Mildew 
Mold fungus and mildew are vegetative growths which are caused by spores in the air. They thrive in warm, damp, dark, poorly ventilated environments such as shower areas and bathrooms. Mildew appears black in color as is easily recognizable as such by it's color. It may include various shades of green and brown, but black or shades of dark gray will be visible. Other colors such as blue, green, brown or pink are water deposits and do not fall into this category. In order to eliminate mildew you cannot just clean it away. Instead you must kill it like a weed in your flower beds.
General Maintenance
Keep ahead of mildew so it doesn't become a problem. Every six months spray your bathroom ceiling with a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide and water. Peroxide is a safe bleach and won't harm the environment or your lungs.
Mildew Wars!
If you find yourself under attack by mildew and need to bring in the heavy guns Tilex Mildew Remover® is a great product to assist you (bleach also works for this task, but we prefer Tilex Mildew Remover®. If you choose to use bleach, dilute with 3 parts water).
Now i believe that this product could have other uses, like removing soap scum and such, however, it's a smelly product and should only be used in your mildew wars. As far as we are concerned, there are other products that remove soap scum that don't require opening windows turning on any ventilation system you have, and closing the door and running for cover after spraying.
But that's exactly how you use this product. Simply open the windows, turn on the vent, spray the mildew with Tilex Mildew Remover® and leave the room. Be sure to close the door so the fumes don't waft into another part of the house. If you can manage to hold your breath while spraying this product, great! (Tip for adjusting the pressure on the spray nozzle of the bottle: at the sink, open the nozzle by turning the piece that sprays the product, test in the sink. Adjust the nozzle so you have a steady stream of product coming out, not a mist.)
After about 15-20 minutes, you may re-enter the room and check out the results. If you still have mold, reapply and take cover again. Repeat this step until the mold is gone.
Finally, with a clean cloth and some fresh water, wipe down the areas that you sprayed to remove any remaining cleaning product residue.
Note: Always test an inconspicuous area for colorfastness, etc. before treating the exposed area. Also note that certain stains are permanent.
For more information about Tilex and mildew you can visit:
Sample Bathrooms that would benefit from the above information:
PLEASE NOTE: the above information is for surface mold in showers and bathrooms and non-purous surfaces. If you have significant mold growth that extends beyond walls and tiles, carpets and other porous surfaces you may require professional mold remediation and removal of affected building materials.
Sample images of areas that would require professional mold remediation:
The purpose of such a clean-up process is to eliminate the mold and fungal growth and to remove contaminated materials, walls, ceiling tiles etc. where mold may be growing behind, in and around. In these cases simply killing the mold with a biocide is not enough. The mold must be removed since the chemicals and proteins which cause a reaction in humans are still present even in dead mold.
Signs that you have a mold problem would include:
- Indoor plumbing leakage, water damage or mold
- Basement or Crawlspace musty odors, water intrusion, moisture or mold
- Attic roof leaks, ventilation issues or mold
- Window leaks or mold
- Visible mold on furniture and contents
- Unexplained odors indoors
- Occupants or family members feeling ill
- Mold concerns buying or selling a property
If you are experiencing one or more of the above conditions, you may be dealing with a serious mold problem that must be corrected to avoid further property damage and health problems.
In these instances we suggest you have an inspector certified in Mold Detection come and do an inspection. Hire yourself a separate company to do the actual work of removing the mold (mold remediation) and repairing the home. Do not use one company to do both!
Always have a 3rd party do an inspection prior to ensure you have a problem, and after to ensure the problem has been solved. Beware of companies that offer "FREE" mold inspections, which will almost always find mold resulting in extra work. Mold inspectors should never be attatched to the outcome of a laboratory report. So be sure to hire a mold inspector who is not in the remediation business or make sure that the remediation firm uses an independant 3rd party review to check ALL of their work. Its the only way to ensure an unbiased inspection report.
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