How to Prevent Mould from Growing in Your Bathroom

Once mould begins to establish itself within your bathroom, it can be extremely hard to shift. After all, your bathroom is naturally going to become filled with moisture several times a day, and it is moisture which mould thrives upon. The best thing to do is take the steps listed below to ensure that mould doesn’t gain a foothold within your bathroom in the first place.

Keep Things Dry

Make sure you don’t leave wet towels lying around on your bathroom floor. Some people simply hang theirs up to use again for their next shower, but this will increase the amount of moisture in the air and encourage mould to develop on the towel itself.  Fitting a heated towel rail with a summer element will also help to dry the towels and the air year round.

Similarly, make sure you wash and dry your bathroom mat frequently, and avoid drenching it every time you leave the bath or shower. You could even hang it on the heated towel rail to dry after you bathe. Even items which you wouldn’t think to worry about, such as bottles of hair and skin product, children’s toys, and loofahs can provide places for mould to thrive, so try keeping them outside of the shower area itself.

Allow Air to Circulate

If you don’t already have a bathroom fan, consider buying one. Turning on your bathroom fan while you’re having a bath or shower will dramatically reduce the amount of moisture in a room, and that’s bad news for mould.
However, even having a fan won’t mean for certain that mould is kept at bay. Fresh air prevents growth, while small dark spaces tend to encourage it, so avoid placing moveable objects directly against walls, and try to keep their doors open some of the time.

Additional Safeguards

If you have tiles in your bathroom, be sure to seal them each year with a traditional grout sealer. This makes them waterproof, so mould won’t be able to fester right beneath your feet or on the wall in the cubicle. You can also buy mildew-resistant shower curtains, although anyone refitting their bathroom should consider upgrading to a glass panel. If you still see signs of mould, consider investing in a dehumidifier.
Finally when siliconing ensure that you do not use spit on your finger to smooth off the silicone beads. This is a cardinal sin of installation as you will introduce the bacteria in your mouth (and there are a lot in there) into the wet silicone which then dries with it inside! It makes the appearance of mould along the silicone joint inevitable.

Mould isn’t just unsightly, it can pose a serious risk to your respiratory health. Use this guide to make sure it doesn’t get a chance to infiltrate your bathroom.