If you’ve got bathroom mold or mildew, isn’t it time you kissed it goodbye for good? Sound impossible? It really isn’t if you have the right attack plan and stick with it. Here’s how in five simple steps:
Step One: You must know the types of mold you’re dealing with. All fungi need both food and water to grow. Food can include anything from soap scum, hair, dead skin cells, and even cotton (think toilet paper). However, mildew and black mold aren’t the same and should be treated differently. Mildew isn’t dangerous, but can wreak havoc on your immune system, especially if you’re allergic. Black mold however is toxic and will affect anyone who comes near it. Yet neither of them can grow on clean and dry surfaces.
Step Two: You need to make a plan. In order to remove mold from your home, you must cut off the food supply. Otherwise all your work will be for nothing. If you have toxic mold, you’ll want to replace any damage areas caused by the fungi, otherwise your problem will only become worse.
Step Three: Shower mold is the worst, so you’ll need to arm yourself with the right supplies. You have to be willing after every use to clean away the excess water, soap scum, hair and debris that showering leaves behind. To get down and dirty you’ll need a pair of rubber gloves, a good eco-friendly cleaning spray and scrubbing brush. If you’re allergic to mold, you might also want to wear a surgical paper mask to protect your lungs. And yes we know the age old tip of using bleach to clean the surfaces, but guess what? Bleaching doesn’t kill below the surfaces; so hidden mold is still there!
Step Four: Spray affected areas with the cleaner of your choice and depending on the manufacturer’s directions, allow the product to absorb or scrub the area immediately with a brush. Then rinse and repeat if necessary. For in between cleanings, you may want to consider using a product that can be sprayed onto your shower walls after showering. Or to keep the area dry, use a towel to wipe down walls after you shower.
Step Five: To prevent future attacks, consider upgrading your bathroom. If you have a cotton shower curtain, trade it in for a vinyl one. Or if you can afford to get away with it, install glass or plastic shower doors instead. You may also want to consider installing an exhaust fan, which can help keep moisture at bay. Or at the very least, every time you shower, open your bathroom windows to let moisture out. And if your bathroom has wallpaper or carpeting, you might want to think about upgrading to paint and tile since carpet and wallpaper can easily absorb wetness.
Okay, that’s it! Now that you’ve conquered that bathroom mold, you can give yourself a round of applause and gloat in victory. It’s a nice feeling knowing that you’ve won the fight against yucky mold and mildew, isn’t it?