Mildew On Your Bathroom Grout – Can It Be Removed?

Mildew On Your Bathroom Grout – Can It Be Removed?

Mildew is a type of fungus that thrives in moist environments such as your bathroom. It can easily spread and left unattended can quickly affect surfaces and even result in health problems. Mildew produces allergens that may cause reactions like sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rashes.

Mildew cleaning

Mildew on grout can be quite difficult to clean. Here’s a list of equipment you need to get the job done:

  • Sponge
  • Scrubbing brush or old toothbrush
  • Baking soda
  • Distilled white vinegar
  • Chlorine bleach
  • Spray bottle
  • Microfibre cloth
  • Vinyl gloves

Precleaning process

Dampen your clean sponge with warm water and wipe over the entire grouted area. This will remove any loose dirt and grime before you begin the deep clean.

Use your scrubbing brush or toothbrush and scrub in a circular motion to get into the grout crevices and loosen any mildew spores.

Rinse the area with clean warm water and pat dry with an absorbent microfibre cloth.

Depending on the depth of the mildew stains you can make up different solutions to deal with the removal. For light stains, a vinegar solution will be suitable, for moderate stains mix three cups of baking soda with enough water to form a thick paste, and for stubborn stains add equal amounts of chlorine bleach to warm water and pour into a spray bottle.

Cleaning techniques

Light stain removal

Spray the distilled white vinegar and water mix directly onto the grout. Then leave to settle for up to 10 minutes which allows the vinegar to penetrate into the grout and dissolve the mildew.

Scrub the grout again with your brush until you can see the stains disappearing, then do a final rinse with warm water to get rid of any vinegar residue. Finally, pat dry the treated area with a clean microfibre cloth.

Moderate stain removal

Coat the mildewed grout with the smooth baking soda mix and use your brush to work the paste into the cracks. Spray undiluted white vinegar directly onto the paste and when the foaming stops scrub the area using circular motions.

With a clean damp cloth wipe excess paste from the grout, followed by a final rinse with clean water to remove any residues. Dry with a clean microfibre cloth.

Stubborn stain removal

With the spray bottle of chlorine bleach and water mix apply a liberal solution directly onto the affected grout. Leave to stand for around 15 minutes to ensure the stains are deeply penetrated.

Scrub one grout line at a time to make sure no treated areas are missed – use your brush to get into all the crevices. Rinse the entire area with warm water to get rid of all traces of mildew and bleach, and follow by drying with a clean microfibre cloth. For particularly stubborn staining you may have to repeat this process.

Paper towels soaked in bleach can be adhered to the grout lines and left on overnight. When the towels are removed the next day, the grout should be stain-free.

If none of these cleaning methods are successful the grout may need to be replaced.

bathroom cleaning services

Mildew prevention

Mildew is caused by lingering moisture and a lack of ventilation. Damp materials such as grout provide the ideal breeding ground for spores. Simple precautions will help to stop mildew appearing and these include:

  • Opening windows after a shower or bath to allow moisture in the air to disperse naturally
  • Using the ventilator fan to get rid of excess humidity
  • Wiping around the shower to remove excess condensation
  • Cleaning and drying your bathroom regularly, particularly grouting areas that are prone to mildew
  • Washing towels and bathmats frequently
  • Booking professional deep cleaning services on a regular basis – find local deep cleaning services to help you keep on top of essential cleaning needs

Deep cleaning services in Abingdon

When you’re looking for an Oxford cleaning company with vetted and reference-checked professional cleaners you’ve come to the right place! Domestic cleaners in Abingdon are highly trained and experienced in providing Oxford cleaning services that deliver premium home deep cleaning services.

You’ll be able to arrange regular appointments with the same cleaner so that you can build a working relationship. The friendly and helpful technicians will come equipped with an entire range of specialist tools and solutions to cover all types of cleaning requirements.

You’ll be able to request a quote upfront to be able to budget for your cleaning needs and book an appointment seven days a week. You can provide the cleaners with a list of jobs you need tackling – from just a few rooms to the entire house. Services can be tailored to meet all of your requirements, and there’s a secure key holding facility option if you can’t be there when the cleaning takes place.