There are times when you just want to sit down and cry. No matter what you do it just isn’t good enough. It seems like there is no way to get rid of mildew, mold or soap scum no matter what you do. You’ll try anything at this point. Well, how about trying a few easy steps to get rid of mildew, mold, and soap scum, then get on with your day?
Getting Rid of Mildew
Depending on what the mildew is on will determine what needs to be done to get rid of it. First, we’ll discuss getting rid of it on clothing. If you have ever threw clothes into the laundry with juice on them, more than likely you will have pulled them out of the hamper to find black spots dotting the area where the juice should have been. Before washing, mix salt and lemon juice together to make a paste. Spread the paste onto the mildew spots on the clothing. Lay it out in the sun to dry, then wash as usual. If the mildew stain is stubborn, try using a mixture of vinegar, water and salt.
Mildew can sometimes plague grout, causing it to have unsightly spots of dingy black color. To get rid of mildew in grout, simply make a paste with baking soda and water. Apply paste to grout, let sit for several minutes, then scrub with an old firm toothbrush. If the mildew in the grout tends to be stubborn, try a mixture of 12 tablespoons of baking soda to 4 tablespoons of bleach.
If you have mildew on your shower curtain, try soaking the stained part in salt water for around 30 minutes. After soaking, rub the stains with a cut lemon and wash in the washing machine with warm water and laundry detergent. If you use cold water, the shower curtain can tear and rip. If I am in a hurry, I sometimes put the shower curtain into the washer with a few teaspoons of baking soda and laundry detergent still using warm water.
Getting Rid of Mold
Vinegar is a great way to get rid of mold. Mix vinegar in a spray bottle with water and spray all parts of the mold. Let set. Respray and wipe. Many people have allergies to mold, so prevention of mold is very important. One way to prevent mold growth is to keep the air conditioner running. Mold grows in more humid conditions. For places that are prone to growing mold, spray regularly with vinegar let set for several minutes and wipe. It is easier to prevent mold growth than it is to remove mold that has started growing.
You can also use a mixture of lemon juice, dish soap and water to wash down moldy areas. Be sure to rinse thoroughly as dish soap can be slippery and can cause falls on slick surfaces. Mold doesn’t like a lot of light either. If possible, turn on the lights in the moldy area to help prevent rapid mold growth.
Getting Rid of Soap Scum
Soap scum is pretty much in every single working bathtub, shower and sink in the world. It is inevitable that the new bathtub you just purchased will begin to have soap scum within a matter of only a few showers. So, how do we get rid of soap scum? Create a mixture of 1/2 gallon of water, 1/2 cup ammonia, 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/8 cup of baking soda. Mix everything together and open up a few windows as it can get stinky with the vinegar and ammonia. Put on some rubber gloves and apply the mixture over the soap scum. Use an old rag, a cleaning sponge or a cleaning brush to work the soap scum loose and rinse well. You can use this mixture in your sinks too.
If soap scum is a nasty culprit on your bathroom tiles, cut one lemon in half. Rub the cut lemon all over the surface of the soap scum and rinse. To get rid of soap scum that is on the heavy side, you may need to slice the lemon several times to remove the used part. You can even use this idea on the bathtub too. One of the easiest ways I have found to get rid of soap scum is to use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. You can tell if the area is clean by the ease of the eraser gliding over the surface. When there is soap scum the eraser is tougher to push across the surface and eases up as the soap scum lessens.
Tips and Warnings:
Before mixing any type of cleaners or chemicals together, check to be sure it is safe. For example, substances such as bleach and ammonia cannot be mixed together because they can be toxic. Other substances can cause burns and even death if mixed. Know your products before cleaning and know what was used on the surface the previous time before adding different substances on top of it. Be sure the area is rinsed thoroughly before trying a different technique.