Cleaning the bathroom...

[Mommypooh]

I am normally a total chemical freak and don't use anythign that is not vinegar and water or baking soda or the like. I have a growing problem with Mold in my bathroom and just can't get it to go away and stay away. What is the best chemical cleaner I can buy that will kill it?

[Markel]

Obby would say to use pure Clorox bleach (in a spray bottle).

If that doesn't work, I have had great success with Zep Mildew Stain Remover (you can find it at Home Depot - it comes in a spray bottle for about $2.50). You will want to have good ventilation when you spray it.

[oblongmelon]

Clorox! In a spray bottle. Water it down if you don't have good ventilation. It's the BEST and cheapest method! (I know it's a chemical, but it breaks down into a sodium solution)..the smell will kill ya. So open a window, or have a fan blowing ..spray the mildew spots, and leave it be..if you want to rinse it off later..go for it..warm water will do.

[Markel]

What'd I tell ya. ;)

[renovation]

bleach !

[InfiniteNothing]

I don't see why sodium hypochlorite (bleach) would be any more of a chemical than acetic acid or sodium bicarbonate.

[oblongmelon]

I don't see why sodium hypochlorite (bleach) would be any more of a chemical than acetic acid or sodium bicarbonate.
It probably isn't..but it's the most common and cheapest way to remove mildew on walls, shower curtains, floors etc. I'd suggest using Fels Naptha and a scrub brush but I'm not sure if that would prevent mildew from coming back as fast -it would get rid of it..just not sure for how long.

[riskykougra]

I had a broken water pipe in my walls that no one knew was leaking for quite awhile until one of the bedroom carpets downstairs was mysteriously wet. We then emptied the closet in there and found the leak from upstairs. By that point there was quite a bit of mold and with small children and a very uncooperative landlord I called our local health unit to see #1 would it harm my children and #2 how do I get rid of it. The mold was new so still pretty harmless but had to be removed ASAP obviously. The inspector told me he could force the landlord to come in and remove it. He then proceeded to tell me the very best way is with plain old bleach. So since it was so simple I did it myself and it was extremely easy and never came back. So everyone who said bleach is definately right. Too bad the landlord chose to ignore me though cause I even used it on the carpet in the closet...wasn't taking any chances :shrug:

[Mommypooh]

I did use bleach on it about a year or so ago and it did work but my bathroom is really small, is in the middle of the house so no windows and the fan does not vent properlly so it is really slow to work. I damn near tried to kill myself doing it last year. Maybe I can do small areas over the course of time and see if that works.

[InfiniteNothing]

It probably isn't..but it's the most common and cheapest way to remove mildew on walls, shower curtains, floors etc. I'd suggest using Fels Naptha and a scrub brush but I'm not sure if that would prevent mildew from coming back as fast -it would get rid of it..just not sure for how long.
Oh bleach works great. I wasn't disagreeing with that. I was referring to her being a chemical freak. I wanted to point out that vinegar and baking soda were in fact both chemicals.

[Mommypooh]

Oh bleach works great. I wasn't disagreeing with that. I was referring to her being a chemical freak. I wanted to point out that vinegar and baking soda were in fact both chemicals.

while that may be true they aren't as likly to kill them as bleach is. They can drink the vinegar water and it will just taste nasty. They have tried and I don't worry about it being on their hands since they are incharge of cleaning up their own messes. I would never allow them near bleach. I keep it up as far away from them as I can. So I need to I guess do this after tehy go to bed so they can't get in it and daddy can rinse in the morning.

[Markel]

...I would never allow them near bleach. I keep it up as far away from them as I can.
Definitely a good practice. One suggestion: if you can get rid of the mildew with a "non-volatile" method (such as Fels Naptha), you could then spray a much more diluted bleach solution (than you might need if you were using the bleach to get rid of the mildew) on the tub as a "preventative". I'd say you could use 10 parts water to one part bleach (or perhaps even more diluted). The fumes would be much lower.

[ArkiStan]

Clorox! ...I know it's a chemical, but it breaks down into a sodium solution)..the smell will kill ya. So open a window, or have a fan blowing ..spray the mildew spots, and leave it be..if you want to rinse it off later..go for it..warm water will do.

So other than the smell, nothing harmful will remain on the surface that you sprayed? It just breaks down?

[oblongmelon]

So other than the smell, nothing harmful will remain on the surface that you sprayed? It just breaks down?

pretty much. Unless you plan on like...licking the wall while the bleach is still wet or something!

[InfiniteNothing]

Trace Sodium Hydroxide should be the byproduct. It's caustic but easily rinsed.