Jmagerl wrote:
"Adam" wrote in message
oups.com...
Just a few months ago, I installed the tile in my bathroom. I took lots
of care to make sure the grout filled all the spaces between the tiles,
sealed the grout, and used caulk where walls met and where the tile met
the tub.
Now, as you can see in the linked pics below, this grey mildew is
appearing only on the caulk. It only appears in this area, where the
tiles meet the tub, and where water is prone to collect after a shower.
I have been diligent about drying it recently, but regardless, I can't
seem to scrub the mildew off.
My questions:
1) Is this mildew coming from any source that I should be concerned
about, aside from the water that collects there?
2) What can I do to prevent mildew from growing in the caulk?
3) How can I clean this stuff? Or do I need to pull the caulk out and
re-caulk?

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/8413/12rn.jpg
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/5535/25fz1.jpg
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/5495/33go.jpg

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!
Adam


My experience is along similiar lines as yours. New tile, new caulk =
mildew. Once mildew starts growing on caulk , its in there. Time to scrap
the caulk off and start over. The only way I got rid of it (partially) was
to roll a paper towel into a tube, soak it in bleach, and lay it on the
caulk. Then lay a piece of plastic wrap over that to retard drying. Give it
over night to bleach out. Guess what: it came back within 2 weeks.

I ended up scraping out the old caulk, cleaning with a solvent, scraping
with a razor blade, and then bleaching the clean surface and than reapplying
new caulk.

I find that the type of caulk makes a difference. The worst was DAP latex
tub and tile caulk. THe best (and whats been on there now for a year without
any sign of mildew) was GE Silicone I. GE Silicone II was better than DAP
but still eventually mildewed. MY theory is that anything with a paintable
surface (DAP and GE Silicone II) will eventually collect dirt that mildew
will feed on. GE Silicone I is nonpaintable and has a slick surface that
nothing sticks too.