Vintage bleached wooden towel rail

Mildew or mould spray

If mould spray (I use either the Dettol one, or that shouty bang one!) doesn't work, try either scrubbing with bleach (wear gloves, goggles and clothes you don't care about, do it outside or in the bath shower)

You can also get specialist wood bleach, comes as a pack of 2 different liquids, most DIY stores stock it.

If all else fails, then get the sandpaper out!

And if that doesn't work open a tin of paint

Its going in the loft!

If it's going in the loft double check for woodworm.

Eeeek, its going to the dump (seriously though, I am getting rid of it).

No; if all else fails paint it. Can you put a picture of it up..it sounds lovely. I'm just paranoid about woodworm in old wood as I've bought several old pieces over the years that have had woodworm in them. I just treat them.

If you can't bear to paint it take it to a charity shop, send it to a jumble sale or put it on free cycle or similar. You liked it, you bought it, you don't want it but someone will appreciate it. Not the tip, please!

If you are putting it in the loft to hang something on, won't whatever you hang on it cover up the the grubby bits?
We have one of these and it does look very nice.

I was only joking when I said it was going to the dump, it was the thought of wood worm that scared me. It is currently out of the way in the loft at the moment. It is a really lovely towel rail. I am going to spend some time trying to get the grubby marks off, perhaps a light sanding will do it and if that fails, then I am going to paint it.

KateyK - phew, I'm always being told I take things too seriously! Those towel rails are lovely, I wonder what became of my GM's! They are often to be seen in quite expensive vintage clothes shops, usually painted white!