Cleaning mould from bath mats

anotherquestion

Hi folks,

We have bought a few long bath mats for bath but find that they soon turn black in a bad way with mould after four or five months of use.

We threw the first one out and used a liquid called HG mould spray which was quite good on second, but the mat is really bad again, any point in try to machine wash it with vinegar and baking soda as a google search showed, or just buy new ones, I would think it doesn't do the washing machine much good washing a rubber type mat in it.

Anyone had good results with the above or a different method?

Many thanks

grumpy_codger

anotherquestion said:

...any point in try to machine wash it with vinegar and baking soda as a google search showed, 

No. Vinegar + baking soda is an urban myth, although any acid, vinegar (without soda) included, reportedly kills mould, but doesn't discolour it.

Anyone had good results with the above or a different method?

Thick bleach (with bleaching agent - read the content) is much cheaper than HG and give the same result. Use a paint brush.

WIAWSNB

Mould killers and bleach are usually effective, but start applying it regularly before the mould appears - say, every few days.
Or, remove the mats after every bath, rinse, and hang somewhere to dry out fully and quickly (easy in this weather!). 
Or both.
Obviously be careful with bleaching products - keep from clothes and skin.

Emmia

We have these mats for the shower over bath and lift them after each use and hang them up (although they only rarely get used, now the shower has been fixed)

Ours is a clear pebble design with holes, and we have suction hooks on the tiles - we just put the hooks through the gaps between the pebbles to hang them up after use. 

Being clear is also handy as you can see, and deal with the scale/mould.

https://www.johnlewis.com/john-lewis-pebbles-square-shower-mat-clear/p3160246?
 
If you don't want square, it's quite easy to cut to size by chopping between the pebbles.

Quntis Suction Hooks 4 Packs, Powerful Push and Lock Vacuum Multi-Purpose Suction Shower Hooks Wreath Hanger Strong Absorption Suction Cup Holds Up to 3kg Transparent for Kitchen Bathroom Door Window https://amzn.eu/d/7id3NZ6

Edit: a warning. If you repeatedly lift the mat to hang up to dry, you do need to ensure that it is firmly squashed down so the suckers are gripping before you step into the shower (if it's not gripping, you can go flying) this is another advantage of a clear mat. If several people shower, it's probably best if the first person puts down and the last person lifts it and hangs it up after use.