How to get rid of mold and mildew at home

To get rid of mold and mildew on hard surfaces at home, scrub the spots with a bathroom mildew cleaner or an oxygen bleach mixed as the label directs, let it sit, rinse, and dry the area completely. Then fix the damp that feeds it: run the fan, open a window, dry wet surfaces, and use a dehumidifier in the basement. If it keeps coming back or covers a big area, call a mold remediation company.

Mildew on grout and caulk is a cleaning job. Mold in drywall, under carpet or after a leak is a repair job.

Mold or mildew: what's the difference?

Mildew is a type of mold that grows flat on damp surfaces. It shows up as grey, white or black spots on shower grout, caulk, window sills and the bottom of the shower curtain, and it usually wipes or scrubs off.

Other molds can be fuzzy, slimy, green, black or brown, and they grow into soft, porous materials like drywall, wood, carpet and upholstery. Those don't come out with a scrub brush.

What do you need?

• A bathroom mildew cleaner, or oxygen bleach powder
• A stiff brush and an old toothbrush for corners
• Rubber gloves
• Microfiber cloths and a bucket of clean rinse water
• A fan or an open window

Never mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia or other cleaners.

How do you clean mildew off hard surfaces?

1. Open up the room. Turn on the fan, open a window, and put your gloves on.
2. Apply the cleaner. Spray the mildew cleaner, or brush on oxygen bleach mixed with warm water as the label directs.
3. Wait. Leave it for the time on the label.
4. Scrub. Brush along grout lines and into corners. Use the toothbrush on caulk and the edges of the tub.
5. Rinse well. Wipe with clean water so no residue is left behind.
6. Dry it. Towel the surface dry and leave the fan running.

For a fabric shower curtain or liner, check the care tag; many go in the washer with a towel or two to help scrub them. Black spots that sit under caulk usually mean the caulk needs replacing, not more cleaning.

What about mildew in the living room?

Mildew in a living room usually means damp from outside the room: a window that sweats all winter, a leak near the radiator, or furniture pushed tight against a cold exterior wall.

• Window sills and frames: wipe off condensation in the morning and clean spots with the same steps as above.
• Painted walls: a cloth dampened with a little dish soap and water often lifts light surface spots. Dry the wall after.
• Furniture and rugs: pull furniture a few inches off exterior walls so air moves behind it. Upholstery or rugs that smell musty after drying out need a professional cleaner.

How do you keep a basement from getting musty?

Damp basements grow mildew on stored boxes, the bottoms of walls and anything left on the floor.

• Run a dehumidifier through the humid months and empty or drain it often.
• Store things off the floor on shelves, in plastic bins instead of cardboard.
• Keep the gutters and downspouts clear so rain goes away from the foundation.
• Dry the laundry area: take wet clothes out of the washer right away and leave the door open between loads.
• Watch for water after heavy rain, and get leaks fixed.

When is it a job for a professional?

Call a mold remediation company when:

• The growth covers more than a small patch you can clean in a few minutes.
• It keeps coming back after you clean it.
• You smell mustiness but can't find the source.
• It's inside a wall, under flooring, or showed up after a leak or flood.

Cleaning the surface doesn't fix a wet wall. Find and fix the water first.

How do you stop mildew coming back?

• Run the bathroom fan during every shower and for about 20 minutes after.
• Squeegee the shower walls and spread the curtain out to dry.
• Wipe window condensation in cold months.
• Keep the home ventilated on humid days.

Our guide to cleaning the bathroom exhaust fan helps the fan do its job, and our grout guide covers the shower lines.

Want help keeping the bathroom fresh?

Book House Cleaning or Deep Cleaning online. If mildew on grout or caulk is a priority, ask about it when you book and put it in your booking notes. Mold in walls, under floors or after a leak needs a remediation company.

FAQ

What is the difference between mold and mildew? Mildew is a mold that grows flat on damp surfaces, usually grey, white or black spots on grout, caulk and shower curtains. Other molds can be fuzzy or slimy, come in more colors and grow into soft materials like drywall and wood.

How do you clean mildew in a shower? A mildew cleaner made for bathrooms or an oxygen bleach mixed as the label directs. Let it sit for the time on the label, scrub with a brush, rinse, and run the fan until the shower is dry.

Why does mildew keep coming back? Because the damp is still there. A fan that doesn't vent outside, a shower that never dries, a slow leak or a humid basement will keep feeding it, so fix the moisture as well as the spots.

When should you call a mold professional? When the growth covers more than a small patch you can clean in a few minutes, keeps coming back after cleaning, smells musty with no spot you can find, or shows up after a leak or flood or inside a wall. That's a job for a mold remediation company.

Book a cleaning

Our service area: every Philadelphia neighborhood, plus the Pennsylvania suburbs within about 30 miles of Center City, in Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks and Chester counties. Book online at phillyscleanteam.com/book-now, or call or text (215) 798-7576, 9 AM to 9 PM, every day.