How to clean the tile joints from mold in the bathroom
Black dots that appear on the grout of the tile joint sometimes mean that an uninvited guest has appeared in the bathroom in the form of mold. It will not only spoil the appearance of the coating, but may even adversely affect the health of living people.
For this reason, such a scourge should be fought with all possible methods.
The main difference between the bathroom and all other rooms of the apartment is the high level of humidity. Regular bathing, washing, drying towels - this creates a favorable atmosphere in the shower for the appearance and further growth of mold.
The list of the most common reasons for fungal spores to appear in the bathroom includes:
Grout in the joints between the tiles is also easily amenable to mold infestation, especially in the part of the finish that is adjacent to the bathroom - there is the highest temperature and humidity. Even a treatment with an antifungal liquid will not 100% guarantee that you will be protected from mold.
At the very first traces of the appearance of the fungus, urgent measures are required to eliminate, and also try to eliminate sources of infection, that is, to clean the joints between the tiles from mold in the bathroom. Black mold is a very dangerous and pathogenic microflora that has a negative impact on the health and sometimes the life of the person who lives in this house.
Pre-cleaning seams
Mold grows extremely quickly, and it begins to negatively affect the health of all people living in the apartment as soon as it appears, so it is worth taking seriously the removal of the fungus and do it as soon as possible, even at the first signs of stains and black dots. In addition to the mold itself, you should find and eliminate the root cause of the appearance as quickly as possible, otherwise it will return back.
Before proceeding with the treatment of joints with agents capable of killing mold, mechanical cleaning of the joints between the tiles should be performed to remove all visible streaks and stains. To do this, you need gloves, a respirator, and a stiff brush.When you have all these products ready, you should carefully clean the seams in order to remove traces of mold.
When cleaning is over, it is better to discard all materials, since fungal spores could get on them during cleaning.
Use of a device such as a steam generator will help to prepare for cleaning the joints between tiles. The principle of operation will be that when water vapor is supplied at a high temperature under strong pressure, the jet will knock out the dirt that has accumulated there, as well as lime deposits and, of course, visible mold spores from the surfaces. After this treatment, the seams will be ready for a deeper cleaning and antifungal agents can be used. One has only to wipe the seams thoroughly and dry so that no water remains in them.
Means for removing mold
You can remove mold from grouting joints between tiles using various means. There are also special industrial antiseptic liquids, and various folk methods. The first option is more attractive, since it is more reliable, and the second is actually more environmentally friendly and requires less financial expenses.
Folk remedies
In order to solve the problem, you can use the means that are known to everyone and that are usually used for culinary, medicinal and other purposes.
Such a component is often used in order to remove various pollution, and it can be useful even in this case. You can use soda like this - dilute the powder with water to the consistency of a thick slurry, then use an old toothbrush to process all the seams, leave the bathroom in this form for about an hour, and then you can thoroughly rinse everything off with water.
Please note that the liquid should be left on the wall until it is completely dry, and then brush the seams and rinse well with water.
Borax. This component is a sodium boric acid and therefore has similar properties. This product is universally useful in the fight against fleas, rust, mites, and is also used for the manufacture of cosmetics, industry and construction. Sold as dry powder and in vials. In order to destroy the mold, a powder is required - a glass of the product should be diluted in 5 liters of water, applied to the surface and washed off after 10 minutes with water.
l. ammonia and 2 glasses of water, and another 15 drops of tea tree essential oil. Then the seams are treated with the resulting solution, everything is left for half an hour, and then washed off well with water. Please note that bleach and alcohol must not be mixed, as this chemical reaction will produce toxic gas.
Even by itself, such an oil will do an excellent job with mold, but the disadvantage will be that the price is quite high. Of the advantages, we highlight the effectiveness of the method, since the oil will not only kill the mold, but also prevent its reappearance. To use 10 ml of oil, dilute with 1/2 liter of water, apply the solution to the seams, wait for drying and ventilate the room.
The properties of the component make it possible to use it in the fight against mold. Remember that vitriol solution is toxic and hazardous to health, so you should work with it very carefully and use all means of protection. To begin with, we make a solution, 1 measure of sulfate, and 10 measures of water. After the solution is applied to the grout between the plates with a brush, and after a couple of hours, the surfaces are thoroughly washed with water.
Industrial antiseptics
In order to clean the joints between the tiles in the bathroom from mold, you can use special household chemicals.
Chlorine-based bleaches can be used for this.They will not only help to eliminate the fungus, but also disinfect the grout - in the future, in those places that have been treated, mold spots will either not appear at all, or will be, but much less often. The disadvantage of this method is its high toxicity, which is why during work it will be necessary to use personal protective equipment for the respiratory system, skin and eyes. Moreover, their main purpose is bleaching, which can affect the color of grout and tiles.
One of the best bleaches is "Whiteness".
It perfectly protects the surface from mold, but weakly penetrates the surface of the material, so if you have extensive fungal infection, then this method will not be effective, and the mold will come back again and again. In this case, you will need to use more serious cleaning methods, for example, "Domestos", which is a more gentle option from household chemicals. It can be used not only to fight mold, but also as a preventive measure.
It can be used like this:
Moreover, there are special means for removing fungus and mold from the seams in the bathroom, namely chemical antiseptics, which are ways to disinfect and clean the surface. These are ready-made tools that you can immediately use for the task at hand.
The most popular are:
5 liter.
Please note, that these antiseptics are sold in different forms, namely in the form of a spray, liquid, felt-tip pen and powder.
Professional removal with microwave
The microwave method is based on the use of centimeter and millimeter frequencies that heat the surface.
The abbreviation itself is probably familiar to everyone - sometimes this is what microwave ovens are called, which work exactly on this principle. Naturally, this device is not used to combat mold, but a special apparatus. With its help, those surfaces that should be treated are heated, and all mold spores die from the action of high temperature and drying. Do not rely on subjective indicators, temperature and humidity during processing.
The advantages of this method are:
There is only one drawback - such a device is very expensive and is not a frequently purchased device.
In order to use it, you will need to contact a specialist, and this is expensive, but such an approach guarantees the quality of the work performed and full processing, and then the mold will be 100% removed, since the craftsmen know all the nuances of this matter.
What to do if the damage is severe
In certain cases, neither folk remedies, but industrial antiseptics, but professional apparatus, help mold has nested very tightly, deeply and does not want to leave the habitat. In this case, you will need to replace the old grout with a new one. To do this, you need to remove the old layer, clean all the seams, apply a primer and put in a fresh grout.
Removing the old layer
First, you need to completely remove the grout between the tiles in order to get rid of the fungus habitat, and then apply a new one.
This can be done using different methods:
Please note, that when cleaning the joints between the tiles in the bathroom from mold, you must not forget about the use of protective equipment, since in the process of damage you can get from a tool or flying off a piece of grout, and with a chemical get a burn from the reagents.
Cleaning the joints and applying the primer
After removing the grout, the tile joints should be thoroughly cleaned of old material.
For this, you can use an ordinary vacuum cleaner. Next, the seams should be washed with soapy water or a non-aggressive detergent and allowed to dry for a day. Then apply a layer of primer that penetrates deeply so that the grout adheres better.
Applying new grout
This is the last step.To protect yourself from new mold, there are two options:
For your own peace of mind, you can combine both methods - although it will be more expensive and more labor-intensive, it will be more reliable and accurately protect against fungus. At the repair stage, it is recommended to use an anti-fungal grout from Cerisit, and in addition impregnation from a fungus from the same company. This is a little more expensive than ordinary grout, but in the future it pays off in the absence of problems with mold. Despite the fact that bathrooms are often not ventilated, thanks to the use of specialized products, mold does not appear.
Most of the mold removers are poisonous and toxic, therefore, when working with them, you should observe safety precautions:
If toxic agents come into contact with the eyes or skin, flush the affected area with plenty of water and seek medical attention immediately. And even if you use safe products, it is advisable that you protect your respiratory system when actively brushing the joints between tiles in the bathroom with a brush, as mold spores can easily enter the body.
It is also worth protecting the surface in the room so that spores do not get caught and take root in other places. To do this, remove everything that can be taken out of the bathroom, and cover the rest with thick plastic. When the cleaning is finished, the material will need to be thrown away.
If there is a forced ventilation system in the form of a fan, then turn it off during cleaning, since spores can be easily picked up and carried by air movement. Everything that will be used during cleaning - gloves, brushes, sponges and respirators - at the end of the work should be immediately put into a tight bag that will exclude the possibility of ventilation, and then discarded.
To prevent black mold from developing in the joints between tiles, follow these rules:
Black Mold is a tough opponent and won't give up easily, but there are still ways to deal with it. If they do not give results, then you can always call specialists or completely replace the grout with a new layer.
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