If you had mold on your bathroom ceiling, how would you clean it?

Tambcat

Is there a way to do it from the floor w/o risking bleach dripping down all over you? I know I could use a mop of some sort, but that just sounds messy.

This needs to be done again before the baby gets here, and H doing so much around the house that I hate to harp on him about it. Meanwhile, I am sitting at home on my ass all day, so....

H usually gets on a ladder with a sponge and a bucket of bleach water, but.. yeah, no. 

I guess I am hoping for a miracle solution here. Move? lol

cvillebetrothed

i've done this!

spray bottle with bleach/water mixture (about 50/50).  spray, let it sit a bit, then sponge off.

if you can't reach easily, you could try a mop swipe.  or maybe rubberband a sponge onto a swiffer handle or something.

IamAli

Do you have one of those Swiffer things that you can attach a pad to? If so, attach some lysol/clorox wipes and use that.

MontereyBride

Swiffer dry stick

Microfiber cloth attached to stick

Distilled white vinegar sprayed on cloth

Wipe on ceiling

No harmful fumes for you, baby Joanna, or the animals

 

 

 

Tambcat

ohhh a clorox wipe! Do those actually have bleach in them?

Unfortunately, I haven't had any success with anything but bleach when it comes to mold.

eta: darn, I just checked, and they don't have bleach.

I guess the microfiber mop is the next best thing. That seems the least likely to get soggy and drip all over me.

scottydont

Soak a washcloth with bleach water and slop it on there just thick enough that it won't drip too much. 

Tambcat

idk, maybe I'll just make H do it next weekend if I'm still pg. Or while I'm in the hospital.

lol

I hate bleach.

MontereyBride

Have you let the vinegar sit for a couple hours?

It's just so much safer than bleach, Tamb. You absolutely should not be breathing in those fumes.  

Mamasaurus

Lysol wipes, and if you can, paint over the area with Kilz. It sounds like this is a recurring problem, so your H should look into either painting the ceiling with Kilz anti-mold paint or installing some better ventilation, or both.

Tambcat

MontereyBride:

Have you let the vinegar sit for a couple hours?

It's just so much safer than bleach, Tamb. You absolutely should not be breathing in those fumes.  

Yes, I've tried it in my shower. It doesn't work! Maybe Florida mold is particularly resistent. lol

Mama - I'd be willing to bet the mold is up under the ceiling at this point. This house is so unhealthy. We are hoping we can buy a place sometime next year. Hopefully some place that is newer and better taken care of.

eta: there is no ventilation in there. I don't think that's even to code these days.

His#1Girl

Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 solution of bleach and water and using the fine mist setting on your bottle, spray the ceiling.

You should cover anything directly underneath, though, just in case.

Also, have windows open for ventilation.

No climbing on ladders for you!

 

MontereyBride

It's actually possible. Vinegar is effective with something like 82% of all mold varieties. Yours must be in that other 18%. I second the Kilz once it's under control. Have you tried moisture absorbers? 

Tambcat

MontereyBride:

It's actually possible. Vinegar is effective with something like 82% of all mold varieties. Yours must be in that other 18%. I second the Kilz once it's under control. Have you tried moisture absorbers? 

I just put one of those Drysorb things in there about a month ago, because I put one in Joanna's room to keep the windows from getting mildewy (another recurring problem - they have wood frames, and the wood gets mildewy too, which is NOT easy to clean). It seems to be working in the bedroom, but I don't know that it's done anything for the bathroom.

I'll get H to try the Kilz paint.

misoangry

Do you have an electric fan?

There have been some decent suggestions already.

Choose one, and run a fan.

cvillebetrothed

can you put a dehumidifier in there?

BCV513

1) Get out the phone book

2) Open it to the cleaning services section

3) Dial

4) Walla!

Tambcat

cvillebetrothed:

can you put a dehumidifier in there?

Yeah, I guess so.  This whole house needs a freaking dehumidifier.

But anyway, first thing's first.. I need to clean the ceiling.

Tambcat

cvillebetrothed:

can you put a dehumidifier in there?

Yeah, I guess so.  This whole house needs a freaking dehumidifier.

But anyway, first thing's first.. I need to clean the ceiling.

BCV513

I just read back what I said and realized I sounded really biitchy. Sorry Tamb. It's just that if I were you, I'd hire someone to do it and not worry about it. You probably shouldn't be around mold or breathing in chemicals like that.

Tambcat

BCV513:

I just read back what I said and realized I sounded really biitchy. Sorry Tamb. It's just that if I were you, I'd hire someone to do it and not worry about it. You probably shouldn't be around mold or breathing in chemicals like that.

No, it didn't sound b!tchy! That's what I would LIKE to do.

I just mentioned the dehumidifier to H, and he was like "where is it going to sit?" (the bathroom is really small). Then he was like "humphh."  Okay? I know he doesn't want to keep cleaning the ceiling.

remmiznonnac

*delurking* Hydrogen peroxide (the strength you can get at a Walgreen's) worked on Oregon Coast mold, and I never had a problem with the mold coming back, and doesn't give off the fumes like bleach. On the OR coast, we also ran the bathroom fan all day when we weren't home.  Back to lurking.

H20LOVER

This doesn't help clean it, but I just leave the bathroom door open when we're showering then the bathroom never gets too steamy. The fan in my bethroom sucks and there are no windows. I still have to clean the ceiling but only once or twice a year now. 

Also, make sure to wipe all bleach and cleaner off ceiling with just water when finished if not the mold comes back quicker.  

PreppyHouseWife

Mr Clean magic eraser eliminate the mold on our ceilings. Just did this Saturday then repaired with Kilz. 

But seriously magic eraser worked wonders and there are no harsh chemicals you would be breathing in. 

BABisme

Have your H do this tambo. 

Rsoc23

Mr Clean magic erasers....hey, it might put you in to labor! you never know!

jillyl2

I would not use any bleaches to clean it, especially if it is black mold. It will go away visually, but it will stay. Buy special mold removals. By the way, there are mold testing kits that you can try to identify where mold is. But bathrooms and kitchens are common places since the air there is humid and this is exactly what mold loves. Most of the time I don't bother cleaning mold by myself by use mold removal service. Here in South San Francisco it is cheap as the competition is fierce. I pay these guys  http://restoration-911.com  50 dollars to have it removed and it is all good. I can see you are from Florida. Wonder if it is more or less expensive there. Cheers.

PeonyParty

jillyl2:

I would not use any bleaches to clean it, especially if it is black mold. It will go away visually, but it will stay. Buy special mold removals. By the way, there are mold testing kits that you can try to identify where mold is. But bathrooms and kitchens are common places since the air there is humid and this is exactly what mold loves. Most of the time I don't bother cleaning mold by myself by use mold removal service. Here in South San Francisco it is cheap as the competition is fierce. I pay these guys  http://restoration-911.com  50 dollars to have it removed and it is all good. I can see you are from Florida. Wonder if it is more or less expensive there. Cheers.

 

Seriously, this post is like 6 weeks old! Lame.