Let’s take a look at the colours of mould – brother eeewwww!
No two moulds are the same, below are the 3 main types we predominantly see and how to resolve these.
Black is the common mould that you see the most and is difficult to get rid of and keep out. It requires a reasonable amount of attention when it turns up. It can have deep roots and when you clean it off it can come back in a week. Unfortunately, a shower is the perfect environment for this mould to grow, a little bit of dirt, a little bit of humidity and not a lot of sunlight.
BUT never fear – a mould cleaning product that you spray on the mould can work. Let it sit for a short period and then importantly spray with water for at least 2 minutes to get rid of the cleaning product. The downside to any mould removing product is it can affect the silicone so it’s important to get it off once it’s been on to avoid damage.
Red is bacteria building up on soap residue from body wash residue. In body wash there is an ingredient that causes it to thicken, and that ingredient will hold the body wash to the shower enclosure. From there it will start to grow and this bacterium has the red tinge. A mild soap such as dishwashing liquid on a cleaning cloth or soft brush is adequate to get rid of this one. Again, once finished cleaning, hose all soap residue away.
Green is algae, it’s a plant that needs sunlight. Generally, you will see this around springtime when the temperate is coming up and there is a good amount of sunlight coming into you bathroom. Again, this is built upon dirt deposits in and around your shower, this doesn’t require a lot of effort to remove, it does get into your door seals (tune in later for shower seals) but it generally stops as the weather changes. To clean this away – mild detergent and a soft cloth or soft brush will remove.
To conclude this delicious (and prevalent topic) unfortunately the silicones for sealing your shower are not the best silicones to prevent mould. When the silicone gets to the point where its failing or you can’t beat the mould it might be time to replace the silicone. It is not a difficult or obtrusive process and will refresh your shower enclosure to keep the water in.
