What is the difference? Does it matter? Mold is mildew gone bad and mildew is a warning of things to come. Mold can have toxic repercussions if not addressed promptly. A bad case of mildew left untreated can lead to mold that causes breathing problems and other nasty irritations that do not have to be endured. For the sake of this post I am going to address both as one and the same problem and will only use what works for me. As a standard disclaimer if you have health problems that can be irritated by any of the things I discuss then seek alternates approved by a health care professional. Blah blah blah blah blah. Here in Florida mildew is the unofficial state flower and if you haven't experienced it it is because you haven't been here long. Mold and mildew thrive in a warm moist environment which is Florida in a nutshell.
The enemy of mold and mildew is .....Bleach. The problem is.......fumes. This is a case where the solution is almost as bad as the problem. In the not too distant past people with breathing related ailments were sent to the hot, dry western climate where airborne micro-organisms that aggravated such conditions would not affect them nearly as much. Personally I will speak from experience and say that if you can breath well and afford the bleach then you should use it often and liberally. Bleach is cheap and effective. It kills mold and mildew on contact and sanitizes surfaces at the same time. Do not skimp. Open the windows and saturate any surfaces that are exposed to moisture regularly. This may be more than you want to hear but my biggest problem spot is the shower. When this requires attention I strip to my birthday suit (It doesn't fit like it did when I got it) and climb in with a spray bottle of bleach. That gunk on the shower curtain and in the grout between the tiles doesn't stand a chance. Follow with a stiff brush and it is lights out for mold. It won't smell good and may burn your eyes but that is what clean smells like. I don't care what the pine-sol lady says. Open some windows and turn on the fan.
The enemy of mold and mildew is .....Bleach. The problem is.......fumes. This is a case where the solution is almost as bad as the problem. In the not too distant past people with breathing related ailments were sent to the hot, dry western climate where airborne micro-organisms that aggravated such conditions would not affect them nearly as much. Personally I will speak from experience and say that if you can breath well and afford the bleach then you should use it often and liberally. Bleach is cheap and effective. It kills mold and mildew on contact and sanitizes surfaces at the same time. Do not skimp. Open the windows and saturate any surfaces that are exposed to moisture regularly. This may be more than you want to hear but my biggest problem spot is the shower. When this requires attention I strip to my birthday suit (It doesn't fit like it did when I got it) and climb in with a spray bottle of bleach. That gunk on the shower curtain and in the grout between the tiles doesn't stand a chance. Follow with a stiff brush and it is lights out for mold. It won't smell good and may burn your eyes but that is what clean smells like. I don't care what the pine-sol lady says. Open some windows and turn on the fan.
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