Whiten and remove mould from silicone sealant with 3 natural yet powerful household items
If brown and black stains are present on your bathroom's silicone sealant, you are dealing with a tough mould problem. Luckily, it is easy to remove using some simple kitchen ingredients.
Silicone sealant is the white waterproof lining around baths and showers that stops moisture from getting into fixtures. Unfortunately, it can become a hotspot for mould in bathrooms. It can be tricky to get silicone sealant clean once it becomes mouldy, as it can become porous over time, which allows spores to penetrate and take root. This means that scrubbing at mould trapped on silicone rubber will only remove any spores growing on the surface, and the material can be resistant to many traditional cleaning products.
However, the cleaning experts at Villeroy & Boch have shared that you do not need bleach or any other harsh cleaners to remove bathroom mould, as it can be done with a few simple items. They said, “You don’t need a chemical mould remover such as a chlorine cleaner for this—regular household products will do the job just as well.
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"Use products such as baking powder and acetic acid or citric acid to remove mould and then rinse thoroughly with clean water. Don’t forget to dry surfaces thoroughly and ventilate the room!”
Many items in your kitchen cupboard can kill mould. White vinegar contains acetic acid, while lemon juice contains citric acid.
Both these naturally acidic substances break down the spore proteins to get rid of mould, but they also alter the pH of the silicone sealant surface to make them less likely to grow back.
White vinegar tends to be a stronger mould remover as it can penetrate the surface more deeply, but some people like to mix it with lemon juice to make a powerful homemade cleaner that will also smell amazing.
Baking soda is highly absorbent and can remove moisture from the silicone seal to dehydrate the mould. It is also abrasive, so it can help scrub the mould away without causing damage.
How to remove mould from silicone sealant naturally
All you need to do is combine two parts baking soda with one part white vinegar and one part lemon juice, then stir the ingredients together until it forms a paste.
Apply the paste to the silicone sealant and leave it alone for 30 to 60 minutes. This gives the cleaning solution time to break down the mould.
Once the time is up, use an old toothbrush to scrub the silicone sealant, and the mould should easily disappear.
Rinse the surface with water and then wipe once more to completely dry the silicone sealant.
This is a simple and natural solution to remove mould, but if you want to keep it away, you need to make sure your bathroom is well-ventilated, as spores can only grow on damp surfaces.
The expert said: “Good air circulation allows moisture to escape, so after showering or bathing, close the door and open the windows! During the day, leave the window ajar to ventilate the room.”
They added: “Wipe down tiles after your bath or shower and dry the shower tray, bathtub and grouting. The less moisture, the harder it is for mould to take hold.”
