It’s not a nice feeling. You are taking a refreshing shower and you spot mold and/or limescale. Not a pretty sight and removing it can be a difficult as it is frustrating. VRT News asked an expert for some top tips to help you make your shower look all shinny and new again.
Liesbeth Verboven of the cleaning company Het Poetsbureau (that is part of the Glowi) told VRT News that as with many issues related to cleaning prevention is better than cure.
"Mold is very difficult to remove. And limescale is also rather stubborn. You are rarely able to get rid of it completely and if you are able to this is only after having used aggressive, chemical detergent products that are not always good for your health."
But what preventative measures can you take to stop mold and/or limescale taking hold in your shower? Liesbeth Verboven advises us to “keep it dry”.
"If you dry the shower and the taps well after each time you have showered, limescale and mold won't stand a chance. You should also allow the damp to escape. You need to ensure that the room the shower is in is well-ventilated”.
Ensuring that a shower room is always well-ventilated requires some discipline. Once the damage has been done it is difficult to get the shower spic and span again Liesbeth Verboven says.
However, these tips can help you go at lease some way to putting things right.
Removing mold
Toothpaste: Although this doesn’t help remove mold from silicone surfaces it does help combat mold that has settled in the corners and on the joints of the shower. Toothpaste has an abrasive effect especially when used in conjunction with a toothbrush. With a toothbrush you can easily reach the all the nooks and crannies of corners and joints on your shower unit. Be careful when using scouring pads as they can scratch the material around the mold. Using a toothbrush prevents this.
Vinegar: apply the vinegar that may also be diluted with, for example, a spray bottle to the spots of mold. Allow it to work in for a while and then rinse it off with water. If you have a shower that is made of natural stone, it is better not to use vinegar. Vinegar is acid and it can stain natural stone surfaces. Furthermore, vinegar is also a liquid and it drips down vertical surfaces such as walls, meaning that it has less time to act. Toothpaste on the other hand stays in place.
Bleach: is a chemical product and Liesbeth Verboven is not a fan. If however you do wish to use bleach you should allow it to work into the afflicted surface and than rise well. Here too you should always be careful when applying it to natural stone surfaces.
Citrus extract is also sometimes mentioned as a fungicide. However, Liesbeth Verboven says that it is less efficient than other agents at removing mold. The same is true of bicarbonate soda (also known as baking soda). Although it does deodorise, but won't make mold disappear straight away.
As regards mold on silicone joints Liesbeth Verboven says that there is only one real solution: "Remove the silicone where mold has penetrated and replace it, because you will not get rid of the mold."
Removing limescale
Vinegar is one option. Here you should apply the vinegar (⅔ vinegar, ⅓ water) diluted with water to the limescale with a spray bottle. Give the diluted vinegar time to work its way in and then rinse it off with water. Here too you need to be carefully if your shower is made of natural stone. To loosen limescale from your shower faucet, you can put the faucet in a bag filled with vinegar and warm water. Rinse it and wipe with a wet microfiber cloth and then dry it thoroughly with a dishcloth.
Another option is lemon. Squeeze the lemon in warm water and let the steam from the water and lemon mixtures blow onto the limescale spots. Although this does work to an extent it is a lot less efficient than vinegar.
Classic limescale cleaners do their job to a limited extent but are less effective on large surfaces or on stubborn limescale patches. Please note if you have black taps in your shower/bathroom: using a classic limescale cleaner can cause the black covering to flake off over time.
Liesbeth Verboven says that she is sceptical as to the extent to which a paste made from washing powder mixed with a little water could be of help.
"It can help to some extent, but it creates a lot of foam that can build up, possibly clogging the drains. This creates a new problem rather than solving the original one."