Moving Mould and Mildew (Dettox Mould and Mildew Cleaner)

Member Name: Kukana

Product:	Dettox Mould and Mildew Cleaner
Date:	28/09/04 (5688 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brings a sparkle to many items, Works rapidly, Easy to use with trigger spray

Disadvantages: Nasty chemicals including bleach, Smells like bleach, Doesn't always work as well as I hope

I discovered Dettox anti-bacterial mould and mildew cleaner about ten years ago. We had some mildew in our bathroom, and some mould along a wall in our dining room after a very rainy winter. I was rather sceptical about this product's claims, having spotted it in a supermarket, but am usually willing to try anything once.

This is a bleach-based spray in a plastic container. It's not an aerosol, just a regular squirting spray, so no danger to the ozone layer, nor potential for explosion if it becomes over-hot. I was quite pleased with the results, and since then have ensured I always have some in the bathroom cupboard.

The container is a typical Dettox style squirty trigger bottle, in a surprisingly bright shade of green. They've changed the design of all their bottles about a year ago, making the trigger much easier to use, and far less prone to dripping. On the back it claims to have an 'anti-bacterial mould and mildew remover which removes stains caused by ingrained mould'. The smell, after spraying, is unquestionably bleach. Not a smell I like, but I do associate it with cleanliness.

Dettox anti-bacterial mould and mildew cleaner (it would be nice if it had a short, snappy name!) is easy to use. It's recommended to spray from a distance of about 20cm [8 inches], leave for 3-5 minutes, then rinse or wipe away. Scrubbing is not supposed to be necessary. The instructions also recommend wearing rubber gloves, but I dislike them so I ignore that. However if you have any sensitivity to bleach, it would probably be a good idea. I do try and avoid getting it on my fingers, and ensure that I clean my hands afterwards with plenty of soap, since the smell of bleach tends to linger.

This product can be used in the bathroom or kitchen, on walls or patios. It warns that it should not be used on clothes, unpainted metal, gold-plating, or varnished wood. Indeed, definitely do not get it on clothes. Except possibly white ones. A drop got on one of our red tee-shirts, and it now has a pale pink spot to remind me to be more careful!

I do, however, use it regularly in the toilet. I also use it sometimes in the bath - particularly on the shower curtain and shower mat if they're looking a bit manky - and on any grouting or sealant that's looking grey. I've used it on mildew appearing on walls or ceiling (usually in the bathroom) and I've also used it in moderation to bring back some freshness to a tired-looking washing-up bowl and other similar plastic utensils.

How effective is it?

Well...

- Toilet: although I use a fragranced Harpic-style toilet cleaner every day, I find that it sometimes looks a bit jaded around the water-line, no matter how much I scrub it. A quick spray of Dettox anti-bacterial mould and mildew cleaner ensures that it sparkles within a few minutes. No need even to rinse, since it will be flushed sooner or later.

- Shower curtain and mat: inevitably these get a bit gungy from time to time, and regular cleaning can be extremely hard work. Spraying with the Dettox product definitely helps, although with the mat I find that I still need to give a good scrub with an old nail-brush to get it clean.

- Grouting/sealant: I haven't found it so effective with these, but perhaps mildew eventually gets ingrained. It does help a little.

- Walls and ceilings: with painted surfaces, this is very effective. Mildew really does seem to wipe off, and doesn't return.

- Washing-up bowl and other similar plastic: I find it extremely good at getting rid of any traces of stains in the washing-up bowl, the dish-drainer, and the plastic gunk-catcher around the drain. Simply spraying and leaving for a minute or two seems to work extremely well. Of course it's vital to wash these items very thoroughly afterwards with hot water and ordinary washing-up liquid. Getting the chemicals from mould-and-mildew-cleaner in washing up water or drying dishes is not a good idea.

I must admit to a slight suspicion that plastic items get dirty more easily after using this, since I now have to apply it about once a month to keep them looking clean. However this isn't a big problem.

And my conclusions?

Although this isn't a miracle product, and there are some moulds which it seems unable to tackle, it's a useful bottle to keep in the cupboard for simplifying some cleaning, particularly when sterility is important. I don't keep bleach itself in the house - it's not good for drains - but there are times when some form of bleach is necessary. So although this isn't environmentally friendly either, the amount used is fairly minimal. A 500ml bottle lasts me about three or four months, on average.

It's available at most supermarkets priced around £1.85 - £1.99 for 500ml. You can usually find it shelved with other bathroom cleaning products.

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