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In article ,
wrote:
C & E wrote:
Seven years ago I stripped out the old caulk around the base of the tub
surround. The last caulking was at installation seven years prior but
this last seven it has grown faster and further. So, is there an
anti-fungal caulk? I looked in the box stores and asked the help but no
go in both. Any ideas? Chuck
PS Yes, we have a fan and use it.

It is amazing how much soap scum can cling to tile and not be obvious.
Cut/scrape out the old caulk. Use razor scraper to scrape crud from
tile. Use CLR and non-abrasive plastic scrubber to clean tile. Wipe
area to be caulked with full-strength bleach, let dry. Shape the new
caulk like a cove molding...little round "ropes" of caulk trap water and
crud that grows mold.

I keep the shower curtain "stacked" in the middle of the rod so's air
circulates to both sides of shower...seems to help. Still get a little
mildew down in back corners, but not much. Have timer on the exhaust
fan and generally run it about 1/2 hr. after shower.

For several years now I've used a 2nd (spring-loaded) curtain rod to
hold the curtain out in the middle of the tub (when not in use). The
curtain gets to be spread out, not make contact with anything but the
2nd rod, and allows for ventilation under and around the curtain. The
curtain doesn't build up a crust of bacteria nearly as fast but still
needs to be washed every year or so. The tiny bathrrom also gets a
couple extra square feet of usable floorsapce since once can stand next
to the tub without rubbing against the shower curtain.

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