On the Northern Beaches we have survived, to date, through what has been one of the wettest years in living memory. Unfortunately, if we listen to what the forecasters are saying, we have more inclement weather yet to come. As a result, we are all finding an unwelcome visitor in our houses…Mould! The green, black demon that has started to appear in abundance on our bathroom ceilings and windowsills. Mould is a collection of lots of different spores that continuously float in the air, both inside and outside our homes. Mould spoors gain traction in our houses when they are presented with an environment that not only includes damp air, but also porous surfaces that hold moisture and give mould a chance to grip.
When cleaning mould a holistic approach is recommended. The mould in your bathroom is probably the same family as the mould that maybe appearing in your wardrobe, and also on the back of your front door. The best approach is to tackle all of the mould in your house at the same time, and in doing so you start to break the cycle. There are a lot of remedies to kill mould. If you want an organic method that will kill the spores, then vinegar and paper towels is an excellent option. However, it’s important to have separate paper towels that you use to apply the vinegar with, and paper towels that you use to wipe the residue off with, so you do not cross contaminate the surfaces.
If you are looking for more of a one stop solution, then drop into your local hardware store where, for a reasonable price, you can purchase a mould specific product that will do the job and is good to keep in the shower for a quick spritz up of tiles.
Okay, I’ve killed the mould, how do I stop it from coming back? Well, first we need to change the environment that encourages the mould to grow. Windows need to be kept open during steamy showers, and ventilation fans need to be used. Mould in bathrooms can be a real issue in rental properties. A proven solution is to connect the ventilation fan to the light switch, this guarantees the fan is run every day. Then you need to look at the surface your ceiling is currently painted in. Almost all trade and quality paints have a mould inhibitor in them. So much is the demand that it has pretty much become a standard. However, you need to look at the finish of the ceiling. Flat paints allow moisture, and in turn mould, to get a purchase. In that static position they flourish.
Most professional painters will always finish wet areas like bathrooms, kitchens and laundries in a low sheen. This causes the water to ‘bead up’ and drip off, thus robbing mould of an environment to thrive. One of the best low sheen products to use in these areas is an external low sheen, if it can stand the weather outside then it can surely stand the steam from
a shower.
If you are renovating, getting ready for sale, or starting strata works, and have any questions about painting contact Matthew of Labrador Painting at matthew.ballard@labradorpainting.com
1 Comment
Yes vinegar is great but you forgot to mention oil of cloves as an organic solution to mould prevention. Once you’ve cleaned with vinegar diluted a bit in water … put a half teaspoon of clove oil in a litre spray bottle of water and spray surfaces. Then wipe off the residue damp with a dry cloth. Beautiful fresh smell … cheap as chips … and in my case the mould didn’t come back … so it must have worked!