How To Remove Mold From Shower Caulking?

It looks ugly when your shower caulking is fully covered by mold.

If left for a long time, they will get stubborner to remove, and get along with some adverse effects on your health, such as difficulty in breathing, itchy eyes, yeast infection, sneezing, and skin irritation. None of these symptoms are comfortable, obviously.

Below are some useful solutions to remove mold from shower caulking that you should try. Keep reading to learn more.

How To Remove Mold From Shower Caulking

Green Methods

Hydrogen Peroxide

For a shower caulk line, a concentration of 3% of hydrogen peroxide is enough. Pour it into a spray bottle, then apply to the caulk line. Spray until it’s soaked thoroughly and let the fluid sit for 5-10 minutes.

Now, start scrubbing it using a sponge or bristle brush.

Use a paper towel or a cloth to wipe it off when done.

Vinegar

This method gives you two big advantages: removing mold from shower caulking efficiently and killing it. Choose common vinegar for the best results.

It might have an uncomfortable smell, therefore, make sure to open doors and windows during use. It would be better if you wear a high-quality face mask and turn on the bathroom exhaust fan.

Or, dilute the vinegar with water in a ratio of 1:1 but take note that it requires more of the diluted solution for the best results.

Start with spraying on the moldy area, let it sit for 60 minutes, then scrub with a brush. Wipe off all the residue using a paper towel or sponge and finally, rinse it with water.

Chemical Methods

Using bleach formula and using ammonia are two common ways to eliminate mold from shower caulking. Here is the detailed guide of each:

Using Bleach Formula

Pros

• Perfect to work with non-porous surfaces
• More aggressive cleaning abilities

Cons

• Create dangerous fumes
• Damage silicone sealant

The advice: Be careful during use. Make sure your bathroom is well-ventilated.

How-to

You’ll need:

• A fresh sponge/a spray bottle & a bristled brush, depending on how tough the mold
• A pair of rubber gloves
• 1 gallon of water
• One cup of chlorinated bleach

Pour chlorinated bleach into the water to get a well-dissolved mixture. If the mold is mild, dip the sponge into this mixture, squeeze away the excess and scrub it on the mold spots.

Otherwise, pour this mixture into a spray bottle and apply to the moldy spots. Wait for 5 to 10 minutes before scrubbing them with a brush.

What if the mold hasn’t been removed thoroughly yet?

In this case, you’ll need cotton coils. Soak them in the bleach formula mixture, then apply to the caulk line; use Q-tip to nudge them and leave these cotton coils overnight so that the bleach can remove mold the deepest.

Clean them in the next morning using a bristle brush. Then, wipe these areas with a washcloth or a paper towel.

This method is safe to use on sealant, rest assured.

Using Ammonia

Pros

• Easy to find
• Cheap to buy
• Able to remove mold thoroughly

Cons

• Pretty harmful to health since ammonia releases hazardous fume
• Not for porous surfaces

The advice: Keep the bathroom well-ventilated by opening the doors and windows as well as turning on the exhaust fan during use. Wear the right respirator or an activated charcoal cartridge face mask

How-to

You’ll need:

• 1 gallon of water
• 1 gallon of ammonia
• A sprayer
• A tiny toothbrush/a bristled brush
• A clean paper/cloth

Mix ammonia with the water finely, then pour this mixture into a spraying bottle. Apply it onto the moldy spots and leave them for 5 to 10 minutes so that the mixture can be settled down.

After that, start scrubbing using the brush/toothbrush, then wipe it off with the cloth you’ve prepared beforehand. Make sure that there’s no residue left. Repeat the process if you still find some stubborn mold on the caulking.

Borax

This has been a popular detergent booster and multi-purpose household cleaner, specializing in removing stains, mold and neutralizing odors for decades.

Mix borax with water in a ratio of 1:10. Transfer this mixture to a sprayer then, apply it onto the caulk line. Leave for a few minutes and start scrubbing. Dry it thoroughly and you’ll receive a clean, like-new shower caulk.

Other Solutions

If either of the previous methods doesn’t work in your case, here are some others to consider:

Replace The Caulk

Don’t worry, this small job isn’t difficult as it seems.

All you need to prepare are a waterproof, shower-appropriate caulk for tiles and tubs, a caulk gun, a caulk remover gel, a knife, and tape.

On the market, there are some common types of caulks – latex caulks and silicone caulks. We highly recommend you choose the second because it’s easier to use and lasts longer.

Start off with applying the caulk remover gel on the old caulk and leave it for around 15-20 minutes before scraping it off thoroughly using a knife. Stick some tape over the tiles’ edges and make sure that only the caulk is exposed.

Give the new caulk nozzle a cut such that its width fits the exposed space.

Now, apply it along the caulk. If there is any excess along the caulk line, dip your fingers in freshwater and run them along this line.

Finally, while the new caulk is still wet, gently undo the tape.

Conclusion

We’ve tried our best to give you as many ways to remove mold from shower caulking as possible. Hopefully, they were useful for you. Which methods have you applied already? Do they work? We’d like to hear from you as much as possible.

Thanks for reading!