apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

A question about caulk around the bathtub:

Our bathroom has very little ventilation and I have a terrible problem with the caulk around the bathtub getting moldy and mildew-y. Also our shower tends to drip a bit after being shut off so the area takes a while to dry anyway. I've tried using those shower sprays which slows the growth down, but not by much.

The bathtub was recently recaulked and the mildew came right back. My question is twofold:
1. Could the mildew be living under the caulk and growing back after each new application? If so how do I kill it after removing the old caulk?
2. Is there a kind of caulk that is mildew resistant? I'm pretty sure that the current caulking is latex.

Any help would be great. TIA.

Maybe I'm late and didn't hear the newsbreak. . .
but did anyone note the 2007 Ikea catalog available (via the website)?

Click name for direct link.

re: MAPS and the Canadian House & Home magazine. if you want the project, I can scan it and send it as a pdf. just let me know and we can exchange e-mails.

re: mildew - yeah, I think mildew can survive under coats of caulking. you should scrub with a mild detergent and then a bit of bleach (but be careful because some bathroom molds release toxins when treated with bleach, so maybe wear a mask and make sure your bathroom is well ventilated).
your caulking should be silicone, and you should get special bathroom caulking that IS mildew resistant. afterwards, i believe if you scrub with vinegar or mild detergent once in a while it should help keep the mildew at bay. in my bathroom i used the black & decker power scrub brush ($25 canadian) and some method all-purpose cleaner and got rid of more mildew than i ever thought possible.
good luck!

Thanks to who ever gave the stencil library link yesterday. It provided hours of enjoyment.

Lorne

matilda -
Actually there's more than one kind of caulking, and the "paintable" kind almost invited mould, where as the really glossy kind tends not to. I think that as some point, someone also caulked around my tub with that paintable kind, and I really ought to scrape it out and start over with the other kind, too.

I meant to say "invites" -- not "invited.

Didn't know thanks goodnis!

Hope to get mines in the mail soon.

Whoa. bathtub caulking. Something that's been on my "Cure" list and to-do list for a long time. Now I'm going to feel guilty again if I don't get to it. Parts of mine have dried up and cracked so badly its falls out, but the rest is impossible to scrape loose. Anyone know if I can just caulk over the old stuff and fill in the gaps?

A week or so ago someone posted a link (it might even have be in an AT post) to a really attractive dog crate alternative. It was aluminum (in color at least), circular, had interesting vents on the side, a cute bed on the inside, and might even have been an Otis and Claude product.

I thought I had bookmarked it, but alas I hadn't. Of course searching 'crate' gave me crate and barrel and not dog crate as I might have hoped.

Anyone have that link?

Thanks in advance!

jimkk--
I think it's best to start with a clean slate.

One trick I've heard is to fill the tub with water, to get the weight working with you, then use a flathead screw driver to pry out the old stuff.

Smae "fill the tub" trick for when you reapply the caulk.

Send us pics of you in your Speedo as you sit in the full tub prying stuff loose!!! ;)

Matilda,
We had the exact same problem. So this past weekend we just tackled the problem ourselves. Here’s what we did: 1) Cleaned the tub and tile completely (with toxic-smelling Tilex – we left the house while it did it’s work) 2) Dug out all the old caulk (and there was a lot of it). 3) Filled the tub with water, both got in it and let the tub settle a little more. This opened up more than a 1/4 inch of space between tub and tile and we dug out more really nasty, smelly caulk. 4) Set up a fan and let the area dry for a while. We also stuffed paper towels in the crack to help dry up some of the funk. 5) 30 minutes or an hour later (longer if you have the time), took out any paper towels we stuffed in and we prepped the area with rubbing alcohol to make sure that there was a nice clean edge for the caulk. 6) Caulked it with some expensive caulk. 7) Let caulk dry 24 hours, at least, with fan on. 8) Drained tub after about 18 hours, or when the caulk was firm.

This week we are keeping the caulk dry after showers and letting the fan run in the bathroom to help dry things out after showers. I’m certain that the old nasty caulk that we dug out was totally contributing to the current funk. So filling the tub with water gives you more space between tub and tile to deal with what is back there. Be sure that you have about 36 hours for the whole process.

I'm suddenly reminded of my dads old tongue in cheek saying:

"Do your best, caulk the rest"

:)

While talking shower/bath related projects...the shower rod I inherited when I bought my place is really old and unsightly. While I am always up for trying a DIY project, it I simply unscrew the rod will the ceramic tile (into which it is fastened) break or fall down? I just can't see how this would NOT happen, but how would one replace the rod otherwise? Or do I have to plan on replacing the tile underneath as well?

Any insight on this mundane issue will be appreciated!

Jen(DC)--I have no experience with this, but I would think if it weren't cracked, the tile should stay in place. Of course, I have no real idea, but that seems to me to be the case.

Jimkk, I concur with P(too), start fresh. I recaulked in a rented house I had, and though I didn't know the fill the tub trick, I used a screwdriver to dig out the old caulk which was dried and gross. Not advisable if you care about the surface of your tub, though, unless you're really careful!

Mat, are you talking about the Bow Haus (link at my name)?

JenDC -- The tile should be stuck rather firmly to the wall (how firmly depends on how old the tile job is, with older often being firmer). Unless the tile is visibly coming off the wall and held in place only by the pole, there's no reason it would come off or break.

i've never haggled a price at a flea market or an antique shop. i feel like i'm missing out, but am shy and don't know how/where to start/what to say! does anyone have any tips---specific things to say, or strategies on how to get a price down? or even a link with good advice on how to get a bargain? are there some antique stores where prices are firm, or is it pretty much a rule of thumb that i can talk any price down if i get the hang of it? i just don't want to offend a shop owner by assuming i can haggle...

thanks everyone!

PS -- we used a small plastic putty knife to dig out the old caulk so that we would not scratch tub or chip tiles.

megan - i abhor haggling too, but my strategy is to just ask. i usually look at a piece, and then I say, can I give you $X? and more often than not, the vendor agrees. they might come back with a counter offer... and then you can accept or suggest another price. i think most flea market and antique fair vendors price their items with the assumption that there will be some negotiation involved.
if there are some antique stores with firm prices, sometimes you can ask them if they'll give you a break on the tax (that works up here in Canada) or give you a deal if you buy more than one thing, especially if you buy an expensive piece and maybe ask them to throw in a small one for free or for a deep discount.
however, i'm sure there are more experienced hagglers on this site who could give you NYC-specific advice.

Megan,
I'm a pretty timid haggler, too, but I almost feel dumb if I don't ask because as Angelune says, they expect it. Just decide ahead of time what you want to pay, and if they aren't flexible, if you'll pay full price. A little bit of being "not sure" though goes a long way. I was at an antiques fair, really and truly trying to decide if I wanted a set of bowls. I got the woman down $5 and then another $5 just by my indecision. Some places that are co-ops where vendors rent booths may not haggle if the vendor isn't there. On the other hand, some will give discounts that have been pre-determined by the vendors. Some give discounts for paying cash, too. I find that if you're reasonable, they'll bite. Like if the ticket says $55, and you offer $40 and then they say $45...I don't offer really insanely low offers because I feel sometimes I'll be laughed at...but my aunt goes to garage sales a lot and really lowballs...and gets lucky a lot. another way is to say "What's the best price you can give me?" and then either take that or say "Would you consider___?" I learned this by going to fairs with experienced people--I'm still kind of new at haggling!

JenDC,
just finished my bathroom remodel last week (yay working shower!) I can attest to the fact that the tile underneath the mounting plate was cracked from the drilling and slightly discolored, however it all stayed well attached until I chiseled it off.

Megan--

I get great results with a polite, friendly, "Is that/this your best price?"

NEVER say, "But it has a scratch" or do ANYTHING to call attention to flaws. They HATE that.

It also helps to start a conversation NOT about price regarding the piece(s) you like. Some dealers like the genuine interest, and if they bond with you, or you with their piece, chances are good they will offer a lower-than-sticker price without even asking.

Cash on hand also gets the best deals.

Megan -- The key to getting discounts is to find a situation where the seller benefits from lowering the price to move the inventory.

In shops, you'll get a better price if you're after the one item that isn't a great fit with the dealer's product mix. Usually the dealer got stuck with it as part of a larger lot, knows less about how to price it, and will be glad to see it go. Similarly, if a piece has sat for six months or more, the dealer will often accept a lower price.

With yard sales and flea markets, go late in the day, pay cash, and ask for the biggest discounts on the largest/heaviest items. Early birds get better selection, but late afternoon birds get el cheapo prices from people who just want the stuff gone.

this isn't really an 'apartment' question, but it is related to living in apartments in cities and not having the need to own a car, but wanting one for trips to *Ikea* and leaving the city once in a while.
has anyone had any experience with the car-sharing service zipcar? I see they have programs in NYC, Chicago, SF, DC and others... and now we have one in Toronto too.
I'm seriously considering a membership, because this seems like a more affordable option to buying and renting. I'm just wary that there are those weird catches that you don't notice until you try to use the service.

When I bought the mirror which is now between my two living room windows, I just thought it was so sorta strange and wonderful and slightly oddly top-heavy in a kicky way for something so old-fashioned PLUS it was a strange color (pale green, which it still is) instead of a stained wood like it would have originally been.

So, I just kept staring it at, completely unable to leave, but absolutely NOT able to buy it, and the woman who was trying to sell, just kept say lower and lower figures as I kept telling her that I absolutely could not spend money on anything at the moment.

Finally I said, "Look, I have no cash in my pocket for ANYTHING right now, so I have to go to the cash machine and I guess I'll be thinking about this on the way, and if I guess I'll just take money out of my savings once I'm there if I've come to that conclusion.

So, I paid like $175 for it. But I seriously thought it was really worth her original $375 or $450 or whatever. It's been 5 years or so, so I can't really even remember.

I tend not to really be all that good at haggling, but being cash-poor AND irresistably drawn to something can end up with a good price.

Zipcar is great. Type this into google for my thoughts
zipcar site:apartmenttherapy.com

In addition to what I said before, they have now introduced cars that are hourly rates only so you pay the per hour price for 24 hours, for example, instead of the daily rate that is capped at around 8 hours per 24 hour period. This means that you will find more cars to rent on short notice.

Gas is included in the hourly rate and they ask that you fill up whenever the tank hits the 1/4 full mark. Other than that you do not have the pain of having to return the car with a full tank to avoid punitive refuelling bills.

Downsides are that ppl do leave all sorts of crap in the cars which you do encounter because, unlike rental cars, you can pick the car up immediately after someone has dropped it off. Thus no cleaning in between. Cleaning is done by valet services but prolly only weekly judging by the general state of the interiors.

I now use zipcar all the time so I don't know how it compares in cost to the cheaper rental companies when you rent over a weekend. Zipcar rates are higher on the weekends.

Angelune,
I don't have personal experience with Zipcar, but a friend of mine uses it. No horrible stories from him--he loves it. It helps that he has a bunch of cars near his house. One thing he did say is that the larger vehicles can go fast (because of the very reason you said...) so you have to reserve early. I would say just do your own little cost-benefit analysis to see if it's worth your monthly membership fee, depending on how often you'll use it. Even though I have a car, I was curious, so I checked out the site and it seems to be a stellar deal. If my job was transit accessible, I'd ditch my car and join up!

Addendum to 2nd paragraph:

Because ppl won't block rent a whole day for the hourly only cars they are used for shorter peroids and thus remain available more frequently.

There is no monthly membership fee.

There is an annual membership fee of around $100 though.

I am a member of Zipcar in NYC, and have had pretty positive experiences with it. I think it's not much cheaper than a rental if you're going away for the weekend, and the hourly rates are more expensive than what you'd pay in Brooklyn for a car service, but there really aren't "hidden" fees, the way there are with rental cars. You can also try it for 30 days, and the only thing you forfeit if you give it up is the $25 application fee. You should also check whether you belong to any organizations that get a deal; I got the application fee waived and only pay $25/year for my membership.

angelune - I don't have a car, live in DC, and have a Zipcar membership. I love Zipcar and love not having a car. There are probably differences between DC and NY in the Zipcar experience. I find the cars are virtually always clean, even though there's no cleaning in between the closely scheduled ones. The fee in DC is $25 to join plus $25 annual fee. Then, it's an hourly or daily rate, depending on what you reserve and how long. Check it out here, which has the fees for all the cities:
http://www.zipcar.com/apply/ Looks like the annual fee for NY is $50. You can get a freebie for driving hours when you join--check the site or ask a member to email the offer to you. Their website and reservation process is fantastic. The cars have satellite radio. They are a joy to deal with, at least here in DC. And your membership is good in other Zipcar cities too. At some point soon, I will probably get a Zip when I am in the Bay Area in CA.

megan - I usually ask "what's your best price?" It's a very friendly way of exploring whether there's any bargaining room. Be prepared with how much you'd be willing to pay as some sellers will respond by asking what you'd offer. If you suggest a ridiculously low price, some sellers get quite upset, even if it honestly is all you'd be willing to pay. Often, you can see in the price, what they might be willing to sell it for. If it's marked $23, they'll almost certainly let it go for an even $20, for example. Try not to bargain something down to the last dollar and then pay with a much bigger bill, because that just looks bad (ie. if you bargain them down from 10 to 5, then pay with a 20, it just looks really really cheap).

The price at flea markets tends to be much more open to change than in a store, but you can still ask for a discount in a store, especially if you're buying more than one item. This is especially true for larger purchases (even new). When I bought my appliances I asked what kind of deal we could do if I bought all three from the same guy. And once he came back with a number, I said it was a bit more than I was hoping for and was that the absolute best he could do. He went and talked to his manager and ended up taking a bit more off. As long as you're polite and ask in such a way that you leave them room to say that a price is firm or that's the best they can do, you can have a pleasant negotiation. Being rude, or insulting the quality of the person's items is not the way to get the best price.

Indecision can be a great bargaining tool, but you use it at the risk of the item being bought by someone else if you walk away to think about it. I actually sometimes use this to determine how much I really want something. If I can't set it down or I immediately turn back, I know that I should be willing to go higher.

Also, as someone else mentioned, it's great to engage in conversation about the piece by asking about what they know about its maker or origin or anything. Even if you don't end up buying it, you can use what you learn when looking at something similar in the future.

Oh yes, also, silence can be golden sometimes. If they ask you for what you'd offer on something unmarked or they've offered a price that's higher than you want, a bit of hemming and hawing, can lead them to suggest something more to your liking.

bubble,

that's it, thanks!

Angelune, the only "catch" I would note is that Zipcar is much better for local errands/trips to Ikea than it is for trips out of town because they don't permit much mileage on the car. For trips of a day or longer it's typically cheaper to just rent a car through Hertz, etc. Cars do get reserved pretty quick on weekends, too.

The hassle factor does remain another advantage however in NYC, where you can routinely wait in line for an hour to collect your car, only to be told they've run out and you have to hustle across town where another one is available. Add in the fact that car rental places often close early on the weekend, forcing you to hustle back into town, and I find I'm more than happy to pay a little more for Zipcar.

I LOVE TO CAULK and found that the best tool for removing old caulk is a pair of really skinny needle nose plyers - it's actually fun. Get ahold of one end and slowly ease out long strips at a time. Sure beats any other method I have found.

Good luck and enjoy :)

Nice tip about filling the tub. NEver thought of that one.

Here's another for the actual caulking:
If you find that the running your finger over the bead leaves wiggly edges then use two bands of painter's tape along each length of the caulk and then run your finger over.

The cauking topic:

One of our bathrooms was just renovated. They combined have sanded grout with non-sand grout. Two weeks later, they applied the silicone bathroom caulk over the grout as a protection. We have another bathroom that is in need of some new caulk. We are not sure what to do. Is it enough to just caulk or should we apply grout before using the silicone?

Caulking:

I'm moving into an apartment that I am renting. The tub has the old moldy looking caulk. Since I am a renter.. I dont really want to go through the trouble and money of re-caulking the tub. Does anyone know of a trick to get the old caulking clean? Bleach maybe?

Mandy, Mandy, Mandy -

A decent tube of caulk is, what? Eight bucks? The "trouble" of getting rid of the old caulk and putting in new is -- in the human cost calculation -- MUCH less than trying to clean the nasticity that's there. Especially if what's there is "paintable" and therefore VERY receptive to attracting mold. If you get the kind that is NOT paintable, it will repel it.

It's just that simple, and do remember that while you're there, it's your home, and that's kind of a tiny little investment in your own health and general sense of well-being.

Late coming back to this thread, but thanks for the responses to my question. I will give it a go and know who to blame if all goes wrong. :)

PS I am also a DC Zipcar fan and am so glad that I live somewhere that I don't have to own a car. Although I agree with JP about the downsides of "sharing" I have been really suprised how clean and clutter-free most of the cars I have used have been (only one exception comes to mind, and I have probably rented 30+ times).

I used to be really terrible at haggling, and I still get struck with shyness now and again. For a shy person, I agree with the others that a little indecision can go a long way.

Usually, I strike up a conversation about the item - how old is it, where did it come from, what wood is this, etc. - and then stand around and look at it and tap my chin contemplatively. Ninety-nine times out of 100, the seller will offer a lower price without my having to ask at all. (yay!) Further indecision can often bring out an even lower price.

If the seller is too busy for a chat, or something else prevents the indecision method, I usually just politely say, "Would you take $XX for that?" I don't like asking "What's your best price?" ... mostly because I've had yard sales and hate being asked that question! Plus, asking for an exact amount sets a negotiation in motion.

Thanks Curtis.. I guess you're right. It just sounds like a nasty job.. but probably isn't as hard as it seems. I'll give it a try. Its worth living a year in a clean tub :)