Honestly, nothing beats just wiping down after showers... but getting my own kids to do it is like herding cats.
Totally get this—if I could get tenants to wipe down showers, I’d have way fewer headaches. I’ve looked into those automatic shower cleaners too, but I’m skeptical. Do they really hold up over time, or do they just end up as another thing to break and replace? I’m always weighing the cost of gadgets vs. just budgeting for more frequent deep cleans. Anyone actually seen a drop in mold complaints after installing one?
Keeping Mold Away From Your Shower—My Favorite Lazy Hack
I’ve looked into those automatic shower cleaners too, but I’m skeptical. Do they really hold up over time, or do they just end up as another thing to break and replace?
Honestly, those auto sprayers are more trouble than they're worth. Had one in a rental—lasted maybe six months before it started leaking everywhere. Tenants ignored it anyway. I swear by a cheap squeegee hanging right in the shower. Takes 30 seconds, no batteries, no plastic bits to break. If only getting people to use it was as easy as installing it...
I get where you’re coming from with the squeegee—super simple, no waste, and it just works. But I’ll admit, I actually had decent luck with one of those auto sprayers in my last place. Maybe I got lucky, but it lasted a couple years before the spray nozzle clogged up. Not the greenest solution, but it did help when I was too lazy to wipe things down. Still, nothing beats just cracking a window or running the fan if you can. Mold hates fresh air more than anything.
Still, nothing beats just cracking a window or running the fan if you can. Mold hates fresh air more than anything.
That’s the golden rule, honestly. I’ve worked on a lot of bathroom renos, and the folks who actually use their vent fan—or have a window they’ll open—almost never call me back for mold issues. It’s wild how much difference that makes.
Those auto sprayers are hit or miss in my experience. I’ve seen some that lasted a while, but when they die, it’s usually because hard water clogs up the works. If you live somewhere with mineral-heavy water, it’s almost inevitable. I had a client who swore by his, but he also had a water softener, so maybe that helped.
Squeegee is still my go-to recommendation for people who can’t get good airflow, even if it’s a bit old-school. But if you want to be extra lazy, I’ve seen some folks just keep a cheap box fan in the bathroom and run it for 20 minutes after a shower. Not fancy, but it does the trick.
I’m always curious—does anyone actually *enjoy* using a squeegee? I get why it works, but I swear, every time I suggest it to clients, they look at me like I’ve asked them to mop the ceiling. The box fan trick is clever, though. I wonder if it messes with the bathroom’s look, or do people just stash it under the sink when not in use? Also, has anyone tried those humidity-sensing vent fans? I keep seeing them in catalogs but haven’t heard much real-world feedback.
