Said It Here

How to clean a really mouldy rental shower and fix the caulk

Neglected showers accumulate stubborn mould and grime that regular scrubbing cannot easily remove without causing physical fatigue. This makes it difficult to know whether to strip and replace old caulking or just clean what is already there, leading to confusion for people new to deep cleaning.

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

  1. 1
    Spraying the shower with vinegar and scrubbing with a hard brush
  2. 2
    Planning to replace the shower curtain
  3. 3
    Attempting to ventilate the bathroom after showering
  4. 4
    Using electric spin scrubbers to avoid manual arm fatigue and bending
  5. 5
    Using battery-powered pressure washers for quick cleaning
  6. 6
    Using daily squeegees or towel drying to prevent buildup
  7. 7
    Keeping a soap-dispensing dish brush in the shower to clean in small chunks during routine showers
  8. 8
    Spraying commercial chemical cleaners like Wet & Forget to avoid scrubbing entirely
  9. 9
    Using baking soda combined with dawn dish soap, bleach, and hot water with a Scotch Brite pad
  10. 10
    Using toilet cleaner or a spray with bleach
  11. 11
    Using laundry stain remover
  12. 12
    Using a toothbrush for cracks and a water pick for rinsing gunk out
  13. 13
    Hiring a cleaning service

In their words

Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.

I have been in a serious funk since the holidays. I work from home and I let my apartment go completely. The bathroom was the worst victim.source ↗

I started scrubbing with a regular sponge but my arm was burning after five minutes. I almost gave up right there.source ↗

VroomVroomSpeed03 · r/CleaningTips · 1,672 upvotes

I don't have advice but from someone who has the same problem, I'm proud of you OP. Wish I could get that burst soon.source ↗

Wonderboyjr · r/CleaningTips · 106 upvotes

Sorry in advance, i know you guys probably get a million mouldy shower posts 😅. I'm just a little new to cleaning and want to get this right.source ↗

The one thing im confused on is is caulking. Ive seen posts where people recomend recaulking, but also im not sure the shower has caulk in the first place? Do i just remove the mould and then apply caulk?source ↗

Eel_in_Denial · r/CleaningTips · 9 upvotes

I’ve used baking soda , soap, dawn wash. So temped to just get a new shower.source ↗

Bubbly-Swordfish-341 · r/CleaningTips · 1 upvotes

Where this came up

People with this problem also raised