Much Ado About Mildew: the Scum Bum Days of Summer
by Amy Sardone
on Jun 25, 2024
9 ways to prevent mildew
HOW DO I REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF MILDEW IN THE BATHROOM?
Mildew thrives in damp, dark, misty conditions and your bathroom couldn’t be more perfect as a home for mildew. Here are some suggestions to chase away mildew demons lurking in your bathroom:
1. Keep surfaces clean. Dirt, grease, and body oils are like Thanksgiving dinner to mildew. Speed Cleaning™ Scum Bum is a great tool to use to keep those bathroom surfaces mildew-free.
2. Keep a squeegee in the shower and use it on the shower walls, door, and floor after showering. Towel those surfaces dry after squeegeeing in extreme cases.
3. Leave the shower door open or the shower curtains parted after you’re done showering.
4. Open a window to keep fresh air circulating.
5. Leave the bathroom door ajar during showering.
6. Hang the towels so they will dry completely before the next day’s use.
7. Put a portable fan in the bathroom and turn it on after showering to help exchange wet bathroom air for drier air from other rooms.
8. Get a dehumidifier for the bathroom.
9. Get really serious and install an exhaust fan.
Note: when building a home, install windows in the bathroom that are at least as big as windows in the other rooms of the house. Clear glass will make the room more appealing. If privacy is an issue, use the same window covering that you use on windows in other rooms, except for mini-blinds.
MILDEW IN GROUT
How do I get rid of the mildew that builds up in the white grout around the tile in my bathroom shower?
First, clean the grout as you clean the tiles to remove as much of the mildew as possible. Speed Cleaning™ Scum Bum is your friend here. Just spray it on— it won’t create noxious fumes or etch or corrode non-porous surfaces.
If stains remain (and white grout often becomes permanently stained), a grout coloring agent can help. It covers up stains rather than bleaches them. The steps involved are: Clean the grout, seal it, then recolor it. The coloring product has its own applicator. Apply it, let it dry, and then wipe off any excess. Don’t use this product on floors because it won’t stay white very long, or on working countertops because of the various stain-producing spills that happen there. But it works well on shower walls. But remember: it cannot fix grout that is not there. That’s up to you.
MILDEW IN FIBERGLASS AND TILE SHOWERS
What’s the best way to remove mildew from a fiberglass or tile shower?
Most mildew will be removed via weekly cleaning, using standard Speed Cleaning methods. In other words, apply Speed Cleaning™ Red Juice, agitate with a Speed Cleaning™ White Pad, and a Speed Cleaning™ Toothbrush, and then rinse. This will remove soap scum and water spots, and it will also remove most or all of the mildew. If mildew remains, apply Speed Cleaning™ Scum Bum.
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