One of the most common cleaning issues we encounter almost every day is the shower.
This is where cleaning technicians spend a lot of time and sometimes they can’t even accomplish a perfect job because the surface is already damaged by mold, rust and mineral built-up.
How can you prevent this?
MOLD
Bathrooms (as well as laundry rooms) are the most humid spaces in a building because of poor ventilation resulting in stagnant water waiting to dry. When the air in your bathroom (after a shower for example) is totally saturated with water vapor, it cannot hold any more and that’s why you can see drops of water on your bathroom walls even if it never came in contact with running water.
Molds thrive on organic materials like natural fabric, paper, leather, wood, food, oil, soap residue etc. Molds grow best in warm temperature. To grow, molds need moisture and oxygen but can grow in the dark.
Again, your bathrooms are perfect mold labs. If you’d like to prevent mold from growing and get rid of that smell, follow these tips:
1- Open the window when the outdoor air is dry.
This is a no brainer. In Texas, we don’t get many “dry” days so it’s even more important to take the opportunity when we have a break from the humidity.
2- Leave the shower door open
Allow the air to circulate. Turn on your fan, if you have one, after every shower.
3- Unclog your drains
Hair, soap, shampoo etc… are food for molds. Cleaning your drains will starve molds.
4- Add a moisture magnet
This is my favorite! Cat litter is the best moisture magnet. You can use the one made of clay (bentonite or others) or something like silica gel crystals (also used for desiccant found in the tiny pouches packaged as a preservative with foods, medication etc..) but as a green company, we have to recommend pine litter, which is biodegradable and can be composted.
Leave a little bowl of cat litter in your shower.
5- Clean your shower curtains just like you clean your bed sheets
When was the last time you cleaned your shower curtain? This is the moldiest thing we see in a bathroom. Please clean it!
6- Re-grout and re-caulk your shower
Mold can hide in tiny little holes of missing grout or caulk. This is the reason why even if you clean your shower very well, you’ll still have mold growing in a short period of time. Seal your cracks!
7- Clean under your bathtub mat
If you trap dirt, soap, hair etc.. under a mat, you can be certain fungus will find the all-you-can-eat buffet!
RUST
The only way to avoid rust, especially in the shower, is too keep the moisture away… again.
Wipe down your shower rail after you take a shower, it takes 10 seconds!
MINERAL BUILD-UP
A water softener is the best way to prevent mineral deposits on your faucets, sinks, toilets, bathtubs and appliances.
Once in a while, add vinegar in your toilet tank and let it sit for 30 minutes, then flush.
If you take care of your shower, it can last more than 25 years 🙂