Battling the misery of mildew and other mysteries

by Joanne Eglash

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home – and there's nothing worse than mildew, mold, and "mystery spots" to detract from the beauty of your home!

So what's a mere mortal to do? We asked the experts to clue us in on the best products and techniques for combating these pesky problems.

Mary Findley professionally cleaned homes for 12 years. She invented a new mop, which she sells through her business, Mary Moppins (www.GoClean.com), in Eugene, Oregon. She says that among the most common house-cleaning problems experienced by consumers are soap buildup on shower walls, hard water ring marks in toilets, mold and mildew, carpet stains, and dirt buildup on linoleum floors. The good news: it’s not impossible to remove and even prevent these concerns. For example, to avoid mold, “don't plant bushes and shrubs close to the house. Keep them trimmed so they are about a foot away from the side of the house. Otherwise, they hold in the moisture which causes mold,” says Findley. In addition, you can prevent mold by spraying “around the foundation of the home in the spring and fall with a 20% hydrogen peroxide mixed 1 cup peroxide per gallon of water.”

In addition, Findley emphasizes, it is essential to read and follow the manufacturers’ “suggested guidelines for care for a product,” as well as their “directions on how to use a cleaning product or cleaner.” Failing to do so can damage the surfaces that you’re attempting to clean.

A housekeeping and speed-cleaning expert (www.healthyhousekeeper.com) in Overland Park, Kansas, Laura Dellutri says that you don’t need numerous different products; the key is knowing which product is the right one for different jobs. Dellutri recommends KABOOM for tackling “the soap scum, lime scale, and rust spots in just 3 minutes. Another topic: use a “microfiber flat mop that can clean your whole kitchen floor in just 5 minutes, and you can throw the pad in the washer instead of buying expensive disposable pads.”

Depending on your home, you may need different tools and products. A trial run of several different products in a small, mildew-and-mold-prone cabin in Santa Cruz, California, proved that some of the newest ones available are worth the investment:

• Chlorox Bleach Pen Gel works like magic when it comes to even seemingly impossible mold and mildew stains in your bathroom or kitchen. It has two different tips, one narrow and one broader, that let you “write” out the stains. Also successful when it comes to mold and mildew: Fantastik with Bleach, a spray that is designed specifically to remove mildew. Finally got it all cleaned? Try spraying on Scotchgard Mold and Mildew Block to prevent future buildup.
• Dirt Devil Spot Scrubber seems to suck up those carpet stains. The key: there’s a brush to scrub out the dirt, plus a vacuum part. Also good for cleaning quickly: the new Vileda UltraMax mop, which includes a mop with a microfiber cleaning pad plus a bucket with a special wringing system.
• Lose the dirty toilet-scrubber brush. Scotch-Brite Disposable Toilet Bowl Scrubbers come with a long handle topped with a small, disposable, already-soaped-up scrubber. Use it, then press the release button and pop the used scrubber part in the trash, then pop on a new scrubber and you’re set.