There is nothing as unsightly as bathroom mould. Unfortunately it is an all too common occurrence in bathrooms. Mould does not discriminate by age of the bathroom, if you do not take preventative measures to avoid it, it will appear no matter how new (or old) your bathroom is.
Whether you have a new home and new bathroom, an existing bathroom or you have just spent your hard earned money doing a bathroom renovation, this article is for you.
What causes mould?
It is common to find mould in bathrooms as it is a “wet area”. Remaining moisture and condensation provides the perfect environment for mould to grow. Frequent showering, bathing and even simply running water in basins creates constant moisture. If these areas are not allowed to completely dry out, mould will grow.
When water does dry out it evaporates into the air and increases humidity. Add steam from hot showers, baths, hot water whilst shaving over the basin and the typical Australian climate, its no wonder there are so many mould ridding products on our supermarket shelves.
Health concerns.
Mould is not something that can or should be ignored. If mould is let to grow, it becomes harder to control. Inhaling mould fragments or spores can inflame airways, causing nasal congestion, wheezing and throat irritation. People who have asthma, allergies, or those who are immune suppressed are especially susceptible.
How to spot mould.
Playing spotto. Mould or mildew can appear in different colours depending on its species; white, grey, green, pink black and probably a couple in between. Regardless of its colour, it needs to go. Typical places for mould in the bathroom are the shower, shower screens, bath and basin wastes, window glass, blinds and curtains and painted ceilings, painted and tiled walls. As this covers just about every area of the bathroom, lets move on to how to be rid of it and prevent it.
How to kill mould.
A problem better avoided. Once mould has taken hold it can be difficult to be rid of. There are many products on the market that profess to kill mould, however experts say that any chemical strong enough to actually permanently kill household mould would be too high in toxic concentrations for safe human habitation. Bleach has long been the go to for ridding our homes of mould, however according to the “Queen of Clean” Shannon Lush who is an Australian best-selling author and home economist, “Bleach merely bleaches mould so you cant see it, but its still there” she says. “It doesn’t kill the root system and the mould will grow back in weeks”. In order to actually kill these spores it makes sense to use an anti fungal product.
She says a formulation of 1/4 teaspoon of oil cloves per litre of water in a spray bottle, lightly mist on and leave overnight and wipe off the next day with bicarb and vinegar and you’re done. You can find Oil of Cloves at chemists or anywhere that sells natural essences. The Oil of Cloves actually kills the mould spores rather that just turning them white. No matter what the bottles of chemicals say, they will not kill mould and the problem will get worse.”
Another natural solution that we have had great success using is a combination of 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil (which is another anti-fungal) with a cup of water, combine and shake well and apply to the affected area, leave overnight and then wash off with bicarb and vinegar.
Hint: when using either of these solutions in the shower recess, try to let the area completely dry before spraying the mixture onto the area to obtain maximum effect.
NB: be sure to have good ventilation and to wear gloves with both of these solutions, even though they are completely natural, the odour can be strong and you will not get the smell off your hands for days!
How to prevent mould.
As they say, prevention is better than cure, so how do we avoid mould in the bathroom in the first place? It need not be all doom and gloom, what can be such a big problem can be quite easily prevented with a few simple steps and regular maintenance.
Ventilate, Ventilate, Ventilate! Be sure you install an exhaust fan in your bathroom and use it when running showers and taking baths, this will help remove moisture from the air. Be sure to crack a window for a period during the day if possible, the more air circulation the better. Consider leaving your shower recess door cracked open when not in use, all the way is best but even just a crack will aid ventilation.
Put some light on the subject. Ensure light enters the bathroom during the day by opening blinds or curtains, remember, mould thrives in damp, dark places. If your bathroom does not contain a window, consider installing a skylight to remedy this, you’ll also save electricity by having natural light during the day avoiding the need to turn on a light.
De-Clutter your bath, vanity and especially your shower recess of unnecessary bottles and other such containers that will hold on to moisture. Regularly wash your towels, hand towels, shower lufas that typically hang damp and wet next to tiled and painted surfaces. Be sure your tiler creates a decent fall on your shower floor so water drains away efficiently avoiding water pooling in your shower recess after you’ve showered.
Use a squeegee or chamois to wipe down your shower recess after showering to mop up excess water, this will save you scrubbing at your tiles and shower screen and keep it squeaky clean whilst also preventing unsightly mould. This may seem a chore at first, but it takes only seconds and soon becomes routine.
Roll up your sleeves. Regular weekly cleaning your shower recess, bath and vanity basins will prevent mould from taking hold and lets face it, it’s hygienic too. We suggest either bi-carb and vinegar for your shower recess, alternatively you can use a cream cleanser. For baths and vanities we recommend using a solution of vinegar, water, dish soap (for sudsy effect) and if you prefer add an essential oil for fragrance, we love lavender as it also has its own disinfectant properties or you can use tea tree oil (an anti-fungal). These solutions are not only natural, but economical and most importantly to us as bathroom renovators, do not damage your bathroom surfaces unlike many supermarket cleansers.
Go natural. Vinegar is a natural disinfectant that has been used by bathroom renovators for years to effect the final clean in bathrooms to give your bathroom that “finished shine” and does not damage the surface tiles, baths and vanities. Bleach and other ammonia containing products actually remove the shine of these items over time, make them appear dull and can actually corrode your tapware. White goods repairmen too recommend the use of vinegar as it cleans appliances and related piping without damage. You needn’t worry, any odour from vinegar completely disappears once it is dry.
In addition, be sure to periodically to check for leaks from your bathroom. If you have diligently cleaned a particular area of say a downstairs ceiling, or adjacent wall to your bathroom or even perhaps a carpeted area and you’re still noticing a buildup of mould in this area, you very well may have a leaking shower or a slow leaking pipe. Contact your local plumber or bathroom renovator to remedy this as soon as possible.
Related Articles:
Why you should be cleaning your shower drain
Bathroom maintenance that goes beyond cleaning
How to create a Timeless Bathroom
Master Bathrooms & Kitchens have over our 25 years, completed many beautiful bathroom renovations in the Hills District & Hornsby areas. If you are considering renovating your bathroom be sure to peruse our website for more renovation inspiration or call us on (02)9899 9330 for a quotation today.
Take a look at our video below of just some of our beautiful bathrooms and kitchens.
