The bathroom tops the list of offering the most conducive environment for mold growth in a home.
The warm and damp nature of the bathroom environment makes the bathroom the choicest place for mold habitation.
Are you worried about the unsightly nature of the black mold in your bathroom and how uninviting your bathroom looks due to mold?
Have you ever wondered how to remove black mold from silicone sealants in your bathroom? You can remove black mold from silicone sealants using baking soda & vinegar, toilet paper, and bleach.
Read on to learn the step-by-step guide to making your bathroom look fresher and better.
Table of Contents
- Black Mold: Overview
- Bathroom Silicone Sealant: Overview
- How To Remove Black Mold From Silicone Sealants
- What Causes Black Mold On Silicone?
- Safety Tips When Removing Bathroom Sealants Molds
- How to Prevent Black Mold in Your Bathroom
- Wind Up
Black Mold: Overview
Black molds are fungi and often reproduce by spore formation, and when they fall on favorable ground like moist surfaces, their breeding is assured.
The mold on your bathroom sealant is usually black but not like the typical harsh black mold you typically see in other wet places of your home.
Black molds are usually of different types, as different species of mold produce black coloration.
Some of these might prove challenging, but these types that grow in your bathroom sealants are very easy to remove.
Bathroom Silicone Sealant: Overview
A sealant is a product that covers the gaps between the bathroom fixtures and surrounding walls.
The essence of using sealants in the bathroom is to make the places on which they are attached or used water-tight.
Sealants are most times made from silicone and tend to be elastic. Sealants usages are most times used in the areas of the bathroom that experiences temperature fluctuations, such as areas around a bathtub.
Silicone, in this context, refers to those white-colored substances, sometimes called caulking, that occupy the space between a sink, countertop, tub, shower, and wall.
Black molds sometimes grow on the silicone in the shower and sometimes can be seen growing throughout the bathroom.
It is so because wet areas or places encourage their growth, and there is no place in a home that competes with the bathroom in terms of wetness.
In other not to allow the colonization of your bathroom by mold to get out of control, always clean the area once you notice the presence of mold.
How To Remove Black Mold From Silicone Sealants
Removing the black mold from silicone sealants is easy but must be done carefully because of the toxic nature of spores from black molds.
Before removing the silicone sealant mold, you must adhere to the safety precautions before cleaning your bathroom.
There are various methods of removing black mold from silicone sealants, and they include
1. Baking Soda and White Vinegar
This method is a natural mold cleaning method that lacks chemicals that may damage your hands or bathroom.
To use this method, you must have white vinegar, baking soda, a damp rag, a stiff-bristled brush, a wet sponge, cold water, and bleach.
The following steps will help you remove black mold from silicone sealants.
- Mix a cup of white vinegar and a half cup of baking soda to create a paste
- Scoop the paste and rub it all over the sealant evenly using a damp rag, spreading it well and allowing it to sit for 10 minutes.
- Using a stiff-bristled brush, scrub off the paste thoroughly.
- Rinse the sealant clean using a wet sponge dipped in cold white vinegar.
- If the mold wasn’t completely removed, repeat the procedure.
- Avoid rinsing the area with water to avoid encouraging mold re-growth.
- Dry with a clean microfibre cloth or towel
2. Toilet Paper
This procedure can be used to remove black mold from silicone sealants.
The following procedure must be employed, and they include:
- You should roll toilet paper to form thick sausage-like shapes
- Dip them in white vinegar and have them absorb as much of it as possible
- Lay them on your sealant, covering them with toilet paper on the top surface
- Allow it to stay for a few hours before removing toilet papers
- Dry with a clean and dry cloth or towel
- Repeat the above procedures for the best results
3. Bleach
You can use this method to remove black mold from bathroom silicone sealant.
To carry out the removal using this method, you will need chlorinated bleach, cold water, and a stiff-bristled brush, and the procedure includes
- You should mix bleach and water in a ratio of 1:4, respectively
- The solution should be applied to the sealant and allowed to sit for about twenty minutes
- The paste should be scrubbed off using the stiff-bristled brush thoroughly
- Use a wet sponge and cold water to rinse the sealant clan
- Rinse off with cold water and dry with a clean cloth or towel
- If the stain remains, you can repeat the process above
Read: How to clean a sink with baking soda & 5 Tips to prevent it from clogging
What Causes Black Mold On Silicone?
The love of mold for bathroom sealants is spurned by the fact that they offer ideal conditions for their growth.
Some other reasons why molds enjoy growing on bathroom silicone sealants include:
- The bathroom silicone sealant creates an excellent environment for black molds to survive because of moisture and heat in the bathroom.
- Improper ventilation wouldn’t enhance air circulation in the bathroom.
- Presence of damp cellulose materials such as rags.
- Leaking taps and pipes.
- Stagnant water and black splash.
- Loose silicone, when overly exposed to moisture, can foster mold.
- The germination of molds is encouraged by the wet and moist nature of the bathroom.
Safety Tips When Removing Bathroom Sealants Molds
When you are about to remove black molds from your bathroom silicone sealants, you must protect yourself by adhering to safety precautions.
Always ensure that the room is well-ventilated. Also, while removing the black molds wear protective or safety equipment like a respirator mask, goggles, and gloves.
The emphasis on adherence to safety tips is to avoid any casualty resulting because these molds can form spores that can become detrimental to health when inhaled.
How to Prevent Black Mold in Your Bathroom
Water control is key to preventing black mold growth in a bathroom. This means ensuring the area is adequately ventilated and, if possible, has natural light.
However, reducing humidity levels and moisture build-up can significantly reduce the chances of black mold growth in silicone sealant.
Contact a professional mold removal service team if you frequently notice large patches of black mold or mold resurfacing. Other ways to prevent mold growth in your bathroom include:
- Ventilate the area with open windows or a dehumidifier regularly
- Use the exhaust fan while bathing. Ensure you leave it on for 20-30 minutes after use
- Regularly clean, wipe, and dry shower walls and glass
- Clean and dry spills or leaks immediately
- Avoid overfilling your bathtub or shower with products
- Keep damp clothes, towels, or bath mats out of the bathroom
- Clean the bathroom regularly
When to Call a Mold Removal Professional
If an ongoing or underlying issue persists, black mold can return and become a health concern and spread quickly.
If you are afraid of mold-breaking in your home and are looking for a long-term solution, do not hesitate to call a professional team to help you.
They will inspect, treat and provide you with a mold management and prevention plan to ensure your home is safe and mold-free.
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Wind Up
I hope this article has given in-depth knowledge of how to remove black mold from silicone sealants.
You can use any methods that appeal to you but ensure to adhere to the instructions given under your chosen removal method.
Remember that before cleaning your bathroom, you must adhere to the safety precautions to remove silicone sealant mold.
The lower the moisture level in your bathroom, the fewer the chances of black mold appearing, so always endeavor to keep your bathroom dry.