How to clean the seams between tiles on the bathroom floor

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.

Reasons for the formation of mold on the seams of tiles in the shower

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:

• Incorrect setting of the ventilation or heating system - in humid warm air, mold will grow especially actively.
• Inadequate sealing of joints between panels and waterproofing of surfaces.
• Problems with pipes and plumbing.
• The appearance of condensation on cast iron pipes.
• Insufficiently good cleaning after using the room for its intended purpose - drops of water, if not wiped off in time, will provoke the development of mold.

• High humidity level due to drying of the laundry.

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.

Seam cleaning process

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.

1. Baking soda.

   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.

2. Table vinegar. Common and familiar to everyone, table vinegar is capable of killing up to 80% of all types of mold, and can also eliminate the unpleasant odors that accompany the fungus. You can apply it to the seams in two ways - moisten an old rag with vinegar and wipe all the gaps, or pour liquid into the spray bottle and spray all the seams.

   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.

3. Hydrogen peroxide. Such a composition has antiseptic properties, and it will be easy to buy it in a pharmacy, the cost is small. To remove mold, it should be used in this way - apply to the grout between the tiles, wait until it dries naturally, brush the joints, remove traces of mold and rinse the tiles with water. Note that hydrogen peroxide has a whitening effect, so if you have a colored or dark tile, use it with care.

4. Boric acid. By the way, this is another antiseptic preparation that is actively used.It is used to remove mold, but not in its pure form, but as follows - to begin with, you should mix boric acid, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar and water in proportions 1: 2: 2: 4. Next, we heat the resulting mixture, process the tile joints and leave for 40 minutes. At the end, everything should be washed off with water.

5. 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.

6. Ammonia. E If you do not know what means to clean the joints between the tiles from mold other than those described above, then alcohol will help out. It is effective in fighting mold, but remember that the smell of ammonia can cause nausea and headaches, so it should be used with caution. When processing seams, close the door to the bathroom, and when the work is over, thoroughly ventilate the room. The tool should be used like this - to start, mix 1 tbsp.

   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.

7. Tea tree oil.

   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.

8. Copper sulfate. It is also called copper sulfate, and is used not only in gardening and construction.

   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:

1. Dilute with water in a ratio of 1 to 10.
2. Apply the resulting solution to the seams using a fur coat or a spray bottle.

3. Wait 8 minutes.
4. Use a stiff brush to clean the seams.
5. Wash off with plenty of water.

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:

• " Dali "- a drug that is made in Russia, is universal - it can destroy not only mold and fungus, but also moss, algae, etc., costs 170 rubles per 600 ml.
• "Fongifluid Alpa" - a fungicidal solution, which is sold ready-made, diluted, costs 600 rubles for 2 liters of funds.
• "Olymp Stop-Mold" is a product created for damp rooms, and bathrooms in particular, does not have chlorine compounds, it costs 120 rubles per 1 liter.
• Mellerud is a Japanese manufacturer's product that fights well against moldy spots and fungal spores, penetrates into the very depths of the affected areas, costs 550 rubles per 0.

  5 liter.

• Рrosept "Fungi clean" - helps to remove dirt and mold, which is deeply embedded in the surface of joints and ceramic tiles, has a disinfecting effect, blocks the development of fungi and other microorganisms, removes unpleasant odors, costs 250 rubles for 0.5 liters.

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:

• Speed.

• Impact depth.
• Complete security.
• It is possible to carry out cleaning even in hard-to-reach places.
• High level of efficiency.

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:

• M mechanical - using special tools such as a jointing machine, a drill, a construction knife, we clean out the spaces between the tiles, and this should be done carefully so that the tiles themselves are not damaged.
• Chemical - the use of special reagents that help soften the grout composition and facilitate its removal. They can be industrial and folk.

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:

• Using a special anti-fungal grout which contains all the additives that are needed in order to prevent the fungus from appearing and spreading.

• Apply an anti-fungus agent on top of the grout, which has a water-repellent element, so that mold will not appear there.

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.

Safety measures

Most of the mold removers are poisonous and toxic, therefore, when working with them, you should observe safety precautions:

• Wear gloves to protect your skin.
• Wear a respirator to protect the respiratory tract.
• Use goggles to protect eyes from hazardous liquids.

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.

Preventive Measures

To prevent black mold from developing in the joints between tiles, follow these rules:

• Keep an eye on the humidity level and do not allow it to be exceeded - for this you can install a forced ventilation system.
• In winter and summer, in addition to the heating radiator, the bathroom must have a working heated towel rail, you can install a powered model.
• Do not forget about antiseptics - they should be used at the beginning of the repair to increase the degree of protection.
• After each use of the room, wipe the tiles and the joints between the tiles dry to avoid creating a mold-friendly environment.
• Do not dry linens and towels in the bathroom.

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.