Mildew Hates Dry, Ventilated Areas

The best way to control mildew is to eliminate dampness. Mildew is a dull black, white or green mold with a musty odor, and it thrives wherever air cannot move easily.

Mildew especially loves humid summer weather. You might find it on shoes, fabrics, books, luggage, wallpaper, shower curtains, basement walls and house exteriors.

The best way to attack mildew is by decreasing dampness and increasing air circulation. Open doors, windows, closets and dresser drawers on muggy days. Install exhaust fans in laundry rooms and bathrooms.

Clean your bathroom regularly with disinfectant, and keep it dry and well ventilated. Keep the shower curtain extended, not bunched, so it can dry. In closets, replace wooden shelving with wire racks. Install louvered doors. Empty and air a closet, then clean all the surfaces thoroughly. If necessary, dry the air inside the closet by leaving a 60-watt lightbulb on for a day or two. If mildew is a serious problem, leave the light on constantly. To prevent fire, keep the bulb at least 18 inches away from stored items.

Absorb excess moisture in closets and drawers with small bags containing silica gel, available at some hardware stores, or cornstarch, cornmeal, baking soda or talcum powder.

The basement is often the dampest area in a house. Repair any plumbing leaks. Use an electric dehumidifier to dry damp air. (But if you have leaking or severely sweating walls, you’ll need to waterproof.)

Here are some other mildew-removal tips:

* Painted exterior siding. To keep mildew from growing, trim back trees and shrubbery; this lets air circulate and allows the sun to dry the siding. To remove a mildewed area, use a plastic spray bottle to apply a half-and-half mixture of household chlorine bleach and water. After an hour, wash well with water. Wear goggles and vinyl gloves. Before cleaning, cover shrubbery and the ground with plastic sheeting.

* Unpainted siding. Wear goggles and vinyl gloves to scrub with a mixture of 1 part chlorine bleach to 3 parts of water. Take care not to damage plants. After cleaning, coat with a mildew-retardant wood preservative or paint.

* Ceramic tile, vinyl and grout. Clean using 1 part chlorine bleach mixed with 4 parts water. Wear vinyl gloves. Open windows.

* Shower and window curtains. Machine-wash (gentle cycle) mildewed colorfast fabric or plastic in warm water to which three-fourths of a cup of chlorine bleach has been added. Hang to dry.

* Wall coverings. There is no cure for mildew on wallpaper because the fungus feeds on wallpaper glue. Remove the damaged wall covering and repaper. Mix borax into the paste.

* Leather. Mix 1 cup denatured or rubbing alcohol with 1 cup water. Wipe on with a cloth; let air-dry. If still mildewed, wash with sudsy mild soap, saddle soap or detergent. Let air-dry.

* Painted interior surfaces. Mix 1 quart chlorine bleach to 3 quarts water. Stir in one-third of a cup of powdered laundry detergent. When using this cleaner, keep surface wet until the stains are removed. Wait two minutes, then rinse with water. Refinish with a mildew-retardant paint. Wear vinyl gloves. Open windows for ventilation.

* Wood, plastic laminate, metal, plaster. Clean with 1 cup chlorine bleach mixed with 1 gallon of water. Or make a vinegar and borax solution by adding as much borax as will dissolve in the vinegar. The vinegar-borax solution is preferable because water can raise grain in wood and bleach can stain plastic. Wear vinyl gloves. Open windows.

CAUTION: Never mix bleach with ammonia.