if the air’s not moving, none of that matters much.
I’ve tried the “special” caulks and sprays too, but honestly, I’m not convinced they’re worth the price. For me, leaving the bathroom door open after a shower made a surprising difference—probably even more than running the fan. Maybe it’s just my old house, but airflow seems to beat fancy products every time. Still, I do wonder if there’s a point where those pricier options actually help... or if it’s mostly marketing.
I’ve always wondered if those high-end sealants actually do more in the long run, or if it’s just peace of mind for buyers. In rentals, I’ve noticed tenants rarely use fans, but if the door’s open, less mold. Maybe the basics just work better?
I’ve tried the fancy sealants in a couple of my places, thinking it’d save me headaches. Honestly, didn’t notice much difference compared to just making sure folks crack the door or window. Tenants rarely bother with fans, you’re right about that. Sometimes the simplest habits beat expensive products.
Sometimes the simplest habits beat expensive products.
I totally get where you’re coming from, but I gotta admit, I’m a sucker for trying out all the “miracle” products before I learn my lesson. Last year, I spent way too much on this high-tech anti-mold paint for my bathroom ceiling. Looked fancy, smelled weird, and honestly? Still got those little black spots creeping in after a few months. Meanwhile, my friend just leaves her window cracked and wipes down the tiles with an old towel—her shower looks brand new.
I think there’s something to be said for just making it easy for people. Like, if you have to rely on tenants remembering to run a fan or open a window, it’s probably not gonna happen half the time. I tried putting up a little sign that says “Please crack the window after showering”—felt a bit like a nagging parent, but hey, it worked better than any product I bought.
Not sure if anyone else has tried those automatic humidity sensors? I thought about installing one that kicks the fan on when it gets steamy, but then I read reviews saying they can be finicky and sometimes just don’t work right. Plus, more gadgets = more stuff to break.
Honestly, at this point, I’m convinced that if you want to keep mold away, you either need super-dedicated tenants or you just have to design the bathroom so it’s basically impossible for moisture to stick around. Maybe one day someone will invent a self-drying shower... until then, I guess we’re all stuck with towels and cracked windows.
Funny how the “lazy hack” is usually just common sense in disguise.
Funny how the “lazy hack” is usually just common sense in disguise.
That’s honestly the truth. I went down the rabbit hole of fancy sprays and “guaranteed” mold blockers too, but nothing’s worked as well as just leaving the door open after a shower. I did try one of those humidity sensor fans—worked great for about three months, then it started turning on randomly at 3am. Gave up and just put a squeegee in the shower. Not glamorous, but it does the trick. Sometimes low-tech really is best.
