Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Now It Can Be Told

I think I'm on to something with these true confessions. One of my March break projects was, ahem, cleaning the mould off the ceiling in the bathroom. Before:

and after:


I am not a terrific housekeeper, there is so much else I want to fill my days with other than cleaning so I do the minimal, I do the obvious. I had scrubbed the same mould off months ago, taking my life in my hands as the room is small, has a high ceiling and it is over a claw-foot tub. Because no ladder is going in there, it means balancing on the curved edge of the tub. Last time I did it I scared myself. I'm also a bit of a klutz, ergo one of the last places I should be found is alone in the house, balancing on the edge of a wet tub. I know it is not environmentally correct to use bleach but when it comes to mould, there is nothing else, except maybe more toxic prepared cleaners. Mould is tenacious, leave one spore behind and it's back. I'm sure one spore is lurking in a crack up there, winking down at me when I'm standing in my altogether under the shower spray. Now, however, I have devised a quick and easy way to deal with ceiling mould. I took an old swiffer floor duster handle (another confession: I no longer use swiffer duster cloths for environmental reasons), positioned an old (but still thirsty) wash cloth over the flat part, pushing the sides through the holes to grip it on. I then poured straight bleach over the flattened cloth and voila! In less than half an hour the mould was gone, with the exception of that one spore that I just know is still up there.

7 comments:

Beth said...

I too have balanced on the edge of the tub or knelt precariously on a counter-top, risking life and limb. Thanks for the tip about the swiffer mop. Of course, using that method to clean, I would fear bleach dripping down into my eyes.

Housework can be DANGEROUS!

oreneta said...

I would have painted over it! How novel!!!

Mike Minzes said...

(Sigh). After reading this I realize I'm so lazy :( lol

WrightStuff said...

OK Mrs Housewife - how do you get the mould out of the edging round the side of the tub? I forget the name of it - you know the white seal...? That's such a pain!

Heather Plett said...

So glad I'm not the only one with mold on my bathroom ceiling. But you're one step ahead of me - at least yours is clean now. Mine? Not so much.

Cheryl said...

Don't throw away the Swiffer handle! My hubby broke a bulb trying to get it out of the socket. I tied a rubber jar opener flat thingie around the Swiffer handle and was able to turn the bulb socket loose. Google said to shove a potato in the socket but I didn't have any and I really needed the light. Worked like a charm

Sherry said...

I hate that job with a passion and I leave it until I can't stand looking at it any longer. I've used amonia, I've used bleach and I've painted over it, using zinzer primer which is meant to keep mold at bay. Ha. It doesn't!!!