Homeowners Struggle With Cleaning & Maintenance
Several posts express frustration with cleaning tasks, ranging from shower tile markings and OLED screen grime to mold smells and grease stains on clothing. Homeowners are seeking advice and solutions for these common household problems.
SOURCES (60)
“It's likely 30+ years old, possibly fiberglass, FIL says. Any insights for this almost 70 year old fellow's next cleaning project? submitted by /u/Embarrassed_Dark6611 [link] [comments]”
“There’s this scummy stuff that I suspect is mould on the inside of my shower door. Does anyone have any advice on this? submitted by /u/rora_alienora [link] [comments]”
“Hi: I live in a century home. We went on vacation and I had the bathroom door closed. Came back two weeks later and the smell in the bathroom is so bad I thought someone died in there. I could not figure out the source. After finally figuring it out which drain by process of elimination it is the sink drain. I put baking soda and vinegar and that has not helped. I have the drain closed for now because of the smell. What can I use to to keep the smell away.? I did run water thinking that the trap”
“So, I moved out of my apartment and towards the end of moving out I began storing things in random places and I ended up putting a candle in my rice cooker. I can’t seem to get the smell out - I’ve washed it with dawn twice, and put water in the pot and cooked it but I can’t seem to get rid of it 😭. Any tips would be great or if there is another place I should ask! submitted by /u/PeaGroundbreaking809 [link] [comments]”
“So my shower is tiled, and the goute between is turning black. How can I clean this up? I've tried spraying it with cleaners, scrubbing at it, with a brush, and even pouring bleach on it. submitted by /u/CodyFurlong [link] [comments]”
“I had family over for 2 months using my shower and they use this Dr. Squatch bar soap to shower with. Stuff is absolute garbage. They're gone and now I'm left cleaning up the disaster they made of my bathroom. I had a brand new shower caddy in there and they were leaving all these multi colored soaps on it. I have never seen soap leave residue like this before. I mean soap gunk sure. I think we're all familiar with that from laying wet bar soaps on things. But this isn't like tha”
“I have this pair of Marc Le Bihan trousers that are stained with mold—any advice? submitted by /u/WolfOk8136 [link] [comments]”
“I recently dug this out of my freezer and it has a distinct odour to it, mainly of bread, which we keep in the freezer too. It’s not disgusting but definitely affects the smell and taste of the ice cube it makes. Any tips on how to get rid of it? Tried a nice deep soak in hot soapy water but I don’t really know how to deep clean silicone. submitted by /u/DrunkAndUnaware [link] [comments]”
Ozone generator, cotton pad with tea tree and lemon eucalyptus
“Hello everyone I recently moved into a rental apartment and wanted to clean the shower, which has a frosted glass door. I used a BANG cleaning spray and left it on the glass for a few minutes while I cleaned the shower fixtures After scrubbing and rinsing it off, I noticed that the BANG had left white stains/spots all over the glass. I tried scrubbing it again with different cleaning products, hot water, cold water and many different stuff but nothing seems to work. The stains just won’t come of”
“I've got some winter items (scarves, gloves, wool caps) that were left in a moldy drawer for quite some time (that will be another post in itself). Now these items smell like mold, even if they have no visible trace of mold. I already washed them twice, once with peroxide, but can't get rid of the smell. What should I do as a last attempt to save them? Thanks submitted by /u/theclassicgoodguy [link] [comments]”
“Just moved into my accommodation and not sure what this is but I really need to get rid of it, it looks icky and washing my hands makes me feel dirtier. Please help, how do I remove it? submitted by /u/ch1ckennugget36 [link] [comments]”
“We have a mould/foisty smell coming from the back of the toilet. It’s this style where you can’t look into it to see what’s going on, highly frustrating! Anyone have any ideas to help an absolute plumbing novice girl!? Thank you 🚰 submitted by /u/Flaky-Purchase5814 [link] [comments]”
“I am at a point after lots of cleaning that I am convinced the issue is in the overflow... but I don't see any products to clean there. I see all kinds of crazy pumps of goo to then it come out the overflow with lots of junk... so I was thinking, why not take the overflow off and the piece that locks the tub out. and this is where I need to know if I am crazy: can I use a funnel to put 1/4-1/2 cup of baking soda followed by the vinegar and let it sit there for 10-15 minutes where I imagine i”
Just wanted to share my process because there was a lot of frustration and trial and error, as well as differing recommendations on the internet, but I think I finally solved what…
“Since we moved in ~5 years ago this has been an issue and it is only getting worse and spreading. There is no window in the bathroom and we have cleaned the vent multiple times but I suspect it doesn’t actually do much of anything. I also know our entire building has a moisture problem (weeds grow out of the roof), so I know I can’t entirely get rid of the mould but I would like to control the spread and hopefully kill some of it off. At the very least I would love to get rid of the staining. Pl”
“So the only dressers/drawers I currently have are a few sets of those interlocked plastic ones (some translucent, some opaque). Recently I have noticed any clothes I store in them come out with a faint vomit-like smell (ew) on them that wasn't on the clothes before they were stored. I have not detected any pattern of associated visual evidence on the clothes or drawers and it happens to any type of fabric put in the drawers. I live in a house with tons of mold issues and I remember when my c”
“I just moved, and I'd been storing a bunch of shoes in the garage of my old place. When I pulled them out of the tote at my new place, they made my whole closet stink like the mustiness of the garage. There had been a lot of moisture issues in the garage, plus mice at times, though the shoes didn't have any signs of mice getting into the box. I've had them sealed in the tote with an open box of baking soda and a ton of dryer sheets for a month. No luck. Now I'm waiting for the ne”
“The hall closet smells like a cat has pissed in it . It only smells that way on particular days , most of the time it only has a very fant smell. How to clean it , and why it so stinky . submitted by /u/Ok-Lawfulness9146 [link] [comments]”
“I cant seem to get rid of the discoloration on this? Any ideas what product I could use to make this shiny again? submitted by /u/prozaczodiac [link] [comments]”
“The gunk and smell from one of them is HORRID. Baking soda and vinegar isn’t helping enough, it seems to be caked in there well and requires some manual cleaning. Whats the brush and cleaners of choice for this nasty chore 🤢 submitted by /u/TheDarlizzle [link] [comments]”
“I’ve scrubbed with bleach cleaner and a magic eraser. I just moved in, so I don’t what the stains are from! submitted by /u/massagefundus [link] [comments]”
“Sometimes the long handled brush I use gets pink, which I'm assuming is shower mold of some kind. Tips on preventing this? I've tried leaving a little of my salicylic acid body wash on it and that doesn't work. Nothing else gets pink including the tile and grout just this brush? submitted by /u/conflictedlizard-111 [link] [comments]”
“We have bought this house a couple months ago. It’s an older house, built in 1950s. I’ve kept smelling this musty odour in the kitchen by the sink area. Now with colder weather it’s got even worse. Tiles by the sink had some water damage, so I expected it’s going to be it. I’ve pulled a couple of those out, and they are indeed a source of that smell. That black under layer has been previously wet and it’s smell bad. Orange tiles underneath aren’t a ceramic tile, what are they? How can I fix it?”
“Hi everyone. My apologies if this seems like a redundant question. I have done some digging through this Reddit forum and unfortunately, I haven’t found anything life-changing or that’s quite exactly what I’m looking for. I live in an older house (50s) that hasn’t been renovated so it feels like it’s really hard to keep it clean. Unfortunately I rent so there’s not much I can do about that. I’m really struggling to keep my house smelling nice. My husband and I do keep it mostly clean and tidy, b”
“im not sure what product was used that stained them but how can I go about cleaning them? Soap + water did nothing. Is there any hope or do I need to find a new set? submitted by /u/ctdreadz [link] [comments]”
“I am buying a house with 3 tiled showers, 2 of which have glass. I know I need to squeegee the glass after every shower for basic maintenance. Maybe the same for the tile walls? Then I’m thinking just dish soap, water and vinegar mix for weekly cleaning. Rinse with a wet microfiber and buff with a dry microfiber. Someone said I need to seal the tile. What do I use and how often do I need to do that? Should I get a battery powered scrubber for deep cleaning? Any tips are appreciated! submit”
“I am aware this shower is damaged and needs replaced. But I would like for it to be clean until we can replace it. I've tried all the cleaners pictured (SEPARATELY!), allowed them to marinade for 10-30 min, then scrubbed for 20 - 30 min with the narrow brush, the scrub daddy, and another handled brush (not shown). The floor is a bit textured/non slip so I feel like even though I'm soaking with cleaner - the brushes just can't get to the grooves. Shockingly this picture is after a soa”
“My cat had an episode of diarrhoea (because he was ill before I get comments on my cat) on my tiled bathroom floor. I cleaned it with Folex which is what I use for any cat accidents on my kitchen tile, wood and rugs and it does the job, however it did not seem to do the job in this particular instance. I then tried vinegar and water with a 2 minute scrub on the tile and surrounding grout and there is a still faint poop smell that collects when the bathroom door is closed. Suggestions on what to”
“I haven’t showered in two weeks. I’m struggling really hard to start it. Does anyone have small tips to get into the shower? submitted by /u/Silver_Philosophy687 [link] [comments]”
“Okay reddit. I need you to do your thing, please, I'm at my wits end. To preface this, I am in no way plumbing qualified, just your average home owner who has been through the wringer with my house. My main floor half bath smells like sewage on and off and we cannot find a rhyme or reason as to when it smells and how strong it will smell. We can't find a pattern and it can go months or weeks without stinking. Almost 2 years ago my husband and I remodeled our half bath (not by choice, it&”
“Hi everyone, a week ago I bought a dresser and it came with fabric drawers but when I opened the drawers there’s a really bad smell coming from all of them, like some type of chemical smell and it’s foul. Any tips on how to get rid of the odour? submitted by /u/StrangerDizzy8148 [link] [comments]”
“Hi everyone I have black shower stall and I noticed some greening at the entrance to the shower. Could it be mold? Can’t get rid of it. Its not going away by anything. Thank you for any answer submitted by /u/BalanceWide120 [link] [comments]”
“Does it actually remove odors or is it just an expensive cover up? submitted by /u/Tdanger78 [link] [comments]”
“I moved into a hundred year old apartment and it just has a stinky, freaking, room. It’s had phases of slightly differing smells? I cant figure out why. But think stale, with a slight undertone of.. faintly sour garbage? I have tried a million things from this Reddit. Washed the walls with vinegar dilute, washed the creaky hardwood floors with vinegar dilute. Change the air filters, have a dehumidifier, enzyme cleaner, baking soda, fabuloso. I can’t pinpoint a single smell origin, but every time”
“Hi everyone! My sibling recently moved into their new home & this is the state of their shower plate. We’ve tried everything! 😭 Regular cleaning products with scrubbing Bleach (left to activate for a while) Anti-mold Anti-limescale. Nothing. The yellow/gray stain doesn’t budge. What do we do? 🫣 submitted by /u/OtherwiseElsewhere [link] [comments]”
“A shaving cream can rusted and left this orange stain. I went at it with a Brillo pad and Magic Eraser. What else can I do? submitted by /u/RainLoveMu [link] [comments]”
“My partner and I bought a vintage nightstand over a year ago which smells [still] like moth balls. It was so bad that I put it outside the house with the drawers taken out. I searched Reddit for ideas to get rid of the odor. I tried: baking soda for days, then wiped it down multiple times with lemon juice. Basically, it was outside in the sun and the Meltemi winds for two months while being treated. We brought it inside and within minutes the entire bedroom reeked. This summer we went through th”
“I've been having issues with my dishes smelling mildewy lately. I've cleaned the food trap, refilled the rinse agent, and even ran an empty load with vinegar to try to resolve the issue. Is the problem that I'm leaving the dishes in the dishwasher overnight? I usually run the dishwasher just before bed, so I'm thinking the damp environment after the drying cycle is causing an issue. I don't remember this ever being a problem the last place I lived, but I'm running out of”
“I’ve used baking soda , soap, dawn wash. So temped to just get a new shower. Anything suggestions on how pick a good cleaning service - I’d be grateful submitted by /u/Bubbly-Swordfish-341 [link] [comments]”
“We don’t own a dishwasher, so we hand-wash all of our dishes. Recently, I’ve noticed this really disgusting wet dog/egg-like smell on most of the dishes. I’m not the only one who has noticed it either. My mom has smelled it in the past too, but she’s convinced it’s just due to “improper washing.” The thing is, I spend quite a while washing the dishes and make sure they’re completely clean and squeaky. I’ve even tried being extra thorough, but the smell still seems to be there after it dries down”
“I was cleaning my shower/tub today and saw this. It’s the first time I’ve ever noticed it (I was sitting on the ground so had a new perspective). I’ll admit that I’ve probably been missing this area while cleaning, but I’m really concerned. Is it mold?! Do I tell my landlord? submitted by /u/OkComfort8 [link] [comments]”
“We left home for a 10 day trip, and when we got back, noticed the house smelled....weird. Noticed a ton of fruit flies in the kitchen and saw we left a cut lemon on the counter that was molding, them saw we also forgot to toss some already too ripe bananas that were hanging on top of the fridge. We tossed all the fruit and cleaned where they were. Set a couple fruit fly traps and that is mostly taken care of. But, now, the house still smells like it did right when we got home 3 days ago, just a”
“Normally I would use vinegar. However it is on both sides. How would you prevent in the future also? submitted by /u/anon_0221 [link] [comments]”
“Any tips on my shower (rubber grout - is that the right word?!) I’ve been going crazy with the pink stuff but it doesn’t seem to budge! If possible any ideas on the water marks too please? Glass cleaner seems to do nothing, and I’m wiping it down after every shower 😔 Thanks in advance!!! submitted by /u/napcatnap [link] [comments]”
“Hi! I posted on here previously about a bedroom in my new house that smells like body odor. I had a few recommendations to use Kilz primer and repaint the room, however I’m seeing other Reddit threads where people are recommending Zinsser. Zinsser is more expensive, but I would rather do it right the first time than have to redo it all or do it wrong and make the room permanently smell. Does anyone have any experience using either of these? Specifically for a body odor or similar smell? Thank yo”
“Hi all! The shower grout is grey, but looks like soap scum (I think?) that has built up. What can I use to clean it to restore it back to the grey? THANK YOU!!! submitted by /u/Vegetable-Exchange-2 [link] [comments]”
“My shower has these metal tile trim pieces inside and out. They are looking tarnished and a bit rough. But I’m not sure what cleaner/polish to use. They aren’t iron based (magnet doesn’t stick), but beyond that idk… I tried some BKF in a small spot and it seemed to do a good job (tho black stuff kept coming off even after several passes; could just be that dirty). However, I know BKF isn’t safe for anodized surfaces…not sure what to do. Any thoughts? submitted by /u/BullCityLife [lin”
“Feeling overwhelmed and not sure how to clean the floor and the walls of the shower. Best products? Any recommendations would be so appreciated !! submitted by /u/Alone-Application120 [link] [comments]”
“Hi everyone! Does such a product exist that I can spray on the tiles and all the mildew and soap scum just washes off after the application. Please let me know if you have reccs for such product if it exists submitted by /u/johnphillipwang [link] [comments]”
“soap scum stains, not limescale (soft water) what’s the best way and products to remove a lot of accumulated soap scum, without damaging grout and silicone joints, please? submitted by /u/No_Jellyfish_7695 [link] [comments]”