How to Remove Mould From Bathroom and Kitchen Safely

Small patches of mould can be cleaned at home with detergent, a brush, gloves and a mask, but scrubbing alone fails if the damp source stays. Fix the moisture first or the black spots will be back in weeks.

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Why does mould keep coming back?

Mould is a living fungus that needs three things: moisture, a little food (soap film, dust, paint) and time. Wiping off the dark spots clears what you can see, yet the roots stay in porous grout or paint and the damp in the air stays too. A bathroom that never fully dries after a shower is like a greenhouse for it. Kitchens do it with steam from cooking and leaks under the sink.

That is why the order matters: fix the moisture, then clean, then keep it dry. Damp walls that seep in barsaat are a different issue and are covered in damp walls, seelan and mould and health.

Is bathroom mould dangerous?

For most healthy people small patches are mainly a nuisance, but mould spores can irritate the nose, eyes, throat and chest, and may trigger wheeze in people with asthma or allergy. See rainy season asthma and allergy triggers at home for more. Babies, older people, people with weak immunity and anyone with lung disease should not do the cleaning themselves.

How to remove black mould from the bathroom safely

1. Open the window and switch on the exhaust fan. Close the door to other rooms.
2. Put on gloves, a mask and eye cover.
3. Brush with detergent and water. Dishwashing liquid and a stiff brush on tiles and grout lifts most surface mould. Do not dry brush, which sends spores flying.
4. Rinse with clean water and wipe.
5. Only if needed, disinfect hard non porous surfaces with correctly diluted bleach, see how to dilute bleach with exact ratios. Use that one product only and let air through.
6. Dry completely with a cloth or squeegee and leave the window open.

Never mix cleaners

Bleach mixed with vinegar, toilet cleaner or ammonia products can give off harmful fumes. Use one product at a time, rinse between products, and keep the room ventilated. Wash your hands after.

Does vinegar kill mould?

White vinegar is a mild acid and can help on some hard surfaces, but results are mixed and the smell is strong. It is not a substitute for drying the area. Whichever you use, do not combine it with bleach.

Mould on silicone and in the kitchen

Mould that has gone into silicone sealant usually stays as a dark stain because it grows within the material. If detergent does not lift it, the cleanest fix is to cut out the old sealant and apply new one on a dry surface. In kitchens, check under the sink for slow leaks, wipe splashes near the stove and run the extractor or open a window while cooking. Greasy cupboard fronts are a separate job: greasy kitchen cabinets, cleaning ratios. Food mould is not covered here, as mouldy food should be discarded, not scraped.

When is mould too much to handle yourself?

• The patch is larger than a hand-sized area or covers a whole wall.
• It appears after a leak or flood and the plaster is soft or peeling.
• It returns within weeks despite drying.
• Someone at home has asthma, lung disease or a weak immune system.

In these cases ask a plumber or building professional to find the water source.

A simple weekly routine that keeps mould away

Prevention takes two minutes a day. After every shower, squeegee the walls, open the window or run the fan for a while, and hang towels where they can dry instead of on the bathroom hook. Once a week, wipe grout lines and the shower curtain edge with detergent. Once a month, check under sinks, behind the toilet and around window frames for slow leaks or damp patches. Keep furniture a hand’s width away from outside walls so air can move, and avoid drying laundry in a closed bedroom during barsaat.

What not to do

Do not paint over mould, because it grows through the new coat. Do not sweep or dry brush it. Do not use a blast of strong chemicals in a small closed room. And do not ignore a musty smell: it often means there is a hidden damp patch behind a cupboard or under the floor.

Questions people ask about cleaning mould

More in Barsaat and Flood Season.

Sources

• CDC: Mold
• US EPA: A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home
• WHO: WHO guidelines for indoor air quality, dampness and mould