Wednesday, March 20, 2024

How To Clean Bathtub Grout & Mold

Tips To Prevent And Remove Mold From Grout Lines

House Cleaning Techniques : How to Clean Bathtub Grout & Mold

03/12/2021

What does it take to keep your bathroom sparkling with cleanness at all times?

Its a well-known fact that mold thrives best in warm, moist areas with poor air circulation. This makes bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, and basements ideal places for mold to develop humidity is always high and air flow is usually limited. Therefore, it is very common to see mold in these rooms on walls and ceilings, on caulking and between tiles, etc.

Tile grout, however, is where mold is most often found. There is a good reason for that tiles are typically used in areas where moisture is abundant and the porous nature of grout makes it particularly susceptible to mold growth.

When mold builds up on the grout, it not only makes your kitchen or bathroom look old and dirty, but also poses serious health risks to you and your family and compromises the integrity of your home.

To prevent such troubles and save yourself a lot of money and nerves, you need to find an efficient way to keep mold at bay remove it from the grout as soon as you notice it or, even better, prevent it from developing in the first place.

Mold And Bathtub Materials

Bathtubs are made from different materials and you need to understand how to clean without damaging the bath. You should use a commercial cleaning removal solution on a porcelain enameled steel tub. Do not use bleach or vinegar. When cleaning an acrylic tub you need to use a soft cloth and plenty of water. These tubs usually only require a gentle cleaner and should be dried completely, especially around the drain. You can clean a fiberglass tub using a variety of cleaners. Use the vinegar solution for removal of mold and grime and rinse with water. When cleaning enameled cast iron, you need to be careful so you dont discolor the surface. A mild commercial cleaner will work well the removal of stains and be sure to rinse completely and dry.

Eliminate The Mold Triggers

Removing the mold is just half of the job done. If you will not change the environment in the shower, it is a matter of time until the mold will form again. For this reason, it is essential to detect what was the cause of mold growth and try to limit it.

Here are the two essential factors that might be the cause of the mold in your shower: humidity and pH.

Humidity

If you have mold in your shower, you are probably dealing with a hydrophilic mold type such as Stachybotrys , which needs high water activity to grow. Because of that, it is essential to limit the moisture to a minimum. Here are a couple of tips, how to achieve it:

  • Install a bathroom exhaust fan above the shower. It should help to remove the humidity from the bathroom.
  • Take cooler showers to limit the steam. It is a money-saving and healthy option.
  • Use a squeegee to remove water from the walls after you take a shower. It will help the walls to dry quicker, which should hinder the molds growth. As a bonus, you will decrease the amount of soap scum that might build up on the walls or shower doors.
  • pH

    As it was stated earlier, mold thrives in pH 3 7. Changing the pH of the grout will help you to create a hostile environment for the mold. For this purpose, from time to time, pour a solution of baking soda and water onto the shower walls where the mold used to form. This way, you will protect the grout from the potential future mold build-up.

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    Use A Chlorine Bleach Solution

    Scrub the chlorine bleach solution on the moldy shower grout with the help of a rigid toothbrush. Do wear a protective mask before using this bleach solution to prevent inhaling it. Let the exhaust fan stay on and after 30 minutes rinse the grout with warm water. Repeat the process until the mold disappears.

    Clean The Curtains In The Washing Machine

    How To Remove Mold And Mildew From Shower Tile Grout

    If you are looking for a quick fix, cleaning your curtains in your washing machine is the way to go. Set the appliance on a low heat setting and add a bit of vinegar, baking soda, or laundry detergent. However, you can only choose one. Mixing all of the three cleaning solutions may sound like a good idea, but in reality, its not. You risk stirring up a big chemical mess inside your appliance that youll have to clean up separately afterwards.

    Once the curtains have been washed properly, hand them back on the shower rod to dry.

    Read Also: How To Clean Mold Off Stone Patio

    Also Check: How To Clean Mold Off Bathroom Walls And Ceiling

    Purify The Grout Area With White Vinegar

    Vinegar is a natural cleaning agent and also doesnt cause discoloration of grout like chlorine. Spray white vinegar on the moldy shower grout and allow it to settle for 30 minutes. Then scrub the grout with a stiff brush. Again spray white vinegar and keep it for 30 minutes on the grout. Now rinse the shower grout with warm water. If it is necessary then repeat the process to clean the area thoroughly.

    How To Prevent Shower Mold

    Mold is more likely to start growing the longer water is left standing on bathroom surfaces or stays soaked into porous materials such as bath mats and towels. Proper cleaning, ventilation and drying practices are crucial for keeping mildew or mold from forming in a shower.

    Make sure your bathroom has a functional exhaust fan rated for the size of the room. Ventilation fan performance is measured in cubic feet per minute. For home bathrooms, 1 cfm per square foot of floor space is a good rule of thumb for selecting a fan with sufficient power to draw out moist, warm air. In bathrooms larger than 100 square feet, add 50 cfm for each toilet, shower, bath or combination installation.

    Always run the fan after bathing or showering to speed up drying. Fungi thrive in environments with consistent sources of moisture and nourishment that are not frequently disturbed. Regularly spraying on a mixture of vinegar diluted in water and lightly scrubbing and wiping bathroom surfaces and grout can keep mildew or mold from gaining a foothold.

    If a mold problem keeps returning in spite of DIY cleaning and prevention efforts contact a remediation expert near you. Professionals trained in the latest remediation standards can address the causes of mildew or mold growth and keep an infestation from spreading throughout a home or workplace.

    Recommended Reading: How Do I Get Rid Of Mold In My Basement

    Ways To Prevent Shower Mold

  • Practice good ventilation. Open the bathroom window when showering. Turn on the exhaust fan when showering and leave it on for 30 minutes afterwards. Keep the bathroom door open when showering if possible.
  • Shower drains contain biofilm and cellulose materials such as soap scum, body hairs, and oils and lots of moisture so they can be a breeding ground for black mold. It is important to keep drains open and clear of cellulose materials. Remove any hair after showering and pour a little vinegar down the drain weekly to keep the drain clean and prevent mold spores from developing.
  • After showering wipe down the entire shower including all your shampoo and soap bottle.
  • Once a week spray the shower with EC3 Mold Solution Spray to kill any new mold spores that may be trying to root.
  • Clean your shower from top to bottom every 14 days at a minimum. Weekly is better but no one has time for that! So shoot for every two weeks.
  • If possible, DO NOT USE one of those suction cup non-slip mats in the shower. Those are a mold magnet.
  • Treat your shower with Endurance BioBarrier every 6 months to prevent mold growth. You can read how and why Endurance BioBarrier works here.
  • How To Remove Mold And Mildew In Your Grout

    How to REMOVE Mold from Your Bathroom Walls, Grout and Silicone QUICKLY- Twin Plumbing

    A bathroom is a great place to relax, get refreshed, and clean. Unfortunately, bathrooms are full of moisture and are prone to mold and mildew. Years of moisture combined with dirt, soap scum, and other bacteria can leave your tiles and grout lines looking dirty and discolored. Many regular household cleaners cannot get out mold and mildew and leave your bathroom looking stained and dirty, even if its not.

    To properly clean your bathroom grout and tiles, you need a grout and tile cleaner. Many bathrooms contain ammonia and bleach, which will damage tiles and grout over time. The bathroom is consistently exposed to dirt and water, so its hard to clean mold and mildew immediately however, Grout Shields grout cleaners and sealers make it possible to maintain clean and beautiful bathroom grout and tile all year long.

    Ph-balanced chemicals in Grout Shield products truly get your tiles and grout clean in a safe way

    Now, if the stains wont fully go away or if you want to change the color of your grout, use Grout Shields color sealer. You just squeeze the sealer into the grout lines. Then, spread it into the grout lines with a brush applicator or your finger and wipe away the excess with a towel or chamois. You can choose any color in the world to recolor your grout. Check out our grout colors.

    Check out the video below to see how easy it is to use and apply Grout Shields Grout & Tile Deep Cleaner and the color sealer.

    Recommended Reading: Remove Mold From Leather With Vinegar

    Does This Leave Residue

    I have ever had issues with residue in all the ways I have used this solution, but a reader commented recently she had to rinse it many times to get the baking soda haze off. If you are using this on a different type of grout that isnt sealed or is much more grainy, just follow up with hot soap water. Or you can also spray rubbing alcohol on the area. Each time I use this solution, there is almost nothing left after I scrub the area. If there seems to be a little pigment left from the baking soda, dont worry, it also can wear off even just after a few hours.

    I just wanted to add this tip in there if anyone had concerns about this.

    How To Keep Grout Clean Longer

    Now that your grout is sparkling clean, let’s keep it that way. Mix equal parts vinegar and water and create your own “grout solution” to spray down the tiles after you use the shower. This will prevent mold and mildew from developing in the first place .

    Mold loves moisture, so we also recommend keeping a small microfiber towel in your shower to wipe down grout lines weekly or after each use. This takes a little more effort, but it’s a good practice to keep those grout lines looking pristine.

    Read Also: Ultraviolet Light Mold Removal

    Using Bleach To Remove Mold From Grout

    For grout that is white beside white tiles, we suggest a recipe of bleach and water. You can effectively clean tile grout, kill the mold fast and clean up the shower at the same time with this most basic of household cleaning agents.

    • An old toothbrush or scrub brush

    This is a good basic recipe for making the most out of your grout cleaner needs. Mix the ingredients in a plastic bucket while wearing safety glasses. After you rub the paste on the mold, let the bleach sit for at least a half-hour to soak into mold spores and other dirt.

    Find an old toothbrush. Soak it in the bucket of vinegar and water, and use your scrub brush on the mold. Let it sit for 30 minutes, and attack it again. The now-dead mold and soap scum should come off without a problem.

    After this, you should feel safe showering once again. If you have more mold in the house, like in the laundry room, you need to know what gets rid of mold elsewhere in the house. These recipes prevent mold build up in the future, so we dont breathe in mold spores.

    H2o2 + Nahco3 H2o + Nahco4

    4 Brilliant Ways to Clean Shower Grout Mildew

    Here is the area below the shower bar. I used the chemist paste, scrubbed it, then did a second treatment. After that, I just followed up with the DIY Lysol spray. If there is a little baking soda residue left, that is okay! It will rinse off when someone takes a shower.

    Im sorry the angles arent the exact same . It can be challenging to do blog post experiments and take pictures with my cute little assistant helping me :). But she makes everything more fun, so I am thankful for her help.

    Recommended Reading: How To Clean Bathroom Mold On Ceiling

    How To Remove Mold In Tile Grout Without Bleach

  • Use Branch Basics Bathroom solution, Oxygen Boost + 3% hydrogen peroxide to eliminate mold on hard surfaces
  • Spray grout lines liberally with Branch Basics Bathroom solution.
  • Sprinkle with Oxygen Boost. Wet the Oxygen Boost with a spray of Bathroom solution.
  • Scrub with toothbrush or scrub brush.
  • Let sit 1-5 minutes .
  • Rinse or wipe off with a microfiber cloth to remove the mold.
  • Finish by spraying straight hydrogen peroxide on the grout lines , and let dry.
  • What Youll Need To Remove Bathroom Mold

    These are just a few of the products and tools that can help you get rid of mold in bathroom areas.

    • Antifungal cleanser: Clean off black mold from grout and tiles with a product like RMR-141 RTU Funcigide.
    • White vinegar: Kills mold spores and slows down potential regrowth.
    • Soft cleaning brush or toothbrush: Use to scrub away black mold stains.
    • Standard spray bottle: Fill with homemade cleaning solutions.
    • Bleach: Brightens and disinfects surfaces after removing black mold.

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    Why Does Mold Grow On Grout

    Whether you maintain a regular bathroom cleaning routine or not, you may be confused to find mold growing on your grout. There are several reasons why mold grows so easily on bathroom and shower grout. This is a normal occurrence for virtually every home and is not something that should cause embarrassment or shame! A bathrooms warm and humid conditions encourage mold growth. Simply put, bathrooms are a prime breeding ground for mold and fungus. Mold grows best in warm, humid conditions a perfect description of nearly every bathroom. While many bathrooms are outfitted with an exhaust fan, it is often not utilized properly. Additionally, poor ventilation or bad cleaning habits can accelerate the growth of mold on the already porous surface of your grout.

    In addition to having an environment that is ideal for mold growth, grout is naturally a very porous material. When water sits on the surface of the grout for extended periods of time, mold quickly begins to form. Certain types of grout are made to be mold-resistant. Unless you build your home or remodel your bathroom, however, you are unlikely to have this type of grout in your shower.

    Ways To Remove Mold From Shower Grout

    How to Clean Dirty Moldy Grout in a Shower Tub

    Option 1: Use hydrogen peroxide and baking soda to clean the shower. Be sure to wear gloves and a protective mask so you dont breathe in the spores. Mix some baking soda with water to create a paste and apply to the affected area of pink or black mildew. Then spray some peroxide over the paste. Finally, scrub with a brush and rinse with water. Repeat if necessary.

    Option 2: Use distilled white vinegar. This is a natural product and usually doesnt cause the grout to discolor or fall apart. Use a spray bottle to soak the mildew area with vinegar. Let it sit for about 30 minutes and then scrub if necessary. Rinse with warm water and wipe the shower dry.

    Option 3: Use chlorine bleach. You will need to make sure the area is well ventilated and wear a mask when working with bleach. If you have colored grout, do not use this option. Using a spray bottle with 1 part bleach to 2 parts water, spray the black, orange or pink mildew. Let the bleach sit for at least 30 minutes and then carefully scrub with a brush. Rinse with water and pat dry.

    Option 4: Use a commercial cleaner. There are many products on the market that will help clean fungus off your grout. They usually come in a spray bottle and require the solution to sit on the area for a specified amount of time. As with bleach, be sure to use protective gear when working with chemicals to clean black, pink, and orange mildew.

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    Our Tricks For The Best Way To Clean Mold From Grout

    As long as you have the appropriate materials and a little time, you can take care of the mold you may find in the grout in your bathroom, kitchen, or floor tiles. Our solutions help you remove mold from basement walls or the tile in the cellar bathroom with ease. You dont have to worry about endangering the health of your family with our trusty mold remover recipes.

    And Product : Mold Mildew Cleaner Gel

    Here is a very common thing to see. My old mid-80s white tile in my guest shower and bathroom has accumulated black mold over the years. And of course, I have been lazy at cleaning it, and my roommates I had didnt clean it either.

    Normal shower and bathroom cleaning mold and mildew removable sprays would not work. All the scrubbing in the world wouldnt work.

    Then I found this Mold MildewCleaner Gel from Gelivable. It was a bit expensive but worth it. I liked the idea of the cleaning gel staying put on the grout instead of running down and not staying on the actual black moldy grout lines.

    To use the gel, remove the cap, and then squeeze a bead of gel over the moldy areas. The gel will stay put. Then all you do is allow it to work its magic. Allow it to stay on the black mold for at least 5 hours, you may need to let it stay even longer.

    This black mold spot on my shower tile had been there for many years. So I left the gel on for about 8 hours.

    The results were absolutely remarkable. Years of caked-on hard-to-clean, stubborn black mold, gone. Next, all you do is wipe it off with a damp paper towel or washcloth and then rinse it really well.

    There you have it, method 1 is a super success for this particular type of black mold situation.

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