My bathroom tiles are full of mildew!?
Question:Help me please!I live in a really old house. The worst place is the bathroom, the tiles are full of mildew.I have tried tile cleaners and it wasn't effective. Do you know any home made cleaner that I could use and what exactly are the steps I should follow? Please, Please!!It's gross!
Answers:
I have worked with antimicrobials, disinfectants, and fungicides for 8 years in the laboratory as part of my profession and can tell you without a doubt that a 10% - 15% bleach will do the job. Bleach made up to a stronger concentration is less effective because it causes the mold spores to go into a protective phase.
The way bleach kills is by entering the cell wall of the target organism where the active chlorine wreaks havoc and destroys the cell. If the cells sporulate it is like a hard shell that will not allow the passage of water in or out of the cell. Sporulation occurs when cells encounter a harsh environment. It is for this very reason that lysol will NOT kill spores.
Now, keep in mind that when I say a 10-15% solution it is a direct percentage from the bottle you buy. Not the percentage of what is in the bottle. Most store bought bleaches are 5.25 - 6.0% sodium hypochlorite. Just ignore this number and make 1 part store bought bleach to every 10 parts water.
Using a scrub brush will help because it will break up the mycelial mats (the bonding of the mold spores to each other) and allow better penetration of the bleach into the cells. Throw the scrub brush away when you are finished scrubbing in the bleach.
Allow the bleach to saturate the area and REMAIN WET for a minimum of 10 minutes. This is very important.
In the end, if the grout has been stained you may have to re grout your tiles, but the mildew will be dead and wont return unless it re-establishes due to improper ventilation.
Best wishes
I would take a clean spray bottle and put half bleach and half water. Open all the windows in your house/apartment and spray down the tiles. I'd leave it there for an hour. Then go back and see if any of it is gone. If not then you may have to use a scrub brush to clean it.
Use bleach and water and a scrub brush. Bleach kills the mildew. Just be careful. Have the room well ventilated and it doesn't hurt to put a mask or kerchief over your nose and mouth. Shouldn't breath the fumes. Good luck!
I would say use a strong bleach solution. If that does not work try CLR or any calcium lime rust remover.
The main problem is with moisture though. You should ventilate the room. Get a bathroom fan or clean the one you have if there is one already.
Worst case is that you may have to regrout the tiles. A Dremel tool is good for removing old grout efficiently.
For stubborn buildup you may consider getting a paint scraper or glass scraper, the kind with a good single edged razorblade. Soak tiles and lightly scrape away yucky stuff.
Mildew needs two things to grow - moisture and warmth. Does your Bathroom have one of those exhaust fans?? If it does, be sure you run the fan whenever you shower/bathe. Bleach kills mildew. You could mix up a strong bleach water solution and put in a spray bottle. Spray it on, allow it to work for 5 or 10 minutes, then wipe it off. When you shower, after you're done, take the towel and dry the tilework, no moisture will cut down on the mildew. Also, if you don't have a vent fan in the Bath, consider having one installed. Eliminating the constant moist condition will go far in eliminating he mildew. One cleaner you may not have tried is "Greased Lightning", it's available at Lowes, Home Depot, etc. and comes in qt sized spray bottles as well as 1 gal. refills. Great stuff for cleaning bathrooms, but wear gloves, it's pretty potent.
There are a variety of ways to rid your tile grout of mildew. Here are a few of the products that are most commonly used.
Mildew cleaner
There are many products on the market that are dedicated to removing mildew from bathroom tiles. While these products are usually effective, extra care must be taken when using them. Many contain chemicals that can irritate eyes or skin and can be harmful to people with respiratory problems. If you decide to use a product designed to kill mildew, use it with caution.
Household products
Two ingredients in just about every household--alcohol and hydrogen peroxide--can be used to remove mildew from bathroom tile. Apply one or the other directly to the tile grout with a spray bottle and let the solution soak into the grout for a few minutes before wiping it away with a sponge.
Bleach is another household product that can be very effective in removing mildew. But be careful; if you use bleach you'll need to dilute it with water (one part bleach to four parts water). Failure to dilute the bleach could result in damage to your tile grout. You'll also want to apply the bleach solution with a spray bottle.
Helpful Tips
Wear rubber gloves to protect your skin against harmful chemicals, especially when using dedicated tile mildew cleaners and bleach, both of which can irritate skin. When using these products it's also important to make sure that the bathroom is properly ventilated. Open windows and use a fan to prevent respiratory irritation.
Your tile grout should look just like new after employing one of these mildew-killing techniques. Try them all and find out which one works best for you.
The only cleaner that has not been mentioned so far is Comet cleanser or an abrasive scotch brite pad. Either or both might be effective.
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