Mouldy silicone in shower - cost to remove and replace?

breaking_free

Apologies for double posting but I wasn't getting any replies. (I've also put this in "Is this quote fair")

As the title suggests I'm wondering what a handyman might charge for this job. It's a regular size shower cubicle and I'm based in Grantham, Lincolnshire. I've made email enquries to several locals but none of them have got back to me yet. 

Ebe_Scrooge

If you're just talking about the bit around the shower tray then it's no more than an hour's work, and less than a tenner for a tube of good-quality sealant.  Is this something you'd feel confident in tackling yourself?  It's not a difficult DIY job.  The fiddliest bit is getting the old stuff off, and even that's not hard if you have a nice sharp knife or chisel.

lisyloo

Is it just mouldy and not leaking?
Is there a reason it can’t be cleaned.
I’ve done this with bleach before.

Bendy_House

A photo would help - but not around teatime.

If the sili is actually fully intact, then stuff like Grot Buster can clear away even quite deeply embedded mould quite successfully. Standard mould-killers can also do a pretty good job, but not if it's too deep.

If you are up for DIYing this, then there are rubber-bladed tools that will give you a truly neat and superb finish - you might surprise yourself

lisyloo

I did it with neat bleach held on with rolled up loo roll to stop it running off.
saw it in YouTube, worked a treat although also bleaches tiles

millie

Bendy_House said:

A photo would help - but not around teatime.

If the sili is actually fully intact, then stuff like Grot Buster can clear away even quite deeply embedded mould quite successfully. Standard mould-killers can also do a pretty good job, but not if it's too deep.

If you are up for DIYing this, then there are rubber-bladed tools that will give you a truly neat and superb finish - you might surprise yourself

I think Grot Buster has been discontinued I have not been able to find any for years. I used it all the time it was brilliant

akira181

Bleach will get rid of any surface mould but it's temporary and will come back after some time (days, weeks, months, hard to say). Eventually, the bleach will degrade the silicone but if it's mouldy, it should be replaced anyhow.

If you're physically able, then you'll be able to do it yourself quite easily with some time and elbow grease. Tube of silicone (<£10), silicone gun (rent, borrow, or £3 from amazon), silicone finishing tool (optional but recommended, <£3 any cheap one will do), and something to remove the old silicone like a sharp knife or chisel. Just be careful not to cut yourself or scratch the shower/tiles.

Removing the old silicone will take a while depending on it's condition. Best to remove as much as you can before applying the new as the mould will likely be in it and can spread into the new stuff. All in, should take you half a day, depending how long it takes to remove the old stuff.

A tradesman might be able to do it in an hour or two as they're experienced and have the proper tools, I'd guess up to and around £100

stuart45

Worked with a New Zealand chippy years ago that couldn't believe we used silicone around the base of  the shower tray, going mouldy.

Ebe_Scrooge

stuart45 said:

Worked with a New Zealand chippy years ago that couldn't believe we used silicone around the base of  the shower tray, going mouldy.

I'm intrigued - what do they use in New Zealand as a sealant?

OP, yes, try soaking it (overnight if possible) with bleach first, that will often get rid of a lot of gunk.  But if it does need replacing because it's too-far-gone, it really is an easy DIY job.  Just take your time, and preparation is key - make sure to get rid of every trace of the old stuff, and give it a wipe over with meths to remove any trace of grease/oil/whatever.  But it's not difficult, and will only cost a few quid.

stuart45

They don't use silicone at the bottom, the tiles stop a mm or so from the tray. Their trays have a 40mm upstand, so the silicone has a bead  where the tray is set into the wall, and a bead at the back of the tile where it comes over the upstand. 
Showers here often leak at the point where the tiles and tray meet, but the upstand stops this problem. There are tapes here that do a similar job.

Devongardener

Try Cillit Bang Mould Remover, it works really well on silicone, and seem to keep it away for a good while.  It’s more effective than ordinary bleach and fast acting.