Top Tips for Keeping Shower Screens and Enclosures Black Mould Free
One of the greatest challenges for anyone in charge of cleaning the bathroom is keeping black mould at bay. You don't want black mould anywhere in your bathroom, but it's even worse when it's present in your shower enclosure—you're in a confined space with a high-speed jet of water sending spores into the air that you're breathing while you shower. Read on for tips on how to keep your shower cubicle and shower screen mould free.
Ventilation
A shower enclosure has all the components needed for black mould to flourish—dampness and poor air flow. Ventilation is perhaps the most important part of your battle against black mould. After every shower, make sure you wipe down all the surfaces of the shower. Keep a towel handy for this purpose and make sure you include the edges of your shower screen where moisture will collect and can take longer to evaporate. When you've dried the surface, leave the shower screen door open to allow air to circulate through the shower cubicle.
Always make sure the bathroom extractor is on. Some people have extractors that are activated whenever the bathroom light is switched on. If you have one of these and you're showering during the day, you should turn the light on and off to activate the fan. Make sure you do this again before leaving the bathroom. To speed up the removal of moisture from the air, open the bathroom window for a few minutes after every shower. It may seem like a lot of work to follow this protocol, but in reality, it takes no more than a minute or two to ensure that the area remains mould free.
Cleaning Routine
It's easy to forget that showers need cleaning. After all, the walls are showered down every time you switch the shower on. However, just like your bath, showers can develop a build-up of soap scum and need to be cleaned regularly (weekly is ideal). Be careful with the products you use, as you will be spraying them into an enclosed space. Try to avoid products with VOCs.
You can make your own cleaner from white vinegar—this will work as well as most of the chemical cleaners on the market while being better for your health and the environment. It is particularly important to keep your shower drain clean. This is perhaps the most likely area for black mould to take hold as it isn't an area that you'll be wiping down after your shower. Make sure you clean the drain monthly.
For more information, contact local professionals like those found at A.T. Glass & Aluminium.