Mouldy Bathroom

[Twinklefae]

Hey guys, for the second time in a year the caulking around my bathtub is black and cracked. My FIL will replace it, but what can I do to keep it from getting so bad?

[LilWin]

This is what we do: we swipe the walls with one of those squeaky (sp?) things and have an electric fan that we put on after each bath or shower. I also leave the door of the bathroom open during the day. Our bathroom does not have a window, which is the main cause of this problem for us. After the last paint job it has stayed white and without mold for about 2 yrs, it's starting to come back now though, so it's time for another bucket of paint. I have heard of people scrubbing with bleach or soaking in vinegar for a night and that also seems to work well to get it really clean. I like to focus on prevention of mold more, cleaning is not my hobby.

[nascarbebe]

Once you get mold the only way to really get it out is with bleach/water solution. Just pour some over it and let it sit. Come back at least half hour later to rinse it out. Make sure you open the bathroom window if you have one and turn on the ventilation fan. I use vinegar/water to clean my shower and it appears to keep more mold from developing.

If you're getting it recaulked make sure you get the special on that is for showers. I can't remember the specific name for it but it's supposed to be mold resistant. I saw it on This Old House We don't have that on our bathroom

[yeahwhat]

Definitely make sure your bathroom is drying out between showers/baths. If you have a fan, run it during the shower and for at least 30 minutes afterwards. If you only have a window, leave it open at least a crack as often as practical. Leave the door open to the rest of the house. Dry the shower walls/edge of the shower/bath after using it.

For the caulking, clean/bleach it regularly, especially whenever you see any evidence of mold starting. When you replace it, clean thoroughly and then make sure to use a good silicon caulk designed for bathrooms.