There are various types of bathroom mould, but black mould is the most prevalent and hazardous.
Damp environments and bathroom surfaces with higher moisture levels create an ideal breeding ground for mould growth. To minimise mould exposure, it’s crucial to clean and dry these areas regularly.
Instead of using bleach to clean silicone sealants, Homeaglow’s resident cleaning expert Aaron Christensen recommends using a kitchen item that will “save you a trip to the shop for mould-specific chemicals”.
He said: “The lowest-effort way to clean bathroom sealants is to get some vinegar from your pantry. Not only will this save you a trip to the shop for mould-specific chemicals, but it will save you time in detoxifying your bathroom from bleach or other toxic substances you may use to remove mould.”
The expert explained the mould will be typically found along shower, bath, and sink linings (otherwise known as silicone sealants) because it’s used to keep water out of bathroom fixtures.
Aaron claimed: “The easiest approach to try first is spraying some vinegar over the sealant, taking special care to spray into the corners.
“I recommend spraying over the entire length of your silicone sealant, as it’s likely that even if you can’t visibly detect any mould yet, the warm, damp bathroom environment that caused the mould will be beginning to work on the rest of your silicone lining.
“After you have left the vinegar spay to sit and eat away at the mould for at least half an hour, use a damp cloth to wipe off the vinegar and mould.” Use a clean cloth to wipe the surface afterwards.
For those who find that just using white vinegar yields minimal results, mix it with another pantry favourite: baking soda (around two to three teaspoons). However, this method with require scrubbing unlike the one prior.
Mix the two into a thick paste and smooth it over the silicone sealant until there is a thick layer covering the mould.
Leave it for five to 10 minutes before scrubbing it in circular motions with a toothbrush. Wet a sponge with cold water to wipe the mixture off.
Households can even soak a cloth (or toilet/kitchen paper) in vinegar and place it over the paste so it doesn’t dry out, this will “increase the working time” of the paste and its “efficacy”, claimed Aaron.
If this doesn’t work still, it might be time to bring the chemicals out. The expert said: “Bleach is good and you may already have it at home.”
To create a spray, pour some bleach into a spray bottle with water, using one part bleach to four parts water. Once the lid is on nice and tight, shake well to mix. Then spray onto the mould-covered areas.
Since bleach is more toxic and you’ve already wiped the rest of the silicone with vinegar, only spay onto the visibly affected areas.
You want to leave this to sit until it evaporates. Then you can use a clean, wet sponge to clean it off thoroughly.
Households should look out for large areas of mould, and avoid cleaning those areas themselves as they may be dealing with water damage, a plumbing issue, or a mould infestation. In this case, call a professional.
