Mold can easily get into hard-to-reach places in the bathroom, such as tiles or the caulk around showers, but it can be difficult to clean if you use the wrong items.
Silicone sealant and grout between tiles are both designed to be water repellent, but mold spores can still cling firmly to these surfaces, making it difficult for most cleaners to get rid of.
Nancy Birtwhistle, the home improvement expert known for winning the Great British Bake Off, has strongly advised against using bleach to kill mold in the bathroom as it is not effective.
In her book “Clean and Green,” Nancy explained, “Bleach doesn’t kill or stop mold from growing—it simply bleaches it and turns it white.”
Instead, Nancy has said that the best way to get rid of bathroom mold is to use kitchen ingredients or natural items that can break down mold without harsh chemicals.
Nancy said, “Killing mold, preventing new outbreaks, and cleaning up unsightly black spots and patches took a little elbow grease, but the results were very satisfying.”
You can make an easy homemade solution that not only removes mold, but also prevents it from coming back, so you can keep your bathroom clean without the fuss.
How to properly clean stains from tile grout and sealant
You will need:
- 150 ml of water
- 60 ml of white vinegar
- Three tablespoons of baking soda
- 40 ml cutting liquor
- 20 drops of lemon essential oil
- An old toothbrush
- Glass bottle with syringe connector
Nancy said: “Eikka kills mold and helps prevent new outbreaks and dissolves limescale build-up on grout and tiles.
“Surgical spirit helps kill germs and bacteria, while lemon essential oil has antiseptic and germ-killing properties in addition to its wonderful aroma.
“Mixed together, they make a great spray to use all over the bathroom, but especially on tiles to shine them up and get to work on unsightly grout.”
Method
Mix vinegar, cutting liquor and lemon essential oil in a spray bottle.
Spray the solution around your bathroom and make sure you get into nooks, crannies, and nooks and crannies that can be hard to reach.
Allow the cleaning solution to sit on the tiles or silicone sealant for 15 minutes or longer, then wipe away the mold with a clean cloth or toothbrush.
Fill the sink with hot water and add a few tablespoons of baking soda. Dip a cloth or toothbrush into the solution and gently scrub away any remaining mold.
Baking soda is alkaline and naturally absorbent, meaning it can help break down mold while absorbing moisture to prevent it from spreading.
It is also abrasive and the coarse nature of baking soda helps to physically scrub the mold without damaging the surface.
Nancy said: “The molds go up easily, very quickly and efficiently. The work is very pleasant and very easy. A final wipe with a clean cloth, a buff with a soft clean cloth and all is well!”
The mold should be wiped away quickly so that you have a sparkling clean bathroom again without chlorine bleach.
