How to easily, quickly and effectively remove mold in the bathroom on sealant?

Updated: 06/01/2021 10:50:30

Expert: Panteleeva Irina Vladimirovna

Once mold gets into the house, it will never leave it voluntarily. Especially if conditions are favorable for reproduction and growth. But it is necessary to fight the fungus. Because in addition to damaging the interior, mold spores are harmful to health.

We will tell you how you can get rid of a malicious neighbor. Let's start with the most favorite place for black mold - the bathroom.

Why does mold form?

Mold formation can occur for several reasons. The most important reason that influences the formation of mold in the bathroom on sealant is increased air humidity.

Additional factors include:

1. Malfunction of the ventilation system.
2. Insufficiently insulated walls.
3. Poor sealing of seams.

If the sealant you used contained fungicides, then the mold formation was due to poor product quality. If you used a product from a reputable manufacturer, then the reason will be something else. For example, quite often mold can form due to poor quality sealing. Therefore, before carrying out work, you should select a high-quality sealant for the bathroom against mold and study all stages of the work.

An effective way to combat mold on sealant

Before you start fighting fungus, you first need to prepare the surface. To do this, you need to take a bucket of warm water and beat the laundry soap shavings in it until foam appears. Then soak a rag in the solution and treat the areas between the bathtub and the wall.

Then wipe the moldy areas dry with a napkin and, if possible, dry with a hair dryer.

The result will be better if you first turn off the water to reduce the percentage of humidity.

To remove mold from silicone you will need:

• bleach;
• spray;
• brush;
• soapy water;
• towel.

Pure bleach is poured into a spray bottle and sprayed onto all affected areas. The product is left for 15-20 minutes. During this period, it will destroy fungal spores and begin to act as intended - to whiten the surface.

Next, the sealant is thoroughly cleaned with a brush. The pressure should not be strong, otherwise the putty may be damaged.

At the final stage, the seams are washed with water to remove any remaining bleach and wiped with a dry towel.

Danger of mold in the bathroom

Mold is a truly unique organism. In some cases it can be beneficial, but sometimes it can be harmful. Mold that grows on a variety of surfaces in your home can cause health hazards. That is why it is necessary to get rid of it as soon as possible. Mold spreads through spores. They can move freely around the house and, accordingly, appear in different places.

See also: How to remove mold in the bathroom?

The harm to the human body caused by mold in the bathroom on the sealant is not immediately noticeable. The spores that we inhale will most often affect the respiratory organs. The high-risk group will include people who have a variety of respiratory problems.

Types of mold

First, we will briefly introduce you to the main types of mold and their dangerous properties.

As you can see, there is no reason to wait. You need to act at the slightest sign of fungus in your home.

Mold Removal Process

At the moment, many people are interested in the question of how to get rid of mold on the sealant in the bathroom. If you notice a small area with mold, then you can simply wash it off and subsequently treat it with a special product. If everything is done correctly and really quickly, then mold will no longer return to your home. Otherwise, you may need to resort to drastic measures. To get rid of mold you need to follow these steps:

1. Fill a special container with water and pour the bathroom cleaner into it. The entire solution must be mixed well.
2. Now you should wet the sponge and treat the affected area in your home.
3. The cleaning agent must be rinsed off with plenty of water.
4. Now the surface will need to be disinfected. This is necessary to ensure that disputes do not spread in the future.
5. Before you start rinsing off the disinfectant, you will need to scrub the surface well with a sponge or special brush. This will allow the product to penetrate into small cracks.
6. Now rinse off the bleach and simply wipe the sealant dry.

These are the main steps you will need to follow when dealing with mold. If you do everything correctly, then you can be sure that mold will no longer appear in your home.

Chemical substances

In addition to solutions that you can make yourself, chemical agents are highly effective. They can be purchased in hardware departments of stores.

As a rule, containers with a chemical product have a volume of at least half a liter and a built-in sprayer.

This design of the bottle allows you to spray the product evenly, getting into hard-to-reach places.

Directions for use are indicated on the packaging of each cleaning product . Spraying is carried out evenly over the surface of the sealant. After allowing a certain amount of time for the reaction to occur, brushing is carried out.

Сillit Bang anti-stain

This liquid product is available in 750 ml bottles. The average cost of Cillit Bang is quite high - 320 rubles.

For normal cleaning, it is enough to leave the product on the surface for 5 minutes, and to eliminate fungus and mold colonies, the required exposure time is a quarter of an hour. After this, Cillit Bang is washed off with water.

ASTONISH Mold & Mildew Remover

ASTONISH Mold & Mildew Remover cleaning product is available in 750 ml bottles. The cost of this drug is lower than the previous one, around 270 rubles.

ASTONISH contains chlorine . The product is designed to effectively remove mold without the need for increased friction. Can be used on various surfaces.

In order for ASTONISH to work, it is enough to leave it for only 3 or 4 minutes, then rinse the area of ​​application with a sponge.

Veksa Bathroom cleaner

This household chemical is intended for cleaning and bleaching surfaces and contains chlorine. It has an affordable price - from 100 rubles per 500 ml package. For normal regular cleaning, Veksa Bathroom cleaner is pre-diluted in water.

If the goal is to eliminate fungal colonies, then the concentrate must be applied in undiluted form directly to the surface of the sealant. The concentrated form of the drug effectively fights mold.

To treat, Veksa Bathroom cleaner is applied for about a quarter of an hour , after which brushing is carried out. If after washing off the product with water the desired result is not achieved, the treatment should be repeated. Do not allow the product to dry completely on the surface of the sealant.

Unicum

Unicum spray is designed directly for removing mold from various surfaces. The volume of the bottle is 750 ml, its cost is about 260 rubles.

The active components of the drug effectively penetrate into cracks and gaps between the sealant and the tile or bathtub, which allows you to eliminate pathogenic organisms in one application.

If the fungal colony is large, re-treatment may be necessary.

Izocid (IZOCID ANTI-MOLD)

Isocide is a household chemical product that is intended for use against fungus and mold. Bottle volume – 500 ml. The consumption of this product is economical. Despite the price (from 260 rubles), IZOCID completely justifies itself. The product can be used outside and inside the building.

What to do if mold returns?

Sometimes you may encounter a problem when mold returns to the bathroom. This is not at all strange and the problem could have been spores that were not completely removed. In this case, the fight against mold will consist of the following stages:

1. It is necessary to completely remove the sealant that is present in the bathroom. The old sealant should be thrown away immediately, as spores may remain on it.
2. Now you can disinfect the affected area using special products that can be purchased at any specialty store.
3. When you have treated the surface, you can wash the seam with a rag and wait until it dries completely.
4. Now you can re-treat the cracks with sealant. It is better to choose products from a well-known manufacturer and then mold in the bathroom on the sealant will no longer appear.

See also: Methods for eliminating mold in the bathroom

Mold prevention

The following measures can be taken to prevent the appearance of mold:

• Ensure constant air circulation in the bathtub or shower.
• Do not close the door or window after bathing procedures.
• Stretch the shower curtain to its full length to dry.
• Clean your bathroom at least once a week.
• Treat all surfaces with an all-purpose cleaner when cleaning.
• Don't forget to wash your bath curtain and floor mats.
• Carefully ensure that there are no leaks in the pipes. The faucet and mixer did not leak.
• Remove clogs in bathtub and sink drains promptly.

We recommend watching the video instructions:

Folk remedies

If you don’t know how to remove mold from the sealant in the bathroom, then remember that you can use popular folk recipes. The most common methods include:

• Table vinegar. This is the most effective remedy. Vinegar must be placed in a spray bottle and sprinkled on the affected surface. After this, you should wait 60 minutes and begin washing off the surface. After completing this procedure, it is imperative to check the bathroom.
• Hydrogen peroxide. This drug can be used not only for treating wounds. If you find mold, then using this product you can quickly overcome it. If you come into contact with peroxide, you can damage your hands and therefore it is better to carry out the procedure with gloves.
• Baking soda. This product is completely safe for humans, but merciless against mold. Half a teaspoon of soda should be placed with 0.5 liters of water. After this, you can treat the affected areas. The effect can be consolidated by repeating the procedure.

Of course, there are other methods that you can find on the Internet, but these are the most effective.

If the problem returns

If, despite all the measures taken to clean the sealant from mold, this could not be done, the fungus has probably penetrated into the deeper layers of the composition. To eliminate it, you will need to remove at least the top layer of waterproofing and apply a new one with an antifungal effect.

Before applying a new sealant, the surface must be treated:

• clear away debris;
• disinfect, for example, with isopropyl alcohol.

All stages of preparing and applying waterproofing must be performed very carefully. After treatment with alcohol, you need to wait 30 minutes to consolidate the effect.

Waterproofing should only be applied to a completely dry surface . After filling the seam with sealant, it is necessary to wait the required time, preventing moisture from entering its surface.

Before using the sealant, you must study the instructions for it, since different manufacturers may have their own application features.

Preventive measures

After getting rid of the mold, you need to take additional measures to ensure that mold in the bathroom on the caulk does not reappear. A set of such procedures may include:

1. Installation of ventilation equipment. Thanks to high-quality ventilation, you can ensure the supply of fresh air into the room.
2. All sources of high humidity must be treated with sealant.
3. If the walls freeze in winter, then waterproofing should be done.
4. Repair any cracks that form on the ceiling or walls.

This is the main set of measures that will protect the bathroom from mold formation in the future.

What is the danger of black fungus?

Children, the elderly and people with reduced immunity suffer the most from the fungus. The danger is associated with negative health effects.

Problems caused by the development of fungus in the bathroom:

• 
  asthma;

• pneumonia and other respiratory disorders;
• nausea;
• loss of appetite;
• exacerbation of allergic manifestations;
• dermatological and other pathologies.

From the sealant used for waterproofing, pathogenic flora can get onto bath accessories and accumulate in the air. In addition to affecting the health of households, mold has a detrimental effect on engineering structures, destroying materials.

Knowing about all these features, fungus on the sealant should be dealt with carefully, and preferably in the initial stages. Fungal colonies should not be allowed to grow .

How to remove mold from the surface of the sealant?

If black spots have recently appeared on the sealant, then you have a chance to completely get rid of mold spores. Prepare rubber gloves, a dry cloth, a sponge, an old toothbrush and any detergent for plumbing.

Follow these steps:

1. Rinse the bathtub with hot water.
2. Apply the detergent to the surface of the caulk, including areas where mold is not visible.
3. Leave the room for 15–30 minutes.
4. Go back and gently scrub the sealant with a toothbrush.

5. Rinse off any remaining foam with cold water. Wipe the surface dry with a cloth.

Finally, be sure to leave the bathroom to air out. Open the doors and windows in your apartment to create a draft. If you don't do this, mold will begin to grow again in a warm, humid environment.

Antifungal Bath Sealants

If the above methods do not help and the mold returns, it means that the spores have penetrated deep into the putty and all that remains is to change it.

To replace the old one, you need to purchase a bathroom sealant against mold. This is a viscous substance containing a fungicide that has antibacterial properties and prevents the growth of fungus. Specifically for the bathroom, products based on silicone and acrylic are suitable.

Silicone sealant

Silicone-based sealant is suitable for finishing joints between tiles and has a good water-repellent effect. If the product is made from high-quality materials, then it does not lose its qualities even with sudden temperature changes.

There are two types of putty:

• acidic;
• neutral.

Acid sealant is recommended for use only on surfaces that are not susceptible to oxidation. In addition, this putty has a specific smell.

The neutral sealant is compatible with any material and can be applied to metal surfaces. In addition, it does not have a pungent odor.

Acrylic sealant

This putty contains components that block the development of fungal spores. However, this material is not elastic enough, so it often cracks when it hardens.

Because of this feature, it is not recommended for use in places that are subject to mechanical stress.

The best commercial mold repellents

In the old days, this problem was solved by a radical method - simply leaving the house infected with mold. Now there are many other ways. Let's look at each of them in detail.

Such a dangerous enemy as black fungus requires immediate action to combat it. The process itself may not be quick and labor-intensive, but not only the type of room, but also your health depends on it

Industrial products are distinguished by the fact that after contact with them, mold loses its aggressive properties within a few hours. Some products need to be used regularly when cleaning, others during repairs. We will consider the characteristics of the best purchased antiseptics below.

Bagi Anti-Mold Spray

It is a good antibacterial agent. It is produced in Israel. It destroys not only visible mold, but also its spores, and also eliminates unpleasant odors.

It goes on sale in 0.5 liter bottles. The composition contains chlorine, surfactants and a maximum of 15% non-ionic surfactants, fragrances.

DEC spray from Neohim

DEC spray does the same job well. At the same time, this anti-mold tool removes limescale, traces of corrosion, and neutralizes odors. Consists of water, active ingredients, disinfectants, up to 5% surfactants, perfume composition.

Glycolic acid, present in the composition in the required concentration, penetrates the structure and removes harmful bacteria to the surface

The product is also good because after its application a hydrophobic layer is created, which protects the surface from fungus in the future.

PROSEPT Bath Fungi

An effective alkaline product for removing mold, produced in Russia. Packaging: 0.5 liter bottle with sprayer. There are 3 modes: OFF - closed state, SPRAY - spray mode with the smallest fraction, STREAM - the ability to apply working fluid in streams.

Has a wide range of functionality. Allows you to stop biological damage at the initial stage, prevent the progression of mold fungi, disinfects, and eliminates the smell of mold.

The negative aspects include the strong smell of bleach.

Cillit Bang Spray

This is a type of chlorine-containing product. The composition includes a significant amount of chlorine, which increases the effectiveness of the spray. After spraying, this product is left on the surface for 20 minutes. Considering that it is highly toxic, you should not stay indoors at this time. After 20 minutes, the substance is washed off.

Mellerud product from Germany

Under this brand, various products are produced that differ in composition: with chlorine, without this component. Regardless of the type, it is recommended to be careful when working with such substances, as they are toxic. The surfaces are treated with the spray and the substance is removed after 20 minutes. Moreover, it is necessary to use a lot of water to wash off the product.