How to get rid of mildew, and when it's a mold problem

To get rid of mildew, take away the moisture and then clean the spot. Run the bathroom fan or a dehumidifier, scrub surface mildew on tile, glass and sealed surfaces with soap and water, rinse and dry it. If it's spreading, keeps coming back, or is in drywall, carpet or fabric, that's a mold problem for a remediation company.

Is it mildew or mold?

They're both fungi that grow where it's damp, but they behave differently.

• Mildew is flat and powdery, usually gray or white, sometimes turning darker. It sits on top of hard surfaces: shower grout, the caulk line around a tub, window sills, the bottom of a shower curtain.
• Mold is often fuzzy or slimy, green, black or brown, and grows into what it's on. Drywall, wood, carpet backing, upholstery and the back of furniture pushed against a cold wall.

A quick test for a dark spot on grout: dab it with a cotton swab dipped in diluted bleach. If it lightens within a couple of minutes, it's mildew. If it stays dark, it's dirt or a stain.

How do you clean mildew off hard surfaces?

1. Ventilate. Open a window, turn on the exhaust fan, and wear gloves. A mask is a good idea if you're sensitive to smells.
2. Start mild. Warm water with a squeeze of dish soap or a regular bathroom cleaner. Spray it on and let it sit for five to ten minutes.
3. Scrub. A stiff nylon brush on grout and caulk, a non-scratch pad on tile and glass.
4. Rinse and dry. Leftover cleaner and standing water feed the next round. Dry the area with a microfiber cloth.
5. Spot-treat stains that stay. On white grout and caulk, a bleach and water mix used sparingly with the fan on can lift stains. Rinse it well afterward.

Never mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia or other cleaners. The fumes are dangerous. Use one product, rinse, and only then try another.

If the black is under the caulk instead of on it, cleaning won't reach it. The caulk has to be cut out, the area dried, and the joint recaulked.

Why does mildew come back every summer?

Because the moisture comes back. Long, hot showers with the door shut, wet towels on the floor, damp swimsuits on a hook, and humid air that doesn't fully dry out. South Jersey summers are humid, and a bathroom without a working fan stays damp for hours.

The fixes are small habits:

• Run the exhaust fan during every shower and for a while after. If the fan doesn't clear the mirror, it may need cleaning or replacing.
• Squeegee the shower walls and door after the last shower of the day. It's a short job that saves a long scrub later.
• Hang towels and bath mats to dry, spread out, not bunched on a hook.
• Leave the shower door or curtain open after showering so the stall can dry.
• Wash the shower curtain liner in the washing machine when the bottom starts to spot.
• Fix drips. A leaky faucet or showerhead keeps the same corner wet all day.

What about mold and mildew in the living room?

Living rooms get it too, just less obviously. The usual spots:

• Window sills and frames, where condensation collects on cool mornings
• Behind furniture on outside walls, where air doesn't move
• Closets that stay shut, especially ones on an outside wall
• Under rugs and plants that sit in a wet saucer
• Upholstery that got wet and wasn't dried

Pull big pieces of furniture a few inches off outside walls so air can get behind them. Wipe sills dry when you see condensation. Keep the closet door open a crack in the humid months. Empty plant saucers.

A dehumidifier helps in a basement or a damp room. Use a small hygrometer, which reads the humidity in the room, and follow the setting your dehumidifier's manual recommends. Empty and clean the bucket often, or it becomes its own problem.

When is it a job for a mold professional?

Call a mold remediation company, and stop cleaning it yourself, when:

• The patch is bigger than a small spot you can wipe away
• It's in drywall, ceiling tiles, carpet, padding or upholstery
• It comes back within weeks of cleaning
• There's a musty smell and you can't find the source
• It followed a leak or flooding
• Someone in the home has asthma or a health condition that mold affects

Porous materials like drywall and carpet often have to be removed, not cleaned. And no cleaning holds if the water problem behind it isn't fixed first.

For more on the shower itself, see how to clean bathroom tiles and how to clean tile grout.

What a house cleaning covers in the bathroom

On Standard House Cleaning, RoutineCare, the tub, shower and tiled walls are cleaned, and the shower door glass and tracks, the fixtures and drains, the sink, the mirrors and the floor are done on every visit.

On Deep Cleaning, PureRenewal, the tub, shower and tiled walls are scrubbed with the soap scum and grout treated, the shower door glass is descaled, and the floor is cleaned at the edges and behind the toilet.

Mold and mildew remediation beyond surface cleaning isn't on any of our cleaning checklists. That's work for a remediation company.

See what's covered at House Cleaning and Deep Cleaning.

FAQ

What is the difference between mold and mildew? Mildew is a flat, powdery growth, usually gray or white, that sits on the surface of damp hard surfaces like shower grout and window sills. Mold is often fuzzy or slimy, green or black, and can grow into drywall, wood, carpet and fabric.

Can I clean mildew myself? Small surface spots on hard, non-porous surfaces like tile, glass and sealed counters, yes. Use dish soap and water or a bathroom cleaner, scrub, rinse and dry, with the fan running and gloves on.

When should I call a professional for mold? Call a mold remediation company when the patch is bigger than a small spot you can wipe away, keeps coming back after cleaning, is in drywall, carpet or upholstery, or there's a musty smell you can't find the source of. Fix the moisture first, or it comes back.

Do house cleaners remove mold? Mold and mildew remediation beyond surface cleaning isn't on any of our cleaning checklists. The tub, shower and tiled walls are cleaned on Standard House Cleaning, and on Deep Cleaning they're scrubbed with the soap scum and grout treated.

Book a cleaning

Tina's Clean Team serves South Jersey and Central Jersey. Book online at tinascleanteam.com/book-now, or call or text (609) 831-4455, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.