How to remove mould from bathroom sealant ? (merged threads)

twobordercollies · 24 November 2009 at 4:42PM

DSR wrote: »

Can anyone advise on the best way to remove mould from bathroom sealant or is it better to remove it and re-apply a new seal?

I have tried neat bleach & mildew removal spray which only slightly reduce the mould.

After reading all these posts, I was almost resigned to replacing the sealant, but I saw "Tilex mold and mildew remover" in the store and decided to try it-It works great! Sprayed it on twice a day for about 2 days, and the mold is gone!

Mr_Thrifty · 24 November 2009 at 6:23PM

u need to call kim n aggie lol

missychrissy · 24 November 2009 at 8:31PM

Lakeland also do a spray for mould that works brilliantly. Also, a plumber advised me years ago that there is a lot less mould occurs if you use shower gel instead of soap.

Ed_Tallents · 22 May 2010 at 1:52PM

OK. This is how you do it the right way.

Buy your silicone from a TRADE glazing or bathroom specialist. DO NOT USE "DIY" SILICONE. Get a Trade-brand silicone like Valliance and make sure it is suitable for your intended application.

DIY stuff lacks the nastier chemicals that are required for it to stick as best as can be, and have longer-lasting properties, because of the requirements of selling it to consumers rather than professionals. The stuff you buy from B&Q might have all the marketing guff on the label, but its just nowhere near as good as a trade product. If you have no alternative to B&Q etc, then just get the very best product you can; often the most expensive, but worth it.

Use methylated spirits to remove the old silicone and a plastic scraper if you are worried about damaging surfaces.

You can use a fresh Stanley blade at 90degrees to the surface for real stubborn bits.

Clean thoroughly with methylated spirits, and allow to dry, getting the surfaces clean and 100% grease-free.

Also ensure that bath/shower-tray feet are tight so the seal doesn't break in future sue to movement. You often have to half fill the bath with water, apply the silicone and let it set, before draining.

Before you apply any silicone, use masking tape at the top and side of the intended bead so that you don't get it everywhere and do get a perfect finish. This way, you can be as clumsy as you like with the application of the silicone.

Then chop the top off a plastic bottle or use another receptacle and fill with water and a good squirt of washing-up liquid, then stir well. Get a bin bag to hand and a kitchen roll to wipe your fingers on.

Cut the top off the silicone tube and attach the nozzle. Cut nozzle at 45degrees and to the diameter of your intended bead.

Apply the silicone as best you can (applying ever so slightly too much), working it right back into the crevice and then smooth back with a CLEAN, WET finger, regularly dipped into the washing-up liquid, wiping excess silicone from your fingers onto the kitchen roll. Get it 100% perfect and then carefully remove the masking tape, putting it into the bin bag as you go.

When removing the tape, pull at 90 deg to the surface, and try to do this AS SOON AS POSSSIBLE after applying the silicone - this helps get a clean edge.

Hey presto - you should have a high-quality, perfectly finished, equal, radius of silicone, that seals properly, doesn't hold water and is therefore as mould-resistant as can be.

Avoid using bath/shower for as long as possible, but AT LEAST 24hours or whatever the silicone instructions say.

Mike-C_2 · 17 November 2010 at 7:12PM

I have tried many of the various remedies in this thread over the years (vinegar, bleach and including the HG Mould spray recommended by Lizzie Dripping in an earlier post). All made some impact but failed to cure the problem.

Had my plumber in recently for another problem, he had found a reference to potassium permanganate on a trade web site as being the best treatment, but as yet had not given it a go. Now I know why - it is no longer the sort of product that you can walk into a chemist and buy over the counter.

There is a useful discussion of the use of potassium permanganate for removing black mould at
[URL="wlmailhtml:{79545550-C844-40A3-80D7-F87194B54C0D}mid://00000224/!x-usc:http://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com/where-does-black-mold-come-from-and-what-is-the-best-way-to-remove-black-mold-that-grows-on-damp-walls"]http://www.bigsiteofamazingfacts.com/where-does-black-mold-come-from-and-what-is-the-best-way-to-remove-black-mold-that-grows-on-damp-walls[/URL]
but it fails to mention what strength you should use. Further research indicates a 1% solution e.g. 2.5 grams (about half a teaspoon) in 250cc of water (about 4/5ths of a standard 1lb sized jar). My kitchen scales don't do half grams so I ended up with 3 grams and a slightly stronger solution.

Where to get the potassium permanganate? From Cheryl at
[URL="wlmailhtml:{79545550-C844-40A3-80D7-F87194B54C0D}mid://00000224/!x-usc:http://www.potassium-permanganate-online.com/"]www.potassium-permanganate-online.com[/URL]
where there is a lot of useful information about its use. Note this is seriously strong stuff, even diluted, so do take heed of the advice to wear rubber gloves - thoughtfully provided by Cheryl with your purchase.

How successful was it? I applied 3 applications with a paint brush, working it into the nooks and crannies, and working over the difficult bits with a toothbrush, leaving 5 minutes, then washing down with the shower spray. It got off the bulk of the black, about 95% - two small seriously difficult patches, although improved, still remain. However this is far more than any of the other products have achieved.

There was, as warned, some slight brown staining of the surrounding white tiles but I tackled them immediately and found that they wiped off with a swab quite easily.

As an earlier post suggests, and the article referred to above confirms, these fungi (there is more than one type) grow down into the substrate so the only permanent solution is to cut out the sealant and replace. A bigger job for another time. I am happy for the time being with what I have achieved in about 20 minutes, even if not perfect, because it is now so much better than it was before.

Bronnie · 17 November 2010 at 11:40PM

Maybe Ed Tallents in post 65 has a point about Trade sealant and DIY sealant, because I had absolutely no success with any of these suggestions on the mould in sealant round the bath in one property, yet unexpectedly miraculous results with a similar level of problem in the shower cubicle in another house. (with Dettol Mould and Mildew Remover).

[Deleted User] · 18 November 2010 at 7:37AM

missychrissy wrote: »

Lakeland also do a spray for mould that works brilliantly. Also, a plumber advised me years ago that there is a lot less mould occurs if you use shower gel instead of soap.

I have used the Lakeland spray and its excellant

nzseries1 · 14 January 2011 at 4:48PM

JackieO wrote: »

I have used the Lakeland spray and its excellant

HG Mould Spray? Yes, it is the best, in my opinion anyway!

BrandNewDay · 5 March 2011 at 5:15PM

I just had to Google this thread because I've started a cleaning business and twice this week I've had to leave a bathroom sparkling... except for that black mould I couldn't shift. I'm going to try the Lakeland/HG stuff and see if it works.

I need something that works nearly instantly - reapplying for a couple of days won't work for me, as I'm only there for a couple of hours. I really need to leave the customer's bathroom looking pristine. So far, I've explained to two customers that scrubbing with neat bleach and a toothbrush hasn't worked, and they were understanding (I think they'd tried, themselves) but I'd really rather just leave them with a gorgeous, perfect bathroom and not have to apologize.

I will report back to tell you all how well it works.

cooking-mama · 5 March 2011 at 6:24PM

BrandNewDay have you tried Dettol,mould and mildew remover?,I was amazed when i first used this,and it does work instantly,only around £2.99 a bottle(tho got the last bottle for £1.99 in Home bargains)honestly its worth a try.

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How to remove mould from bathroom sealant ? (merged threads)

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