So you've got mould in your bathroom, what can you do about it and how can you stop it from returning?

Mould in the bathroom or kitchen- a property issue that's about as common as it gets. so common in fact, that as decorating specialists, we see it on a nearly weekly basis. In this blog, I am going to cover what the most common causes are (because there can be numerous reasons), how to deal with it and how to stop it coming back or at least manage it in older properties where complete cessation may not be a realistic possibility. Oh and don't worry - I'll keep it simple, i'm not gonna throw any latin names or complicated procedures at you like a lot of internet blogs will.

So! Let's get started, what are the common reasons for mould in the bathroom? To answer that question properly, we first need to understand what mould actually is. Put simply, mould is a type of fungus, the same biological group as mushrooms and yeast. There are thousands of different mould species, and many of them can grow indoors if the conditions are right.

In homes, especially in kitchens and bathrooms, you’ll often hear the term 'black mould' thrown around, this isn’t one single species, it’s a general term people use to describe several dark coloured moulds that commonly grow on walls, ceilings and around windows.

What a lot of these moulds have in common is that they thrive in damp environments where moisture levels are high and air circulation is poor. Common causes of mould in your bathroom (and kitchen) include:

• Not enough circulation i.e none or little ventilation via vents, extraction fans or open windows.

• High humidity - Hot showers/baths produce a lot of steam, this steam temporarily increases the humidity to higher levels inside of your bathroom. Especially if you don't have proper ventilation in place.

• Previous mould growth not killed/treated before redecoration/refurbishment (Yes, mould really can survive and resurface at any time underneath if left alive under multiple coats of paint). See the dark patches on the ceiling and loft hatch below? That's black mould. About fear mongering - Yes, certain species of black mould can be very bad for your health, especially if you have respiratory problems like asthma or other health complications that make you vulnerable. However most variants of household mould are not a cause for immediate concern in regards to your health. I will say though - it's extremely difficult to diagnose which species of mould you could be dealing with. So if you spot it treat it - do not risk it.

  

  A bit more severe contamination can be seen below. Mould can be surface level or as seen below - in the actual walls. This can be harder to treat and can even sometimes require partial renovations of the infected areas in rarer cases. deep mould like this is most commonly found in the corners of the room due to damp/cold spots. Also notice that it's on the skirting board too - unfortunately mould doesn't discriminate against most surfaces, so don't forget to treat woodwork, plastic and metal surfaces too.

  

  When to worry: Have a look at the photo below. If your mouldy areas show signs of flaking, powdering or the walls look like they are bleeding or bubbling. Or if your surfaces are wet/damp to the touch. You have a bigger problem on your hands. This can be caused by numerous issues, most of which are not easily solvable without the intervention of a specialist trades person. In most cases like this, the mould itself is not the core issue but rather a result of the core issue (like a leaking roof or rising damp). If this is you and you're in the south west of England, please get in contact with us via email or give us a call using the contact info on our website, we can organise a free visit to diagnose your issue and perform the necessary fix or advise you appropriately. If outside this area, contact a trusted local trades person. I would not advise you to tackle this kind of issue yourself as incorrect intervention in these cases can actually worsen the problem significantly.

  

Great, we've identified what the most common causes of mould in your bathroom could be. Now the important question - How do I treat/kill the mould? Depending on how severe your mould infection is, you'll want to treat the problem in this order and this order only:

1. Treat the suspected reason for contamination - in the vast majority of cases the problem is lack of ventilation/air circulation, so consider adding vents or an extraction fan to your bathroom, or at the very least keep your bathroom window open while you shower/bathe until all the steam/vapour has left. If you can't do that for whatever reason, don't worry, there are still ways to mitigate or control the moulds growth.

2. Treat/Kill the mould - First, don't forget your PPE, get a suitable mask (dust masks are not sufficient here, you need a proper respirator, you can order this online for around £20), waterproof gloves, and eye protection. You'll be working with some unpleasant chemicals here, so ventilate the area as well as you possibly can and keep vulnerable people and pets well away from the area. Once you're protected we can move on. To kill the mould you can use a number of solutions. I recommend anti fungal treatments, you can buy these online or at your local merchants. Usually they will be in liquid form, you will add a small amount of the product to a bucket of warm water and mix. You would then scrub this solution with the abrasive side of a household sponge or similar onto the infected areas. IMPORTANT - Just because there's no clearly visible black mould on a surface does not mean there is no contamination. I would always recommend scrubbing all surfaces immediately near any areas of visible growth. Mould can be completely invisible in the earlier stages of contamination and missing this can lead to contamination again much faster! Alternatively you can in some circumstances use a bleach solution (1 part bleach to roughly 5 parts water). If you don't have easy access to anti fungal treatments and your mould issue is surface level, this can still be very effective. Just keep in mind that bleach does not penetrate surfaces as deeply as dedicated anti-fungal solutions do so if you're problem is anything more than surface level, I would strongly advise against using bleach alone. After scrubbing - leave the Solution on the surfaces for a while - your anti-fungal treatment solution will instruct you on how long (If using bleach I would recommend a minumum of 15 minutes). This gives the solution the time it needs to work into deeper layers of infection. Once all the mould is dead, you can proceed to wiping the surfaces off. Do this with a bucket of warm water and water alone. The objective here is to remove as much of the dead fungi and treatment solution as possible. The more you remove, the more hygienic the results and if redecorating, the better the new paint will adhere to the surface.
   

Great! The mould is dead, now what?

Well, if you're not redecorating then you're basically done! I would strongly recommend redecorating at this point though because if done correctly then you can hugely slow future mould growth. If you choose to redecorate at this point (wise decision) then ensure you buy the right paint! This one choice alone can massively delay any future mould growth even if you can't immediately deal with the major issues (like lack of ventilation). Many brands have 'bathroom' specific paint ranges - this isn't a marketing trick, these are specially formulated paints that actively slow fungal growth and spreading. DO NOT cheap out on paint, I'm gonna repeat that because it is extremely important - DO NOT cheap out on paint. It will backfire in the long run. If your mould problem is especially bad (common in older properties with poor insulation and ventilation) then you can get speciality paints that are geared even more towards slowing fungal infection - these can be quite pricey and are only marginally better than the more common bathroom paints in my experience so only go down this route if you have persistent mould. Don't forget to choose appropriate paint for your woodwork too! Yes, mould can grow on skirting boards, window sills, door frames and doors as well as plastics and metals. Again, don't cheap out on paint! Do your research and read the tins. I'm not going to recommend any because 1.There are loads of options 2.I'm not being sponsored by them. If this sounds like rather a lot of work and hassle (fair enough, it really can be) and you live in the south west of England, feel free to contact us to do it for you! We are qualified specialists with over 30 years of experience in the trade and we offer free quotations for your required works. email us at mandjpropertyservices1@outlook.com or call us via the contact number on our website.