# Removing mildew stains from ceiling?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-mildew-stains-from-ceiling/481435
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [January 15, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-mildew-stains-from-ceiling/481435 "2009-01-15T15:36:53Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Buran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buran)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-mildew-stains-from-ceiling/481435/1 "2009-01-15T15:36:53Z")
I’m cleaning the bathroom of a rented property and while its kept clean enough for some reason I’ve neglected to remove unsightly black mildew stains on the plaster ceiling and I’m having difficulty doing so. Does anyone have any tips?
Thanks!
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### Author:  [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-mildew-stains-from-ceiling/481435/2 "2009-01-15T16:07:23Z")
I’ve had success using a 50/50 mix of bleach and water before, though that was with painted wooden baseboards rather than a ceiling. Spray on, then scrub with a heavy-duty brush (the kind you’d normally use to scrub a tile floor, for example). Worked like a charm, though I did need to do a couple of passes to get the more stubborn stains out.
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### Author:  [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-mildew-stains-from-ceiling/481435/3 "2009-01-15T16:07:50Z")
Did you try bleach?
On preview, beat to it.
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### Author:  [@Inter\_Alia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inter_Alia)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-mildew-stains-from-ceiling/481435/4 "2009-01-15T16:09:35Z")
I had that problem at one of my apartments. The maintenance man said it was okay to use a 50/50 mix of bleach and water. I sprayed it on, left it for a few minutes, and rubbed the mildew off with paper towels. The paint was white, though, and I’m not sure if you can do this with other colors without damaging it.
I see I’m just thirding the bleach/water suggestion.
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### Author:  [@Buran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buran)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-mildew-stains-from-ceiling/481435/5 "2009-01-15T16:17:51Z")
Thanks everyone, I’ll try that, main problem is the ceiling has a ‘dimpled’ effect on it making it really hard to get every spot!
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### Author:  [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-mildew-stains-from-ceiling/481435/6 "2009-01-15T16:34:08Z")
Please wear safety glasses or goggles of some kind when you’re using a scrub brush on a bleach solution on the ceiling. You DO NOT want that stuff getting in your eyes.
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### Author:  [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-mildew-stains-from-ceiling/481435/7 "2009-01-15T21:29:49Z")
I’ve had great results with flat white spray paint.
Works especially well on textured ceilings.
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### Author:  [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-mildew-stains-from-ceiling/481435/8 "2009-01-15T21:34:42Z")
After you use the bleach/water mixture, paint it with [Kilz](http://www.kilz.com/) to keep the stain from coming through again.
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### Author:  [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)
#### Post date: [January 15, 2009, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-mildew-stains-from-ceiling/481435/9 "2009-01-15T23:29:35Z")
> [@gaffa](#):
>
> After you use the bleach/water mixture, paint it with [Kilz](http://www.kilz.com/) to keep the stain from coming through again.
Seconded for emphasis of the correct technique. If you clean and do not paint with Kilz after, you will get the stains back. If you bleach and paint with anything other than Kilz after, you will get the stains back.