The Best Mold and Mildew Removers for Around Your Home
Tackle tough stains with these top-performing cleaners that work quickly.
We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.
Although disgusting, finding mold and mildew in your home is more common than you may think. Mildew starts as white or gray powdery dots and can turn yellow or brown while mold grows in darker shades of red, green or black and can have a fuzzy texture. Both microscopic fungi thrive in damp spaces and can damage your home or cause health problems, especially if family members have allergies.
Thankfully, they can be treated in similar ways. Experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Home Care & Cleaning Lab evaluated the best mold and mildew removers on the market so you can get rid of mold on your shower walls and prevent mildew from taking over your bathroom. To find the best products, we followed each cleaner's instructions and evaluated its effectiveness in the Lab as well as in the homes of our panel of testers.
Pro Cleaning Tip: If the moldy area in question becomes larger than 2 square feet, our experts recommend calling in a professional to ensure the mold is removed safely. It is also a good idea to call in a contractor who specializes in water damage restoration or waterproofing if you notice multiple mold spots.
CLR Mold & Mildew Stain Clear Stain Remover
Pros
- Unscented and didn't produce irritating fumes
- EPA Safer Choice certified
- Versatile
Cons
- Doesn't cling super well on vertical surfaces
Type: Liquid foam | Best For: Shower, (painted) walls, tile
EPA Safer Choice certified and a Good Housekeeping Best Cleaning Award winner, the CLR Mold & Mildew Clear Stain Remover is a must-have in multiple GH staffer's homes. It can tackle tough mold stains you may find in the bathroom — testers used the remover to clean painted walls and shower rods.
Although we found the foam was easy to work into the area we were cleaning, it didn't cling as well to vertical surfaces. It's also important to note that this mold and mildew remover doesn't contain bleach, so won't disinfect, kill existing mold or prevent it from reappearing.
Still, the formula is unscented and our experts didn't observe uncomfortable fumes during Lab testing. Plus, you can bring this product beyond the bathroom. One tester even used it to remove mold and mildew on her boat — minimal elbow grease required!
Clorox Tilex Mold and Mildew Remover Spray
Pros
- Bleach kills mold and mildew germs
- Can whiten grout
- Top-performing brand
Cons
- Emits a strong smell
Type: Liquid spray | Best For: Toilet, countertop, tile, sink, bathtub, shower
When it comes to killing mold and mildew, bleach is a necessary ingredient. Clorox as a brand performs well across our Lab evaluations and its Tilex Mold and Mildew Remover Spray is one the first products in this category. Years later, the spray remains a top performer.
It kills 99.9% of mold and mildew germs, plus bacteria, in five minutes flat. You can also use it to whiten grout or remove stains on countertops and tile floors. When using, make sure to let the product penetrate for a few minutes before scrubbing lightly if needed and then rinsing away.
Since it contains bleach, there is a chance it may discolor fabrics (read: don't wear your favorite yoga plants while cleaning your bathroom floors as I did once). The spray also has a strong smell, so our cleaning pros recommend opening a window or turning on a fan to ventilate the area.
CLR Brilliant Bath Foaming Action Cleaner
Pros
- Works fast and continues to whiten grout after it dries
- Clings to vertical surfaces
- EPA Safer Choice certified
Cons
- Cannot be used on colored grout
Type: Liquid foam | Best For: Bathtub, tile, toilet, shower, ceramic/porcelain sinks
Whitening your grout is stress-free with CLR's Brilliant Bath Foaming Action Cleaner. During our quest to find the best shower cleaners, no other product worked better or faster than this foaming spray. In Lab testing, stains disappeared quickly and even more impressive, as the grout dried it continued to get whiter.
Like our other pick from CLR, this cleaner is also EPA Safer Choice certified (another pro), but note that it can only be used on white grout. Unlike spray cleaners, its foam formula means it will cling well to vertical surfaces like your shower or bath surround.
Mold Armor E-Z House Wash
Pros
- No scrubbing required
- Contains bleach to kill mold and mildew
- Affiliated with top-performing brand Microban
Cons
- Requires a garden sprayer to apply
Type: Liquid foam | Best For: Brick, siding, trim, concrete, painted wood, gutters
If you live in a more humid climate, you may notice mold and mildew growing on the exterior of your home, whether it be along your siding, around your patio or on the sidewalk. Thankfully, Mold Armor's E-Z House Wash is formulated with bleach to kill mold and mildew and help prevent it from growing back.
You will need a garden sprayer to apply the product to your desired surface and then wait 10 minutes before rinsing away with water — no scrubbing necessary. While we haven't tested Mold Armor in the Lab yet, the company stems from one of our top-performing brands, Microban, so we feel confident recommending its cleaning products.
Pros
- Multipurpose
- Easy to apply to surfaces
- Pleasant citrus scent
Cons
- May require frequent application
Type: Liquid spray | Best For: Bathtub, shower, toilet, sinks
Our cleaning pros are still conducting tests on this bathroom cleaner from Wet & Forget ahead of our upcoming GH Best Cleaning Awards. It is formulated to help control mold and mildew, as well as remove soap scum. Spray the product directly onto the surface and then wipe away or let air dry.
The brand recommends spraying the surface again every seven days if you notice more growth appear. Although not everyone prefers scented cleaning products, we appreciate the citrus scent that can help mask strong fumes.
How we test the best mold and mildew removers
Cleaning experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute evaluate almost every kind of cleaning product you may use at home, including mold and mildew removers. We scan each product's label to check for appropriate eye and skin irritant warnings. We then follow the manufacturer's instructions on how to apply the product and note how effective it is at removing mold and mildew stains.
Since it is difficult to stimulate mold and mildew in the Lab, we also pair these removers with consumer testers who try the cleaning product in their own homes and provide feedback on performance and ease of use features.
What to look for when shopping for mold and mildew removers
✔️ Type: When choosing between which mold and mildew remover to purchase, first take note of what surfaces are showing signs of growth. Some cleaners dispense as a foam whereas others are a spray. If you have growth on your shower walls, for example, GH Home Care & Cleaning Lab Executive Director Carolyn Forté recommends a foaming formula as this will better cling to vertical surfaces. Meanwhile, a spray can cover a surface faster but will slide down a lot quicker too.
✔️ Ingredients: We prefer using cleaning products that are EPA Safer Choice certified because this signifies the product's ingredient list matches the EPA's safety standards. It's important to note any irritant warnings on the bottle and well ventilate the room you are cleaning in as many ingredients can give off irritating fumes. Some mold and mildew removers will contain bleach, which can disinfect, kill existing mold and act as a preventative treatment.
Note: Before you start the removal process, make sure to put on protective eyewear, rubber gloves and a face covering to protect yourself the mold and mildew.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Elizabeth Berry is the updates editor at the Good Housekeeping Institute where she collaborates with our team of Lab experts to report on home verticals including cleaning. Elizabeth's bathroom doesn't get a lot of ventilation so she knows what it's like to get on her hands and knees to remove mold and mildew from her shower wall and grout.
To write this story, she tapped Home Care & Cleaning Lab Executive Director Carolyn Forté for her expertise in the category. She brings more than 40 years of experience as a consumer products expert and has personally tested the mold and mildew removers featured in this guide for consideration in Good Housekeeping's Cleaning Awards.
Elizabeth Berry (she/her) is the Updates Editor at the Good Housekeeping Institute where she optimizes lifestyle content across verticals. Prior to this role, she was an Editorial Assistant for Woman’s Day where she covered everything from gift guides to recipes. She also has experience fact checking commerce articles and holds a B.A. in English and Italian Studies from Connecticut College.
The 7 Best Enzyme Cleaners for Pet Stains
The Best Countertop Dishwashers
Should You Trim Your Broom?
How to Clean Your Keurig Coffee Machine
