Friday, April 20, 2012

Cream of Tartar: The Best Nontoxic Mildew Cleaner Around


Let me tell you, I had tried nearly every nontoxic mildew cleaner around. Baking soda and vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil. Nothing seemed to be effective in removing the stains from my shower. In fact, the peroxide left behind this awful yellow stain. All of the methods I read about and tried seemed to take more elbow grease than anything else. Maybe the mildew in my bathroom is some super strain, but I wasn't about to shower in some toxic sludge left by a chemical cleaner.

I found my new love on Pinterest, cream of tartar. You know, that stuff you use about once every year or so to stiffen egg whites but otherwise just sits in your cabinet neglected while you reach for the bottle of cinnamon or nutmeg sitting next to it. I must say when I read about using cream of tartar to clean the mildew out of my shower I was skeptical after all my other failed attempts, but this really did work!!! Simply make a paste with it using a little water and apply to the tiles using an old toothbrush to scrub the hard to get areas in the grout. It even removed the yellow stains the peroxide left behind! I now wish they sold it in larger bottles. Maybe bakery supply stores?

I have read that you can add hydrogen peroxide to make the paste instead of water. I haven't tried it yet, but it is also supposed to be a great stain remover on clothes as well. I imagine it works quite well.

What the heck is cream of tartar anyway? Turns out it is a byproduct from wine making called potassium hydrogen tartrate. Even more reason to love it. If you want to read more about it, check out this informative little article at Baking Bites.

11 comments:

  1. thank you- desperate to get rid of ugly mold and stains on shower. Getting ready to try it now

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am going to do this tomorrow. I will let you know how it turns out.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I’m glad that you gave it a try. At least, you proved firsthand how effective it is to fight stubborn dirt. So, how was your trial with hydrogen peroxide? I wish you got the result you were aiming for. All the best!

    Gail Wallace @ Emergency Flood Masters

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gail, I think my problem with hydrogen peroxide is waiting until it is too much of an issue to completely remove, thus the yellow stain. Perhaps if I sprayed down the shower daily after using it I would get better results ;-)

      Delete
  4. How to get Rid of Tartar, Home Remedies

    Dental care is as critical as respiratory due to the fact bad oral hygiene leads to many diseases. Mineral got deposit on teeth is referred to as tartar. If you hold ignoring, the amount of tartar increases sand, it can lead to periodontists.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I did read the whole blog and I get good information. This is a helpful blog for me.
    Non Toxic Cleaner

    ReplyDelete
  6. Really? That’s interesting! it has always been a nightmare going to a dentist as a child. It took me a very long time and a tooth extraction by dentist Manhattan Beach to overcome all my fears. I know feel a lot very comfortable going to him for regular checkups.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Really very happy to say,your post is very interesting to read. I never stop myself to say something about it.You’re doing a great job. Keep it up Professional cleaning in Amarillo
    Air Duct Cleaning Service in Canyon, TX

    ReplyDelete
  8. Influential is all that is in this blog, Cleverly built by the author.
    best-mildew-cleaners

    ReplyDelete

  9. Too much grimy floor coverings require the luxurious assistance that includes pre-vacuuming, cover unsettling, recolor medicines, fiber flushing, and powerful steam cleaning.
    carpet cleaning NYC

    ReplyDelete
  10. This time we decided to go a little further, so it took us considerably longer, about 25 minutes of total drive time before we reached the end of paved roads and our temporary escape from civilization. Best paving company

    ReplyDelete