawn) dish detergent and vinegar. Put it in one of these Scrunge No Scratch Dishwashing Soap Dispenser: By O-Cedar |*O-Cedar and wipe down your shower every few days. I also have a spray bottle of vinegar and water for any stubborn spots.
Dawn is a magical product. I spent 10 years as a mold remediator and that is all we used. Dawn, and a 10% solution of bleach. But we also worked with respirators. Bleach will harm your lungs.
There are some "commercial products" that work real well, but you need a license to buy them.
The wife uses the steamer mentioned above. Grout is porous, surface cleaners don't do enough to remove the bacteria in the pores, and then it turns black when it feeds off the normal amount of mold and moisture in the air.
I installed a timer switch(available at Home Depot for about 40$) for the exhaust fan. Set it for 30 minutes to remove the humidity from the shower. Makes all the difference in the world.
OP mentioned the fact that there is no fan, only a window. Well then you need to open the window after a shower to allow the moisture to escape. Yeah, PITA, but that really is the only way to get the moisture out. Mold needs moisture to grow.
I'm guessing when you say bleach, you refer to standard chlorine bleach. I'm becoming a big fan of oxygen bleach. No harsh smells, safe for people and the environment. I find if you can let it sit and soak for 15 minutes, the scrubbing is easier, although there is no way around the scrubbing. Also, getting a vertical surface to soak for a while isn't the easiest either, but get it good and wet and re-wet if need be. Powder oxygen bleach in a bucket mixed with water.
I'm guessing when you say bleach, you refer to standard chlorine bleach. I'm becoming a big fan of oxygen bleach. No harsh smells, safe for people and the environment. I find if you can let it sit and soak for 15 minutes, the scrubbing is easier, although there is no way around the scrubbing. Also, getting a vertical surface to soak for a while isn't the easiest either, but get it good and wet and re-wet if need be. Powder oxygen bleach in a bucket mixed with water.
Yeah regular bleach. Remember we were operating with respirators like I said. Don't know how effective oxy bleach would be, never tried it.
Yup scrubbing is mandatory, no way around it. When you add the dish soap it breaks the surface tension of the water/bleach combo allowing it to wet the surface.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
