Preventing Mold in the Bathroom

To prevent problems with mold and mildew, keep your bathroom dry and well-ventilated. During and after a shower or bath, open a window or use the vent fan, and use a squeegee or mop to get rid of excess water buildup. Likewise, try to keep the sink area dry after use.

Ideally the humidity in the bathroom should be kept below 55% to prevent mold growth. You can maintain this by ventilating your bathroom well, especially after you've had a shower or bath. Turn on the bathroom fan while you shower and leave it on for about five minutes afterwards to remove the steam and dry out the air. If you don't have a bathroom fan, or as well as using the fan, open the window to let steam out and circulate the air.

Besides leaving the window and door of the bathroom open after having a shower or bath, if you are concerned about the moisture levels you can also wipe down wet surfaces so they dry faster.

Mold can often be found in the shower and the bathtub. Grime from body oils and soap scum which is washed off and onto the shower or tub create a food source for mold to feed on. And of course there are abundant water sources for mold created by the running water and steam.

If you can't get all the mold off grout you can remove and replace the grout. Use a flat screwdriver to scrape out the old grout and then apply the new grout mixture.

Regularly use a Mold-Prohibiting Spray

To protect your bathroom from mold growing, keep a spray bottle of this natural anti-mold solution nearby and quickly mist the tiles and caulking after your shower. The solution contains mold-prohibiting ingredients that when sprayed, protect your bathroom from becoming a breeding ground.

You need white vinegar or tea tree oil, water and a spray bottle. These ingredients are cheap, easy to find and are highly effective. The scent of the tea tree oil is soothing and spa-like!

Vinegar solution

Mix equal parts of vinegar and water in a clean spray bottle.

Tea tree oil solution

Mix 10 drops of tea tree oil into a clean spray bottle filled with water

Place the spray bottle on the ‘mist’ setting. It takes about four seconds to spray the tiles and then you walk away. Now you are protected from mold.