Shower Mold and Mildew

There are cleaners on the market that have thyme in it. This gets rid of mold. I use Benefect. You can just spray it on and leave it.

Recaulking is a good idea. But be aware that just because dark stains are left behind, that doesn't mean the mold is still alive and well. The staining can be permanent.

I can't endure the smell of chlorine bleach or most other commercial cleaners, and use vinegar, baking soda, borax and non-chlorine bleach (hydrogen peroxide) to clean almost everything. I personally know two people who have been permanently injured by exposure to Tilex cleaner.

Wiping the shower down with solution of peroxide bleach and water first (1/4 cup peroxide to a quart of water), then following by a solutiion of borax that you leave on the surface, will generally work for months at a time before the nasties can start growing again. (Wear gloves for the peroxide step, and a face mask for the borax if you spray it on – it's a mildly toxic lung irritant.)

The borax prevents new growth until it is gradually steamed/dripped away by future showers. Many folks also squeegee most of the splashes off walls after every shower so everything dries faster, which also inhibits future mold and mildew growth.

Bleach is the miracle cure, and it dissipates fairly quickly.
Does sound like you need new caulking tho.
The only way to keep it from coming back is to dry it out real well after using the tub/shower. I spray mine with a mixture of bleach water about every 3 days and never have any mold or mildew, plus I have a bathroom window that stays open which helps keep it dry.

Tilex shower spray works great - I have been using it for at least 12 years.
If you use it everyday I find you only need to clean with other products about twice a year. It really does keep your shower clean. I have not tried the one you put in the shower and it sprays automatically around - I'm afraid it will get on facecloths, etc.

As far as products without bleach - softscrub does come in a version without bleach. You will have to read labels.

Tilex Mold & Mildew Remover works great. Just make sure you use gloves and have the room ventilated. The fumes can be overwhelming if you use too much of this stuff.

Here's a tip on caulking like a pro. My hubby is just like yours when it comes to doing anything around the house, so I'm learning. Take off the old caulk with a plastic putty knife or caulk remover tool (any hardware store carries them). Next, take some blue painter's tape. Tape the area you are about to caulk by taping above the caulk area and right below it. What you are doing is creating a ruler like straight line by using the painter's tape, so that you can caulk a straight line. Snip the caulk tube at a 45 degree angle, put it in the gun and start caulking. Use your finger to smooth it out. Once done, remove tape immediately. When in doubt on how to do any type of handy work, go to You Tube...they have some very good videos on these things.

The only thing that I know of that kills mold is bleach...

If you have shower doors - leave a gap at each end of the doors to allow ventilation. If you have a shower curtain - make sure it too has space to let air circulate.

If you can strip it and re-caulk it - do...this way you get the mold that is laying in the grout/caulk..

I would also take a paper towel and roll it up - soak it in bleach and tuck it into the area full length where the mold is - oh heck - take a roll of paper towels and do it around the whole bathtub surround - let them sit for 20 minutes and remove...

Make sure you use the bath fan when doing this!!

GOOD LUCK!!

J....please don't use chlorine/bleach. It is a known carcinogen. You actually absorb more chlorine through your skin from taking a shower than you do by drinking chlorinated water. Remove the old caulk, use hydrogen peroxide to eradicate the mold and let it dry thoroughly. (cotton rope for hair perms works really well to line the caulk line with and saturate with peroxide) Recaulk after the area is thoroughly dry. I make my own daily shower spray in a quart bottle and it works great. 1 cup white vinegar, water to almost full, a small squirt of dish soap, a few drops of JetDry and about 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide. Spray daily after the last person in the shower is finished. Leave the shower door/curtain ajar to allow for better drying. Yes my shower smells like a salad, but the smell dissipates quickly. I also clean my shower weekly with shampoo and an old shower puff. The shampoo cuts the soap scum and body oils really well.

Diluted bleach breaks down fairly quickly to salt and water.
It evaporates so you should have the fan on to keep the area well ventilated while you clean with it.
You should clean the area thoroughly before re-caulking.
After that, I'd look into getting a hand held steam cleaner to use in between major cleanings.
Drying off walls/surfaces right after use will eliminate the moisture mold/mildew needs to grow.
A squeegee or your towel after you've dried yourself off works well for this.

The best thing to do after a shower is to wipe the walls down with an absorbent towel that you use just for that purpose.....the key is to remove most of the moisture that is left over from the shower.

Hi J. mold is some nasty stuff and so is bleach I have the same reaction to bleach it makes me ill feeling and bothers my allergies and asthma for days if we have to use it which we just did today we are redoing the floor in one of our bathrooms different reason for the bleach usage though but about 2 years ago we had some damage to our kitchen floor due to a repeated leak from our dishwasher (long story) but it was nasty we were getting sick I am highly allergic to mold we finally had someone from a mold remediation company come out and whatever they used smelled just like bleach but worse if you can imagine my point is the only way to get rid of it is to use bleach I know not what you want to hear but theres a couple of reasons for saying that #1 if it has reached any wood it will spread like wildfire thats what happened to us I never thought about mold actually spreading but it does you might want a professional to take a look if anything just so you know what your dealing with atleast they could see if its in between if not which hopefully thats the case like some of the others said just strip off the old and replace with the new also the best advice I can give about the bleach making your son sick is I dont know what age he is but if hes old enough try one of the masks that painters wear just make sure its the right kind for odors and most definitly open all windows and run your air conditioner if you have one or some fans that helps get the smell gone quicker. but really get that mold situation checked it can make you really sick infact I`m still wondering if thats part of my familys problems with allergies I had asked the moms a couple of days ago some questions regaurding my daughter under stuck and scared(by the way thanks everyone)but it had me thinking about some of the suggestions regaurding her allergies and ther are some places in our home that should be checked that I had forgotten about (window sills) but after you know whats going on in that area you can use regular cleaning products the only other suggestion i have that i just thought of was we went to autozone the other day had some strange spots in my moms car spot cleaner would`nt take them out but they also had a mold and mildew remover If you want just let me know and I`ll check the name of it anyway thats all I can tell you for now Good Luck!

To keep the shower clean after getting all the mold and stains off, I use a solution of 50/50 water and white vinegar to spray after each shower. It has kept the mold and mildew from returning.

I second the response that mentioned borax - it worked quite well for me. It took some elbow grease, but I try not to use any harsh chemicals at all. After that, I've found that simply wiping the walls down after every shower helped tremendously, and I keep a spray bottle of diluted vinegar handy - just spray on at least once a week to prevent further mold/mildew. If you can't stand the smell, put in a drop of your favorite essential oil (I use lavender).

I would probably start by re-caulking if that's where your mold is.

I will not use clorox either. I have something I use, but it is still a germicide. Much safer than clorox, but still something to keep away from the kids. Once the mold is gone I have a cleaner that is so safe that I use once a week or so..... spray it on and wipe it off with a rough sponge. I also give the shower a quick squeegie after each use. Since doing these things I haven't had mold or mildew at all.

I can send you a links for these products if you would like.

Sprinkle some baking soda on it and then take a lemon and cut it in half and take the lemon ( cut side ) and scrub the spot.
Let the lemon and baking soda sit for about an hour and then rinse away.

The lemon is a natural bleach and it is safe and natural.

Best wishes to you.