Why Is Mold In My Grout
As a fungus, mold thrives in moist spaceswhich can include the corners and crevices of your shower or bathtub. The reason that you may find mold in your tile grout is because of grouts porous nature. This characteristic makes it a breeding ground for microscopic bacteria and stubborn mold spores.
Also, your bathtub or shower is a place that rarely dries completely after use, which makes it an even more appealing place for illness-causing microorganisms to grow. Cleaning your grout is key. Even though it may be tedious, its worth doing to avoid getting sick.
Why To Avoid Using Bleach On Grout
Natural anti fungal solutions and dedicated mildewcides are effective because these substances penetrate into grout to kill mold under the surface. Household bleach is considered a surface disinfectant because chlorine does not get absorbed into the cement, sand and water that comprise grout or other porous materials.
Chlorine and oxygen bleach are harsher than the acetic acid in standard household or cleaning vinegar or sodium borate sold as Borax. Bleach and other harsh bathroom cleansers are also more likely to cause grout to crumble away, making re-grouting necessary.
If shower grout wears down, water may be able to work its way behind tiles where the presence of excessive moisture can cause a hidden mold problem. Mold growing behind walls is more likely to require professional residential mold removal services.
Use Bathroom Exhaust Fan And Dehumidifier
Use a high-performance exhaust fan like theBroan-NuTone 671 Ventilation Fan in your bathroom. It can draw out 70 cubic feet of damp air per minute, and the best thing is, you will not even notice that it is running at full throttle, thanks to its super-quiet fan rotation mechanism.
Keep the fan on for at least a quarter of an hour after every shower.
You can also consider buying a dehumidifier for the bathroom. If you purchase theTCL 50 Pint Smart dehumidifier, you can move it in and out of the bathroom whenever you want. Drag it in after taking a shower, and let it work its magic for a while to absorb the extra humidity.
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Use Baking Soda Or Borax
Baking soda and borax are both alkaline substances. Mold doesnt like that. Mold prefers to grow in slightly acidic environments instead. Because of this, you can use baking soda or borax to kill mold and then scrub it off.
There are three ways to do it:
- Make a borax or baking soda paste with a bit of water and apply it to the moldy grout. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, then scrub the area with a brush and rinse it with water.
- Apply some borax or baking soda powder directly to a damp cloth and use that for cleaning the grout.
- Mix 1/2 cup of borax or baking soda with a gallon of water. Use a spray bottle to apply the solution over the mold and mildew. Let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes. Then, use the scrub brush and rinse it with water.
Remember, baking soda is abrasive. You should avoid scrubbing your tiles directly with a baking soda mixture. If youre going to use this cleaning agent, use a thin brush or toothbrush.
How To Get Rid Of Mold In The Shower
Before we get to the various ways toclean a moldy shower, I want to provide you with links to posts that I have writtenabout some of the specific mold removal products. This will give you a betteridea about why I am recommending them.
How to remove mold with:
I think it is also important for you to know why I do NOT recommend cleaning mold with bleach. You need to read that post but in short, it causes MORE mold growth and doesnt actually kill mold.
Ready? Lets go area by area.
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How To Clean Mold In Shower Grout Naturally
Mold in shower grout is a common problem. High humidity combined with porous grout is a perfect habitat for mold. The lack of ventilation, shower screens, or curtains make this situation even worst, creating a haven for black mold. This was a problem in our bathroom. Here is how I have cleaned mold in shower grout naturally, without bleach, borax, WC cleaners, or any toxic substances.
Two steps are required to get rid of the mold for good.
Step 1: Remove the moldStep 2: Eliminate the mold triggers
How To Remove Black Mold In Shower Drain
Shower drains contain cellulose materials via soap scum, body hairs, and oils and lots of moisture so they can be a breeding ground for black mold growth!
Its important to keep drains open and clear of cellulose materials. Treat the drain with vinegar and/or baking soda and water solution periodically to keep it clean and prevent mold spores from developing.
You can then follow the tutorial found on this page for a good method of removing black mold from a shower drain, or you can try this simpler method.
The important thing is to NOT pour bleach down your drain, and to take your time with the process.
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How To Remove Mold With Vinegar
Vinegar is one of the most effective natural cleaning agents. Due to its acidic nature, it creates an environment that inhibits bacteria growth.
At the first signs of mold on the grout, mix equal parts distilled white vinegar and water in a spray bottle and generously spray the affected area. Wait for 30 minutes, then scrub the surfaces with a bristle brush and rinse with warm water. For best results, repeat the process several times.
You can use tree tea oil in roughly the same way use two teaspoons of the products to every cup of water you add in the spray bottle, spray the moldy surfaces, and wait for several hours before rinsing with clear water.
Make sure you keep the windows open to ensure good air circulation and counter the strong smell of the vinegar or the tea tree oil.
If the mold growth is extensive, however, these natural products wont be strong enough to remove it.
Removing Mold In Shower Grout
Removing the mold from the shower grout needs some effort and patience. Not only should you clean all the patches of mold that are visible but you must also disinfect the entire area to ensure that all the spores have been killed and that your bathroom or kitchen is completely safe and hygienic.
So, how can you clean shower grout naturally? There are many different ways by which you can clean the mold from your shower grout and prevent it from growing again.
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How To Easily Remove Mold Or Mildew From Tile Grout
Moisture evaporates rapidly from the hard, slick tile surfaces in your bathroom. Not so, however, from the grout joining those tiles together. The composition of tile grout, usually grainy and porous, tends to retain moisture and bacteria. This makes it an ideal breeding ground for mildew and mold, especially in a warm, humid environment like a bathroom. That fact becomes very conspicuous when white or gray grout gradually turns ugly brown or black due to contamination.
The appearance of mildew or moldboth are types of funguspresent both aesthetic issues as well as health concerns. Here are some ways to remove it from tile grout:
Pre-treatment:
- Wet a large sponge with water and wash down the areas of grout affected by mold or mildew. This is necessary to remove any layer of grime such as soap scum that may shield the fungus from the cleaning process.
- Using a small brush with stiff bristlesa retired toothbrush may work, tooscrub the grout briskly. Even though the grout lines are typically horizontal and vertical, add a circular motion to the brushing process to ensure that you get into all the tiny crevices and cracks in the grout.
- Rinse down the grout with warm water from a sprayer, then pat the surfaces dry with a cloth.
For minor mold or mildew:
For long-standing contamination:
How To Clean Grout
Show that mold and mildew whos boss with our best tips and tricks for cleaning grout.
Even the best tile-cleaning routine in your shower can leave the grout begging for extra attention. Mildew and mold are commonly seen between shower tiles, breeding quickly in the perpetually wet and humid atmosphere. If you have light shower grout, youll see it first spots, then bigger areas and hopefully you can clean it before it gets out of control.
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How To Clean Grout In Shower And Bathroom
Regardless of how clean you keep your home, mold seems to find a way to appear at the most inconvenient of times. Maybe you are trying to enjoy a relaxing bath only to notice mold popping up along your grout lines. Or maybe you are preparing your bathroom for your in-laws visit when you discover a nice little area of mold forming by the sink. Fortunately, there are several ways to easily and effectively clean grout in your shower or bathroom, eliminating mold and leaving behind a clean surface.
How can you clean grout? There are many methods you can use to clean the grout in your bathroom. The most common route is to use a toothbrush with a small amount of a cleaning agent such as distilled white vinegar, baking powder, or bleach to get in the porous groves created by grout. If your grout requires additional cleaning, there are several more advanced solutions for removing nasty mold once and for all.
The appearance of mold can quickly discourage your house cleaning efforts and lead you to believe that you are living in a nasty abode. Unfortunately, the warm, humid environment of the bathroom is a breeding ground for mold. However, with the right tools and preventative measures, you can remove the mold in your bathroom, leaving behind clean grout!
Does Vinegar Hurt Grout
Vinegar is mildly acidic with a pH level around 2.5. Frequent full-strength applications of distilled white vinegar containing 5% to 6% acetic acid followed by hard scrubbing may cause grout to break down. However, natural cleaning solutions such as vinegar and borax are still much less harsh than chlorine bleach.
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Shower Curtain And Shower Curtain Liner
If your shower curtain or the curtain liner has collected mold, all hope isnt lost. You dont necessarily need to throw either one away. Whether the item in question is plastic or fabric, heres how to de-mold it:
How To Clean Bathroom Grout Mold
The most difficult challenge we face while cleaning mold from tilesis cleaning the grout lines that surround a block of tile. So, we decided to dedicate an entire article to demonstrate how to clean bathroom grout mold.
You can clean bathroom grout mold using an assortment of household cooking ingredients and chemicals. Commercial anti-mold formulas are also available for cleaning bathroom grout mold.
In the rest of this feature, we will introduce you to some of the most effective cleaning methods that will make your bathroom grout mold-free. We believe prevention is better than cure. Therefore, we will also shed light on what you can do to keep mold and mildew from growing in your bathroom grouts.
Things You Need
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The Best Homemade Grout Cleaner For Mold
Its a fact that mold loves moist and humid environments with poor air circulation.
Think about it.
Where in your home gets hot, humid, and wet most of the day?
Thats right your bathroom shower.
Whenever you take a shower, the air becomes humid and filled with moisture.
This is the perfect condition for mold to grow if it can find a suitable food source. The tile grout on the shower walls is most often where you will find mold growth.
You can prevent and get rid of mold in these areas by taking a few simple steps.
Most of the time preventing the mold growth is the best cure. However, sometimes thats not always possible.
The best remedy for this problem is to deprive mold of what it needs to grow.
Moisture!
If you can keep the tiles dry after each shower, you can avoid the mold growth altogether.
All you have to do is wipe down the shower walls with a hand towel or absorbent cloth after each shower.
Doing this will help to make the grout get dry faster.
You can even use a use a squeegee.
No one method is better than the other. The key is to remove the excess moisture from the tiles and the grout lines.
Also, you should run your bathroom exhaust fan for at least 30 minutes after you take a shower. This will help to remove the damp, humid air and help to dry the tiles and the grout.
If you have mold growing on the grout, you can take some simple steps to fix this issue.
And safety glasses to avoid the peroxide from getting in your eyes.
The Best Anti Mold Tile Grout
If You Suspect Black Mold Consult A Professional
Most mold that grows in a bathroom is harmless. Black mold, however, is something that should only be handled by a professional mold removal team. If you suspect black mold, or you believe that the mold has become a more serious issue, consult a professional before you begin removal efforts. Especially if you live in a rental property, it is important to notify your property managers of the potential black mold.
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Warm Humid Conditions Encourage Mold Growth In Bathroom
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.
Clean Soap Scum From Tiles First
Your first step is to wipe down your shower using a no scrub shower cleaning technique. This step is as simple as using clean water and a squeegee or paper towels to loosen up dirt or soapy film covering the shower tiles.
Use a soft bristle scrub brush to clean in between grout lines. Add a natural grease remover like lemon juice to loosen up any tough, greasy films that are difficult to remove with warm water alone.
This process makes it easier for you scrub away mildew and grime embedded in the grout by eliminating excess soap scum and loosening up mildew spores. Rinse the tiles with warm water, then dry before using new cleaners.
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And Product : Bleach And Paper Towel
The next type of area that might get black mold is in the shower at the base of the tub and the silicone sealant or caulking. It is very common to find black mold in this area, especially if not diligent in cleaning the area.
Again normal bathroom and shower cleaning agents wont do a good job after the fact, but if used before the black mold develops it will keep the area clean.
For this area, the gel didnt work as well, I tried that first. So I went for the cheaper method.
Begin by pouring some bleach in a container, I am just using my old Rubbermaid Tupperware type container. Then make sure to wear gloves, take a sheet of paper towel and fold it lengthwise, then dip it in the bleach completely.
Ring it out a little bit so it is not dripping like crazy.
Apply the bleached-soaked paper towel to the base where the black mold is. Press it in really well and tight. If you have tough hard water or mildew stains on the top of the tub you can try it on there as well. However, it may be prone to removing the finish. I havent run into that problem yet, but it may happen.
Then let it sit for 1 hour to even overnight. Really tough stains will take longer. You can always reapply after as well.
This did a great job. I wound up doing a few applications and let it sit overnight. Just needs another round and it should be perfect.
Reasons Mold Grows On Shower & Bathroom 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!
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