Where Does Mold Grow In My Shower
- Mold can grow in the grout. That is one of its favorite places.
- It can grow inside the window frame if your window is IN the shower like mine is.
- It can grow around the drain and on the drain plug.
- Mold can grow on the shower caulking.
- It can grow in the door tracks if you have doors.
- Mold can grow under shampoo bottles, bars of soap, shaving cream bottles, etc
- While not technically a part of the shower, mold can grow on a shower curtain.
Mold can also grow behind shower tiles and on the wall but this is due to a leak behind the shower and not from water in the shower typically. The exception is if your grout is old and cracking. Then water can seep behind the shower tiles allowing mold to grow.
Knock Out Your Shower Mold With Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is an antifungal agent and cuts right through your mold problem. Peroxide attacks mold and bubbles it away you can apply peroxide to clean mold in the bathroom if vinegar doesnt do the job.
This recipe shows you how to get rid of black mold in shower tiles and curtains safely and efficiently with peroxide.
- 1 pair of rubber gloves
- Cleaning pad
Combine water and peroxide in the spray bottle. Spray the solution on affected spots, and let it sit for a few minutes. Scrub the places with the pad, rinse, and dry. Wear old clothes when using peroxide, as peroxide spills can stain.
If you recently replaced the grout in your tile, you may have leftover residue on your tiles. Cleaning grout haze is easy with this peroxide and water recipe. Wipe the solution on the tiles to remove grout haze and leave your tiles shining again.
The Best Way To Remove Mold & Mildew With Two Ingredients No Bleach Or Vinegar
Last week, we had this post about tea tree oil. It had all the unique benefits of this oil and why it is so effective. I mentioned at the bottom of the post you can also use tea tree oil to clean!
And that is what we are using today!
Most of my family has breathing issues, so I do not use bleach for cleaning ANYTHING in the home. It is toxic, potent, and can cause damage to fabrics. I use bleach only for keeping mold off of cut flowers or pumpkins.
Vinegar is also not a product I use around my master bathroom due to all the natural stone we have . Remember to check out this post on the damage vinegar can do.
But, now I can remove mold in seconds.WAY more effectively than bleach too!
It is so simple!
Remember, for a basic shower cleaner for natural stone, use this recipe!
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Types Of Stone Finish
Before we jump into the stone tile cleaner for a shower, it is important to understand and recognize the type of stone finish
- Polished: A polished surface is kind of a glossy surface. It highlights the color and markings of the surface and reflects light
- Honed: This type of stone has a satin-smooth surface and has a meager reflection of light. This type of surface is generally used for stairs, floors, treads, and other locations where heavy footfalls wear off the polished finish.
How To Get Rid Of Black Mold In Shower Caulking
I wrote a whole post about removing black mold from shower caulking, though my bleach method has been critiqued for not actually doing more than removing the stain and color of the mold. And the mold did come back 6-9 months later.
You can see my video tutorial about how I did it though:
This is because bleach is no longer considered to be the best way to remove mold. It is only effective if the mold is on a non-porous material like tile, bathtubs, glass, and countertops. It doesnt reach the mold growing underneath the surface. Also, bleach can damage the materials it is used on as its a harsh, corrosive chemical. The fumes are strong and harsh and it must be handled with gloves.
But, it does do a great job at removing the mold stains, but the mold isnt truly killed. If you want to get rid of the possibility of future mold growth, bleach isnt going to cut it.
You can instead use vinegar, baking soda, ammonia, oxygen bleach, borax or hydrogen peroxide.
I, however, have not been able to find many tutorials on how to use these products specifically for cleaning moldy caulking in bathrooms, so if anyone has tried using them, with success, Id love to know! I tried making a paste of water and OxiClean and slathered it onto the moldy caulking, but it did absolutely nothing. It dried out shortly after application and didnt remove the mold or the stains at all.
Adding new caulk is a great way to spruce up that moldy shower.
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Directions For Cleaning A Natural Stone Shower:
TIP: You can also use Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner to clean the grout in between your stone tiles. Click here for directions on how to do so.
TIP: For directions on how to clean glass shower doors, click here.
Keeping Your Shower Clean
Now that you know how to clean a shower, it’s important to keep the shower clean. If you don’t do some basic maintenance, you’ll allow mold to grow, accumulate scum and even degrade your shower grout and sealant.
Here are 5 tips to prevent your shower from getting covered in mold and mildew:
It’s officially time to enjoy your shower once again!
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Easy Ways To Maintain Your Natural Stone Surfaces
While it’s essential to clean your natural stone surfaces correctly, there are many different things you can do daily to maintain them. From countertops to bathroom surfaces, try using these maintenance methods on your natural stone.
- To protect your natural stone floors, dust them daily with a clean, untreated dry dust mop to keep them free of abrasive sand, dirt, grit, or debris. In foyers or atriums, always keep a non-slip mat or area rug near the entrance to catch this debris.
- Protect your countertop surfaces in kitchens by using coasters under all glasses, particularly under glasses containing alcohol or citrus juices.
- Do not place hot pans or dishes on your countertops after removing them from the stove. Always use trivets, heating pads, or mats under hot dishes and pans.
- Use placemats under china, ceramics, or silver to avoid scratching.
- In wet areas that produce soap scum, use a squeegee after each use of a shower or bathtub to minimize the scum.
Hints On Removing Mold From A Natural Stone Shower
Natural stone showers are aesthetically very pleasant to the eye. However, they are tricky to maintain due to their very nature. Based on the type of stone, they all behave differently when in contact with water and steam. Nonetheless, one thing will happen with all of them mold will grow, and you will have to think up of a way to effectively clean it and prevent it from growing again. Here are some hints that can help you in this task.
Prevention
The smartest solution for natural stone shower tiles would be to have them impregnated and sealed after you have purchased them. The next step is to keep them clean after each shower or bath to prevent the creation of mold and mildew. However, in real life, we often do not have time to clean it after each shower, especially when in rush, so it would be best if you dedicated one day to cleaning it. Here are some tips for cleaning your shower on a regular basis.
Cleaning Products
Test drive
After you have decided on the product, you must perform a test. Use a small amount of the preferred cleaning agent on a small surface , and see what happens. If it starts damaging it or causing an aggressive chemical reaction, then abort the mission and change the ingredients. The last thing you need are damaged tiles and an entire shower makeover. Before you start cleaning, turn the hot water on, close the door and let the steam loosen the mold.
Getting Down to Work
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Is Shower Mold Toxic
Due to the way bathrooms and showers are constructed today, the black mold you see in your shower is less likely to be the really hazardous type of mold. This is because your shower areas and surfaces dont have cellulose which is required for most of the really hazardous types of mold to grow.
That isnot to say that one of the more toxic molds cant ever grow in your shower. Theycan. If you have a bigger issue in your bathroom or home and THOSE spores haveinfiltrated your shower then your shower can become a breeding ground for somereally bad mold. But regular ol mold in the shower usually more allergenicthan anything.
Cleaning A Travertine Shower: What Youll Need
Travertine is a sensitive stone that can be easily damaged, so its important to use the right cleaners and the right materials. Not only is travertine porous, but its also not as strong as granite and some other types of natural stone. The wrong cleaning regimen may leave your stone damaged, etched, or broken.
When cleaning a travertine shower, you should use a cleaner made specifically for porous natural stone surfaces. You definitely should not use acidic cleaners, including vinegar, with travertine or other limestones. In general, DIY cleaning solutions are not recommended for travertine because they may cause damage to the stone.
Unfortunately, your options are rather limited if youre looking for a safe, chemical-free cleaning product thats made for Travertine. Thankfully, Better Lifes Granite and Stone Cleaner is a safe, eco-friendly product that is readily available and effective.
Here are the supplies we recommend having on hand before you start:
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Additional Tips And Advice
- Another option is to use a degreaser diluted with hot water. Combine 10 parts water to 1 part degreaser. Use a scrub brush with plastic bristles to apply the mixture to the stains and scrub them away. Make sure the product you use is safe for stone and spot test before you begin.
- Although its often suggested as a way to eradicate mold and mildew, bleach is not a good option for stone. Use of bleach may result in fading or discoloration of stone, grout and/or nearby surfaces.
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Why Is There Mold On My Couch
Items left in storage can accumulate mold and mildew, especially in damp, dark conditions. Mold thrives in moist environments, and fabrics such as upholstery can absorb moisture from the air and provide an ideal place for mold and mildew to grow. It usually appears in patches, and can give off a foul, musty odor.
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How To Clean Natural Stone Shower
Natural stone materials like slate, limestone, granite, marble, and onyx come in a wide range of colors and patterns to suit a variety of bathroom designs. Soapstone, travertine, and granite work best in showers because they are less porous compared to marble.
The hardest part about cleaning a natural stone tile shower is keeping the white, cloudy soap scum buildup under control.
It may seem like the right idea to use acidic cleaners like vinegar and ammonia to dissolve stubborn product buildup and hard water deposits. These have extreme pH’s that will eventually break down any sealants, scratch stone, and eventually lead to discoloration.
Natural stone should be cleaned once a week with a pH-neutral cleaning product like Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner. The powerful cleaner dissolves tough soils and buildup without damaging your beautiful stone surfaces, and removes soap scum, body oils and greases, bath oils, soap, and shampoo oils.
On top of regular deep cleaning, you can avoid scum buildup by removing excess water after every shower. Use a rubber squeegee or microfiber towel to get rid of remaining water spots and leave the shower looking sparkling clean.
Removing Mold From Shower Curtain
You might feel like your shower curtains are beyond repair when discovering mold however, you can save them. Heres how to clean shower curtains:
- Baking Soda and Vinegar. Start by removing your shower curtain and place it in the washer along with some soiled bath towels. The towels will prevent the curtain from crinkling, but they will also help to scrub the shower curtains.Add your normal laundry detergent to the machine along with half a cup of baking soda. Start the machine as you normally would, but when it gets to the rinse cycle, add half a cup of vinegar.Allow the machine to finish. Then once its done, hang the curtain to dry preferably in the sun as UV rays also kill mold.
- Bleach. Start by making a solution of half a cup of bleach and a quarter of a cup of laundry detergent in a bucket. Fill the bucket with water and put it aside.Remove the shower curtain and place it in the washing machine along with two soiled towels. Start the regular cycle and add the bleach solution once the machine is full of water. Adding the solution when the machine is empty will increase the chances of damaging the towels.Once the washing machine is finished, hang the curtain out to dry.
Take Note
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Removing Mold From Shower
The shower is a prime spot for mold growth the often moist and humid space provides precisely what mold needs to grow. There are many areas within the shower where you might discover mold. These include the drain, grout lines and caulk.
1. Select Your Mold-Killing Solution
We highly recommend that you choose one of the solutions we mentioned above. Inspect the shower area to know where the mold is hiding.
Check the drain, grout and caulk consider how much mold is present. If its only a small amount, use a milder solution such as vinegar. However, if the mold is more severe, consider using bleach or borax.
2. Apply the Solution
Spray the solution directly onto the moldy area. We also like to spray the area around it to ensure all spores and traces are killed as well. If youre using bleach, make sure you follow the safety precautions we mentioned above.
Allow your solution to sit on the moldy area for 10 to 15 minutes less if using bleach .
For the Caulk: Shower caulk is a little more tricky to clean than other parts of the shower. For this, we like to make a paste of baking soda and bleach.
Start by adding a generous amount of baking soda to a container. Slowly add bleach until it forms a paste. Then apply the paste to the moldy area and cover with plastic wrap. It might be tricky, but do what you can.
Leave the paste on the mold for up to two hours. Remove the plastic and scrub with a brush. Rinse the area well, and if theres still mold, repeat the process.
3. Scrub
Cleaning Mold & Mildew
Bathrooms are a haven for mold and mildew and even the most diligent cleaning routines may not be able to stop it from forming. To kill off mold and mildew and keep your investment looking its best, travertine can be cleaned with a peroxide-based product like Oxiclean, which will not harm the polish on your travertine. Remember, hydrogen peroxide can bleach fabric, so, like bleach, watch your clothes and linens.
If the problem persists, or if you have any questions, give us a call.
This is one of a series of articles written and published on behalf of Stone and Tile PRO Partners.
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Getting Rid Of Mold With Baking Soda
From absorbing odors in the fridge to relieving heartburn, baking soda has a multitude of uses around the house including black mold removal. Its safe for your family and pets, and it not only kills black mold, it absorbs moisture that attracts mold.
Add one-quarter of a tablespoon of baking soda to a spray bottle of water and shake until it has dissolved. Spray the moldy area with the baking soda and water solution, then use a scrub brush to remove mold from the surface. Next, rinse the surface with water to remove any residue and baking soda. Finally, spray the area again and let the surface dry without wiping. This will kill any left-over mold and help prevent the mold from returning.
For really tough black mold removal, mix two parts baking soda with one part white vinegar and one part water. Stir the mixture until it becomes a thick paste. Spread your mixture liberally onto the surface and let it dry. Scrub away the black mold and stains, and wipe down with water.
