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Pulling back the shower curtain and seeing a lot of shower mold is never fun. Just like all other hated cleaning tasks, removing it is usually a daunting task and can even be harmful if it’s way out of control.
As with all cleaning tasks, prevention is key to battling shower mold effectively. Here are some tips on how to avoid shower mold all together and to eliminate it if it’s started to creep into your shower.
Tips To Eliminate Shower Mold
First, if you have shower mold and have tried everything to remove it, it might be because it is now part of the silicone caulking strip and can’t be removed through traditional methods.
If you shower mold looks like the picture below, then you’ll immediately understand what I’m talking about. No amount of cleaner is going to get rid of this mold because it is now part of the caulking. It can’t be scrubbed off, steamed off or wished off. It’s IN the caulk. Period! While probably not what you want to hear, I’m going to show you how simple it is to rid yourself of this moldy mess.
Remove Shower Caulking
Take a single-edged razor blade and a pair of tweezers or use a special tool to remove the old caulking. Run the blade underneath the edge of both side of the caulk, then with your tweezers, pull off sections at a time. This will take you about 20 minutes tops depending on how much caulking you need to remove.
Clean the areas thoroughly with a bleach solution and let dry completely. Once dry you can now reinstall fresh new caulking. But realize, more than likely you’ll have to repeat this process periodically because the mold might come back.
Mold, even in small amounts is nothing to mess around with. Shower mold dangers include respiratory disorders, stomach infections, and allergies. So, of course, you don’t want it to return. If you use these preventative measures, you can almost be assured it won’t.
Open windows and doors while cleaning to provide fresh air and help dry out the mold.
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Mold Prevention
No matter where you live, a high moisture level in your bathroom makes mold almost impossible to get rid of, no matter how much you clean. Eliminating bathroom dampness is the key to keeping mold from growing. To do that, follow these steps:
First, after a bath or a shower, squeegee water off the shower walls. That eliminates most of the moisture that supports mold and mildew growth.
Second, run your bath fans during your bath or shower and for a half hour after to flush out moisture. Don’t want to leave the fan on all day? Add a timer switch to make this step automatic.
Keep household humidity levels below 50%; an air conditioner or dehumidifier can help.
Use a mildew-resistant shower curtain, and wash or replace it frequently.
Don’t keep bottles of shampoo or shower gel, toys, or loofahs in the shower, as they provide places for mold to grow and hide.
Wash your bathroom rugs frequently.
If you’re diligent about keeping your bathroom as dry and clean as possible, you’ll likely be able to keep shower mold to a minimum. In the end whether or not you’re able to eliminate shower mold permanently will depend on whether or not you use these techniques and don’t allow mold to take hold in the first place.
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