Summer may be over in a lot of places and it’s Autumn now but in Texas, Summer heat can linger and it can make a bathroom feel like the perfect place for mold to grow. Between showers, humidity and moisture that can linger in a poorly ventilated bathroom, keeping silicone sealant around tubs, showers, sinks and toilets clean can become a real challenge.

If you’ve noticed those familiar dark spots beginning to appear around your bathroom, property maintenance experts have several suggestions for dealing with mold and, just as importantly, preventing it from returning. Which is something my sister also needs to know about because she lives in a older home.

Start With the Right Cleaning Approach– According to Alex Morrissey, Managing Director of Best Roofers and a property maintenance specialist, homeowners often reach for strong commercial mold products immediately. He notes that some people also use household ingredients such as white vinegar when dealing with early-stage mold.

One commonly suggested approach is applying diluted white vinegar to affected silicone sealant and allowing it to sit before wiping and cleaning the area. Before using any cleaning solution, check that it is appropriate for the surface you’re treating and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for your bathroom fixtures and sealant.

Important: Never mix vinegar with bleach or other incompatible cleaning chemicals. Combining household cleaners can create dangerous fumes.

An Old Toothbrush Can Help With Tight Spaces You don’t necessarily need a special tool to scrub every little corner of a bathroom. An old toothbrush can be useful for reaching narrow areas around tubs, showers and other bathroom fixtures where grime and buildup can collect. Use a brush that is clean and dedicated to household cleaning—not one that is going back into someone’s bathroom cup!

Don’t Forget the Moisture: Cleaning visible mold is only part of the job. Mold tends to return when moisture problems remain. That’s why ventilation is such an important part of bathroom maintenance.

After showers and baths:

• Run the bathroom exhaust fan.
• Open a window when appropriate.
• Allow damp surfaces to dry.
• Don’t leave wet towels bunched up on the floor.
• Pay attention to areas where water regularly collects.
• Consider whether a dehumidifier would help if your bathroom stays unusually humid.

The goal isn’t simply to make the mold disappear. It’s to make the bathroom less welcoming to it in the first place.

When Cleaning Isn’t Enough: Sometimes what looks like a cleaning problem is actually a sealant problem. If mold has gotten underneath silicone sealant, or the sealant is cracked, damaged or discolored below the surface, cleaning the outside may only improve its appearance temporarily.

In those situations, the silicone may need to be removed and replaced with appropriate bathroom sealant. If you’re unsure whether the problem is superficial or has gotten underneath the sealant, a professional can help determine the best solution.

A Little Prevention Can Save a Lot of Scrubbing; Bathroom mold is one of those household problems that can feel like it appears overnight. Keeping moisture under control, improving ventilation and checking bathroom sealant regularly can make it easier to catch problems before they become a bigger maintenance job.

And sometimes the simplest tools—a bathroom fan, a dry towel and an old toothbrush—can become surprisingly useful weapons in the battle against bathroom grime.

Information Source: The practical cleaning and property-maintenance tips in this article were provided by Alex Morrissey, Managing Director of Best Roofers.

Greatful Moments reminder: If you have persistent mold, extensive growth, water damage or concerns about possible mold inside walls or other areas that cannot be safely cleaned, consider consulting an appropriate professional rather than trying to handle a larger problem yourself.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates-