 | Mike Goebel
has been involved in the construction and home improvement industry for more than 40 years and is currently the Senior Vice President of the Home Center Division at Star Lumber & Supply Co. Inc. You may contact Mike by e-mail at mgoebel@starlumber.com or by phone at (316) 942-2221. |
Home Improvement
2001-12-01 16:44:00
Getting rid of mildew in the shower
Question: Our problem is the shower in our master bathroom. For some reason mildew accumulates more so on the tile and grout than any other shower in any of the other bathrooms. When we use a mildew remover, the grouting almost feels like it gets soft. Before we get into a major change out, I was wondering if there is something that will clean it like new, then seal it all, without changing everything out?
Answer: It sounds to me like your primary problem is good air flow. It takes a lot of airflow in order for a shower to dry out quickly and properly. In my home, I have a shower that has the same problem you have, and ones that do not. The one that does has an opening of 18"x30" at the top. This small area will not let enough air in the shower for it to dry quickly, causing mildew. My other showers have three times the open space and I have never had a problem. I would suggest you clean the tile and grout with any household tile/grout cleaner, then seal it with a product called Aqua-Mix water-based sealer. It is available at most home centers. This, in conjunction with either leaving the shower door open for a short time after use, or the use of a shower squeegee on the walls after use will stop most of the problem. As far as the grout softening, un-sanded wall grout will soften some when it is wet. It shouldn't come out in clumps, but may come out slightly during heavy duty cleaning.
