How to get rid of mould on silicone?

Black mould can be a persistent and unsightly problem in showers or wash basins where silicone is applied for sealing and caulking. Apart from being irritating, it can pose significant health risks if left untreated.How to get rid of mould on silicone?

However, there are various effective methods to tackle this mould and restore the cleanliness and hygiene of your silicone shower. Though it’s important to always check your preferred shower manufacturer’s care guide.

This article, will explore three of the best ways to remove black mould from your silicone shower, giving a fresh and mould-free bathroom environment.

What is Black Mould?

Black mould is a type of fungus that is dark green or black. There are many kinds of black mould, but the type that grows in your bathroom is Stachybotrys chartarum (S. chartarum). This kind of mould has spores that form in the air and drop onto surfaces. If they drop on moist surfaces, they become a breeding ground for mould to grow.

Generally, moulds are found in the bathroom because it is likely to be wet. However, if your living room is water-logged, mould will be found with time. This is to say there’s no general rule to mould breeding only in bathrooms.

Black mould depends on warm temperatures, humidity, and wet surfaces to grow and spread. It commonly appears in watery areas of your home, such as basements, showers, and windows, and spreads on any materials that contain cellulose, including paper and wood products. Cellulose is a fiber found in fruits, vegetables, and other plants.

Why Does Mould Grow On Silicone Sealant?

You would think that mould would not be able to grow with the waterproof qualities of silicone sealant. However, over time, the silicone sealant can come away from the surface, allowing water to begin to collect behind. Mould loves warm and humid environments! The bathroom is a wet environment due to the nature of the activities that take place. If surfaces aren’t dried after each use, the microscopic spores released by mould can land on damp surfaces and grow.

Why does SIlicone go Black?

Silicone goes black when damp and there are soap deposits on it. This encourages mould growth and it’s the mould that causes the silicone to go black.

The good news is this is preventable. I have fitted silicone in some houses that only last a few months before going black and I have fitted silicone seals in other houses where it has stayed looking brand new for years.

The difference between these two examples is that one household has many teenagers using the shower once or twice a day. The shower was getting used about 6 times a day, it was never cleaned down or dried after use and the silicone became black very quickly.

In the other household the shower was used once or twice a day, was dried and cleaned after use that silicone lasted about 6 years before renewal.

I use the same make and type of silicone in every job.

Now both these scenarios are quite different and there could be differences between both bathrooms with regard to airflow but in general, if you dry off the seal after every use it will last for many years. The less you clean it, the quicker it will stain and the harder it will be to get those stains off.

I guess what I am saying if you want silicone to last you have to dry it after use. That’s the best way to keep the silicone from going black in the first place. But, you’re here to find out how to fix it once the silicone has gone black.

Let’s proceed.

How to remove mould from silicone

There are three methods that I use for cleaning black, mouldy silicone. Each method gets progressively more difficult so it’s a good idea to start at method 1 and progress from there.

Methods 1 and 2 are both chemical solutions and method 3 is a mechanical solution.

Before even starting any of these fixes, the seal should be inspected for any damage. Make sure there are no splits, make sure the silicone has not come away from one of the surfaces. If the seal appears to be intact, then the first two methods are good to try. If the silicone is coming off the wall or the bath/shower, then Method 3 is your only option.

Method 1

This is a great spray to use as long as the silicone seal is in good condition – that is, if it has not been compromised and the seal still works.

I have used this on some really black stained silicone and the results can be surprising. the less time the silicone has been black the better the chance of removal with the mould killer.

All you have to do is spray this product directly onto the black silicone, leave for about half an hour and rinse off. The results can be amazing.

The advantage of this method is it’s fast and easy to do.

The only disadvantage is that it’s not quite as powerful as the other 2 silicone repair methods. It does smell very much of bleach so be prepared.

This spray works really well with grout. If you have mouldy grout give this spray a try. No home should be without it.

Method 2

This method involves the use of neat Bleach (undiluted bleach) – the thick stuff, so you may want to have some rubber gloves and safety glasses. Be very careful when using bleach, and don’t get it on anything you don’t want it on.

For this method of getting silicone back to white, you will put bleach directly onto the silicone and leave it for 12 to 24 hours. To hold the bleach directly onto the silicone you will have to use some toilet roll and place this onto the silicone and add more bleach is required. You want that bleach soaked tissue on the silicone seal.

It is important that you check that your fittings and wall will not be adversely affected by the bleach and is good to test in an unseen area first.

Once the toilet paper has bleach and is sitting directly on the seal then all you have to do is wait. Obviously, keep children and pets away for the time required.

I found that 24 hours works great but if it’s still not completely gone then just repeat the process. You should get rid of most of it, if not all.

I have found the results of this method surprising and should get rid of almost all the staining.

In the pictures, this part of silicone was black for years and after 24 hours most of the black was gone. Amazing! Usually, for that degree of discoloration, I would use method 3.

Method 3

Silicone removal.

This is the most difficult method. Silicone is designed to seal two surfaces and in order to do that has to adhere incredibly well to both of the surfaces. If the silicone is not stuck then it’s not sealing.

There are several ways to remove silicone but I have found that the chemical silicone removal products are not very good. My preferred method is to cut it out using a knife. This can be very tricky as you do not want to damage your tiles or scratch your bath. If you are not confident with a blade, a silicone removal tool like the one below would be good.

You can use a Stanley knife to get the bulk of the seal off. Then you can use a blade holder to get the rest off the tiles and just work away until you get it all off the wall and the bath. That may sound easy, but it is not. It takes time and patience, so give yourself at least two hours to complete this method.

Once all the silicone has been removed clean the wall and the bath with some white spirit and let it dry.

Only when the wall and the bath are completely dry put on the new silicone. To put it on, cut the nozzle at about a 45-degree angle and apply a bead of silicone at a consistent speed so you get an equal thickness. Then run over the silicone with either a wet finger (i recommend you wear rubber gloves) or a silicone finishing tool if you have one – a bit more difficult to use but will give you a better, neater seal. I use the finishing tools below, which are excellent. There are cheaper ones available. Click on the pictures below and have a look.

Once all the silicone has been removed clean the wall and the bath with some white spirit and let it dry.

The crucial thing about silicone is to be very tidy, keep it clean. Wipe up any silicone you don’t want to be there, if it doesn’t look good it won’t look better when dry and you will be stuck with removing the silicone again. A little bit of care goes a long way. When doing a bath I like to do one edge at a time, usually working from left to right short edge, long edge, short edge. make sure the edge you have just done looks good before you move on to the next edge.

What causes black mould on silicone?

Black mould growth on silicone can be sparked by high levels of moisture, poor air circulation, organic waste materials on the sealant surface (such as soap, body gel, shampoo, or kitchen waste), and warm temperatures.

Black mould around windows looks awful, can be smelly, damage your fixtures, and potentially spread across walls, ceilings, and floors. It can also cause respiratory health problems, particularly among people with asthma and similar health problems.

How to Stop Silicone from Turning Black

One of the main sealants used for sealing sanitary fitting is silicone. It is preferred for good reason like it seals extremely well, very strong, and is flexible for many years. On the other hand the only problem is with its discoloration, because it gets attacked by mould. Innocently our actions attract these mould to form on the silicone surface. On this note, let’s see some things we need to stop doing and yet, things we need to start doing. They include:

Black mould growth on silicone can be sparked by high levels of moisture, poor air conditioning, and organic waste materials on the silicone surface such as soap, body gek, shampoo or kitchen waste. To prevent mould from building, remove any soap scum/residue after your bath from the silicone around the bath.

Ensure there is proper ventilation by opening the window to provide good ventilation.

Make sure your faucet, bath tap are not dripping, in case of drip fix it immediately by calling a professional or DIY. You need to stop the drip because evaporation happens from the water droplet, and the more the humidity in the bathroom the more likely mould will build up

Use a shower squeegee to dry the wall and your bathtub after bath. Squeegee looks like a hard brush, though it is soft. It helps to clean your wall after bath

Don’t install carpet in your bathroom to prevent water logging under the carpet.

Leave the shower door open after each bath

Always hang your cleaning tools such as rag, squeegee, brush, soap on your buff puffs after use.

Also warm bath towels, shower curtains and bathroom fittings regularly to avoid giving moulds a place to grow.

Use a dehumidifier, an extractor fan, trickle vents over windows.

Final Thoughts

Do you know that mould left unkempt can affect your health like triggering asthma attacks, and respiratory issues? Removing mould from silicone sealant in your home is a task that calls for your immediate action and attention. By sticking to the tips provided above you can effectively eliminate mould growth and maintain a clean, mould-free environment.

Also, if the mould problem is dense, covering a wide surface area or the moulds keep reocurring. Then, it’s time to seek professional help.

Know that the drier you can keep the rooms in the home, the less chance mould will grow anywhere. Keeping your eye glued on the moisture levels in the bathroom will help. Mould is nothing to play around, you can’t avoid to allow it stay any further. Get rid of mould now.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

● How harmful is black mould? Although, some professionals say black mould isn’t as dangerous as other types of mould. But for me, mould are dangerous, equal level. All types of mould have the potential to affect people, especially those who have mould allergies. Common ways it affect people is triggering respiratory attacks like asthma.

● Can black mould make one sick? Yes, it canIf you are allergic to mould, black mould can make you sick.

● How quickly can black mould affect you? It depends on whether you have react or allergic to it. The human body though contain same body parts is unique, and how you react to black mould differs from how others respond to it. So If you’re allergic to black mold, you may have symptoms immediately after the spores come in contact with your body.

● Who does the condition affect? Generally, black mould can irritate anyone, even if you don’t have mould allergies, the irritation is constant. Nonetheless, the symptoms are usually worse if you have a family history of allergies. Also, if you have respiratory conditions such as asthma avoid area with mould. Spending a lot of time around black mould, either because of work or because your home is damp and has little ventilation can compromise your immune system.

● What happens if you breathe in black mold? When you breathe in spores from black mould, it causes an allergic reaction if you have black mould allergies. An allergic reaction is your body’s response to a particular allergen. The allergen here is the mould spores. So if you have black mould allergies, your body will respond to the first contact with black mould spores by creating immunoglobulin. The immunoglobulin are antibodies your immune system makes to defend your body from external attack. Remember here it is the mould spores.