1) Scrape until loose paint is gone. 2) Using joint-compound, skim-coat all nicks/gouges/rough-edges. 3) Hang/tape some plastic covering ALL walls. Place a drop of some type on floor...you'll soon be creating a "dust-storm"! Get a dust-mask and "'do-rag" too!! 4) Feather-sand these repairs 'til surface feels smooth. On the ceiling, a pole-sander is much easier! 5) Dust removal time...yipee!! A LIGHTLY damp large sponge can be used here. Keep rinsing/wiping until no dust comes off on your fingertips. Wipe off the whole ceiling this way. DUST IS THE ENEMY.... 6) If you've got popcorn ceilings, now's the time to decide if you're gonna keep it!! 7) Once your ceiling is smooth and de-dusted, haul out the primer. 123 is fine. I'd prime here because you'll have somewhat extensive repair area(s). 8) For THIS ceiling, apply two full coats of the Zinsser Perma-white Satin. >>> Let this new paint set-up a day or so before the 1st load of steam hits it!!! Paints need some initial curing time before moisture exposure. >>> Make SURE that fan is used!! Leave it running for a few minutes AFTER showers too. >>> Surprisingly, windows are Zero benefit...and can make things worse, because air coming in condenses when it hits the steam cloud. >>> If the fan is shut off right after a shower, and someone then opens a window, "round II" of condensing happens...BUT now it's not being drawn outside... (Use the window for the view, not moisture-evac!) Faron

The wall is just drywall from the 70's. For some reason there is quite of bit of mud rubbed all over this section of wall. The parts I have chipped off don't seem to be covering anything but plain drywall. I've lived with plaster walls before and that's not something I'd want to tackle. The bathroom fan makes noise. Beyond that I think it does nothing. It will hold a small piece of toilet paper up on one side, but it will spit it off on the other side. The problem areas are all near the ceiling, so they get a good bit of steam, but no leaking water. I thought about Gardz, since I already have some in my collection (although it might be too lumpy at this point, since its a couple of years old). I'm not looking forward to the fumes in that small space, with that great fan. Yes, the walls will need a good scrubbing, and then I think hairspray may be banned from the room.

Hello I have studied and researched no wax shellac such as (seal coat) you can get by the gallon! It not only adheres to any surface oil or latex but you can also paint over it with either latex or oil so it is a fantastic universal primer to use in your house with your problem! They also say if you have a peeling problem with paint on the exterior of your house due to no vapor barrier on the inside of you house all you have to do is putty all cracks and calk seams on the inside of the house paint over it with no wax shellac such as seal coat and in acts as a 100% vapor barrier no more vapor is allowed to pass thru the shellac it is sort of like a plastic vapor barrier but what is fantastic is you can paint this shellac over the inside wall of your house after properly preping it all loose pait gone and fill voids paint on the shellac it will also be act as a primer for latex or oil based paint great stuff make sure you get the gallon container of shellac that says seal coat cause it has no wax in it or hardly any what so ever or get plain old no wax shellac but seal coat is cheaper and easier to buy ask around and this should eliminate all your problems plus nothing bleeds thru it such as nuts ,or other such things that is what is in the expensive products they sell you they just do not want you to know all you need is the seal coat shellac to solve all your interior problems be sure to put it on in a couple or few thin coats it dries extremely fast denatured alcohol is the thinner or you can get pure grain alcohol from the package store that is 190 prove or better that is more pure and better if you wish and it does not have the poison added to it all denatured alcohol is is 190 or greater prove pure grain alcohol with poison added so they do not need a liqour licence to sell it good luck if you apply you will have great success!! usually it dries so fast it is only 15 to 30 minutes between coats but be sure to wait aleast 24++ hours before you paint over it with what ever paint you choose!!

A typical bathroom fan only exhausts so it can't provide ventilation air (i.e. outside air) but it removes moisture laden air and pulls in dryer make-up air from the adjacent room. There are bathroom fans that do provide outside make-up ventilation air that passes through a heat exchanger. As a temporary solution, you could open the window a bit or clean and repair the ceiling so it is very smooth and paint it with a semi-gloss vapor barrier paint with a mildew resistant additive. It wouldn't hurt to wash it every few months too. Flat or textured paint would speed the growth of fungus. But I suspect you will need to replace the ceiling and that is the time to install an exhaust fan. Of course you could install a simple exhaust fan through the wall near the ceiling with an humidistat and timer.