How Do I Clean Molded Caulk in Shower?

Hi M. - I haven't tried this on caulk but it works on mildew generally. Make a paste of baking soda and water, and leave it on the mildew overnight. The next day, rinse with warm water. I found this tip at www.greenparentsnetwork.com Good luck! Best, M.

I recaulked the shower myself. I was so proud. I watched a video on youtube and read about it online. It's not too hard.

Hi M.,

We had a major mold problem due to builder error in our master bathroom which lead to a mold remedial company (Belfor-outstanding company!) to come out and gut our bathroom and rest of the house where the mold has spread. We also hired an environmental company to come out and count mold spores in the air, etc. The only reason I am telling you this is because I have learned alot about mold during this process. We redid our shower and tub with mold resistant grout, much more expensive than regular and a pain to install, but we hired someone to do that. It is the best thing ever. As far as your question about the caulk itself, I so know what you are talking about. At Century tile, they sell higher end caulk in several different colors to match your tile, etc. It is about $20.00 for a bottle, but it has been almost a year and we have not had a problem with the caulk looking dirty or anything. For me, the $20.00 was not a huge deal, yes it is alot more than the stuff at Home Depot, but it is worth it! Also, if you do not want to do it yourself, Grout Medic charges $120.00 to do this, which is alot, but than it is done...... ###-###-####‎ and Kevin Ferrara came out the same day to talk with us about options, etc. I hope this helps. If you have other specific questions, just e-mail me.

Good luck :)

Jennifer

I had this same problem, even though we clean our shower daily (daily sprays) and weekly scrubs. My aunt gave me a recipe that fixes this problem. Put hot water in a spray bottle with a little bleach and powder laundry detergent. Spray the area, let it sit and then rinse off. Wa La! It's gone!

Please post the responses you get. I have the same problem and always ensd up recaulking, which I not very good at. Thanks, Gina

I've heard that silicon caulk does this and you have to replace the caulk. The comforting news is that I've also heard that it's the stain that stays, not the mold. So if you use bleach or Tilex, you are killing the mold, but it just doesn't look like it.

There is a product called Zap that really cleans any shower super clean. But sure you have a window open of the vent going because it has a strong odor.

Once you get it clean there is a product you should try after every shower. It is called Shower clean. I bought it a dollar tree and after ever shower just spray the shower down and it keeps away the build up.

S.

It depends on the type of caulk. You can try putting some soft scrub with bleach on it--be sure to wet it first-and leave it for a few hours. But if this is silicon caulk and the mold is under it, it will most likely have to be redone. It is really easy to caulk a tub or sink and only takes a few minutes. The hard part is actually keeping away moisture until the caulk completely dries--and making sure the area is completely dry before putting down the new caulk. Check out HGTV or DIY on the web and they have instructions.

Try the Clorox bleach pen, it gets right onto the mold spots, unlike a spray that goes into the air, and into your lungs... Leave it on the caulk for 10 minutes or so, and come back to scrub it a little, then rinse it off before you shower again. It works well for me. The caulk will most likely need to be replaced like everyone else has responded, but it is also a matter of your shower and bathroom not drying out enough in between uses. The moisture that remains in the shower causes the mold. Try leaving the bathroom door open, and turn on the fan if you have one (or a window if you have on in there) after showering to help it dry out.

Great question. I am dying to hear the responses! Thanks!

Scrape out all moldy grout or caulk. Clean where you removed with bleach. Let dry well and recaulk. Let dry 24-48 hours.

I have the same problem and I was told that you have to scrape the caulk away, clean the area, let it dry completely, and recaulk, then make sure you don't use the shower for at least 3 days until it dries. It's a lot of effort, I know. But that's what we will be doing also. I feel your pain! :)

I have used the Clorox bleach pen and it works.

Spray with Clorox Clean Up...may have to do it a few times and let it sit

I'm having the same problem! And since I'm really allergic to mold, I've been researching how to get rid of it too. From what I've read, the only way to truly get rid of it is to scrape off the old caulk with a razor blade, clean the area with bleach to get rid of the mold, let thoroughly dry & then re-caulk. The worst part will probably be waiting for the area to dry...3 of the 4 of us use this as the main bathroom so it won't be very convenient if it takes very long to dry! I'm probably going to tackle this project this weekend. Good luck to you!

I get mold in our showers and I use Tilex Mold and Mildew remover and it works....it is really strong smelling so I spray it when I'm going to be out of the house. I take a shower and get ready to leave, then I spray the shower and leave the house. When I come back home the caulk is white again....and it stays that way for about 2 months then I have to spray again to get rid of the mold again. I wish I knew of a less toxic way to remove mold. I always cover my face when I spray the Tilex.

Try a magic eraser? It's great for getting grout clean too. I sometimes use a bleach pen. It seems to be easier on the caulk.

M.,

I also have the same problem - please let me know what response you get - it seems I get it clean by bleaching, but then it comes back!

L.