OT-Keeping mold out of your shower

[s7714]

Has anyone figured out a way to keep mold from growing in their shower? Seriously. (Just please don't tell me a weekly scrub down is the only way to do it...I simply don't have the time for that!)

Daily sprays of something, certain cleaners...what works for you? I'm tired of having to irradicate the mold from my shower every couple of weeks with a fumey bleach cleaner. I know once mold is present it's virtually impossible to terminate it completely, but there has to be something I can do to stop it from growing so easily! I almost wish I could rip out our shower stall and put in a nice, seamless, grout/tile free unit, but that's not gonna happen anytime soon!

ETA: We do have a fan in the bathroom that runs before/during/after showers, and we always leave the shower door cracked open so air can circulate in so it can dry out, but nothing really seems to be making a difference.

TIA,
Jennifer
Mommy to
DD 3/03
DD 6/05

Calling fellow BBB SoCal moms...we'd love to meet you!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/babybargainssocal/

[DebbieJ]

We use a squeegee to dry off the shower after we're both done.

I haven't needed to scrub or use any smelly cleaners. (although we started with a brand spankin' new shower, so we are already ahead of the game, i suppose)

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
2 year check up: 25 lbs with clothes on and 35 inches!
BFARed for 20 months and 6 days
(Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org)

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/sty...onths-bfar.jpg

I keep an old toothbrush in the shower, so sometimes I do a quick rub on an irritating spot while doing the shower. But I don't actually take solo showers very much, so that doesn't happen very often.

[s7714]

We started with a brand new shower too. Always swore to myself that if I had a brand new shower I'd never let it get yucky. Enter two children and it's gotten away from me. :(

Is your shower mainly glass, or do you have tile work? Our shower is about 75% tile. (Not by choice however as cleaning tile and grout is one of my most hated jobs!)

Jennifer
Mommy to
DD 3/03
DD 6/05

Calling fellow BBB SoCal moms...we'd love to meet you!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/babybargainssocal/

We have a constant battle with mold here in our humid climate. After diligently cleaning and replacing the caulk in our master bath several times, we called in an expert. We were told to do the following to eliminate our shower mold/mildew problem:
a) remove all the caulk
b) spray down and thoroughly clean the shower with bleach to kill the mold(special attention paid to the crevices)
c) let dry one week with the aid of bathroom vent and box fans
d) use a grout sealant for the grout and recaulk (generously) the entire shower
e) let dry 3 to 4 days

It sounds like a lot of work, but it's worth it in the long run, because we are sick of the mold coming back up under the caulk. It might work for you...

Nora

[DebbieJ]

Two walls are all tile, one is half tile/half glass, and then the glass door. I always squeegee the glass, but only do the tile half the time.

We do get some pink mold/mildew along the bottom of the pan where it meets the door, but that's about it.

I can understand how running a household with 2 kids would lead you to neglect the shower! Heck, even with one there are days I don't even see the inside of the shower!

~ deb
DS born at home 12/03
2 year check up: 25 lbs with clothes on and 35 inches!
BFARed for 20 months and 6 days
(Breastfeeding After Reduction is possible! www.bfar.org)

http://www.bfar.org/members/fora/sty...onths-bfar.jpg

[mudder17]

Try squeegeeing and then spraying with scented vinegar (just so it doesn't smell so strong). That's what I do and it works. My mixture is 50:50 white vinegar:water with 20-30 drops of an essential oil. I usually use Peppermint but have also used Eucalyptus oil. Tea Tree is also nice, although it's much more of an antiseptic smell. Either way, it's MUCH better than bleach, which makes me ill.


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ies/candle.gif for Leah
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...merald_18m.gif

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catca..._4_Kaya+is.png
Kaya's a cousin! 10/1/05, 5lb13oz

[mudder17]

That sounds like it would be worth it, if you have a recurring mold problem (and it does sound like you do, Deb). Then you could spray with the vinegar spray to prevent it from coming back.


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ies/candle.gif for Leah
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...merald_18m.gif

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catca..._4_Kaya+is.png
Kaya's a cousin! 10/1/05, 5lb13oz

[ohiomom]

Chiming in that I feel your pain. We struggle with this as well. We squeege all the time, run fan everytime we shower, clean it regularly, including with bleach, and replace the caulking once or twice a year. The last time we removed the caulking we bleached it like crazy and let it sit unused for 2 weeks. Unfortunately I can see mold again through the caulking. It's SOOOO frustrating. It's a beautiful tile pattern we designed ourselves. Good thing I love it so much or I'd insist on ripping it all out.
Nicole's Mom 7/03
Joshua ^|^ 5/05

[SeekerMage]

when I was on the ball with cleaning things I used the daily tub and tile cleaner stuff. For the life of me I cannot think of what its called, but you just do a quick spray when you are done showering. no need to squeege dry or anything. Honestly it smelled fresh and kept any nastys away! In our old place the tub sucked and just a few days after cleaning the tub would be black with gunk....with the spray it kept all the yuckies away. I know there are a few brands, and I think I even used the generic and they all worked the same. I would just do a good cleaning monthly or less and then use the daily spray...total lifesaver!