Do You Have Mold and Mildew in Your Shower? See How a Tile & Grout Cleaning and Sealing Can Help

June 03, 2016

Mold and mildew growth in bathrooms is a common problem for homeowners. These fungi will quickly grow in humid environments and become a nuisance. Furthermore, they can stain grout lines, making your shower look unappealing. Not only do they make your shower look unappealing, they also have a pungent smell. Mold and mildew stick to grout lines and thrive, thanks to the humid environment after a hot shower. Removing these fungi can be a difficult task and must be done with care, which is why a professional tile and grout cleaning and sealing service is usually required to remove them. Recently, we met a homeowner who had been struggling with this unpleasant and unsightly problem in her bathroom, as you can see in the picture below.



These fungi can thrive in any moist environment and will reproduce quickly if the conditions allow it. Molds reproduce by producing spores, which travel through the air, and although molds are microscopic organisms, they become visible to the human eye when they form colonies, which look like black or green patches like the ones in the picture above. Mildew, on the other hand, is commonly interpreted as a sign of mold growth. When mold and mildew stick to grout lines and are not removed quickly, they will stain them. Therefore, it is important to remove mold and mildew and to seal grout lines, which will prevent these fungi from causing damage to your shower.

Removing mold and mildew involves several actions that attack the main sources of the problem, which are mainly moisture, warm temperatures, and any food source for mold spores, such as dust. When it comes to bathrooms, the situation is a bit more complex, since they are usually exposed to high temperatures, which, combined with moisture, create a mold- and mildew-friendly environment. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly clean and ventilate shower stalls and bathtubs. This process must be done with care and should be done by professionals to obtain the best results.

At Sir Grout, we combine a series of cleaning methods to effectively remove fungi from showers. We apply a pH-neutral solution to the surface and deep clean tile and grout with a gentle, high-speed scrubber. We also use vapor steam cleaning to make sure we have removed the mold and mildew in its entirety. Once this is done, we take care of the grout lines by sealing them with ColorSeal, which also recolors grout and – most importantly – is mold- and mildew-resistant as well as water- and stain-resistant. We performed this service for the customer's moldy bathroom, and as you can see, the results speak for themselves. The shower was restored to a fresh and bright appearance in no time.

To prevent mold and mildew growth, it is essential to inhibit their growth by reducing moisture and lowering indoor temperatures, given that warm temperatures, combined with moisture, create an ideal environment for them. If you like to take hot showers, we recommend that you make sure the shower stall is properly ventilated afterwards by using dehumidifiers or fans to prevent growth. However, if the mold has already appeared, it will need to be removed as quickly as possible to prevent it from staining the grout lines.

Does your shower resemble the one in the first picture? If so, we recommend cleaning and sealing the grout and tiles to prevent stains and other consequences. To schedule a free evaluation, call us at (866) 476-8863 or visit our locations section to find a Sir Grout near you!

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