If you think your home is free from mould, think again. Mould spores are everywhere; they just need the right conditions to grow.
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The main factors contributing to mould growth are moisture, a suitable food source, and the right temperature. When these conditions align, mould spores can settle on surfaces and begin to grow.
The bathroom is the prime spot for black mould to grow. However, if you’ve spotted mould growing in your shower grout, we have some news for you.
What you need to know about shower grout mould
The biggest myth surrounding black mould is not all black mould is ‘toxic’. The problem is it’s tough to identify different mould types unless you’re a professional.
John Liddell, Managing Director of The Mould Doctor, previously told Better Homes and Gardens, “There are over 100,000 different types of mould. Not all types of mould are a threat, some are fairly benign, and some even have medicinal uses.”
Black mould in the bathroom
If you’ve sprung a bathroom leak
Stachybotrys is a toxic black mould often associated with water damage and high humidity. It is commonly found in areas with excessive moisture, such as basements and bathrooms. If you suspect you have Stachybotrys growing in your home, it’s time to call in a professional.
If you suspect you have a bathroom leak, Adam Dovile has some tips on how to assess the situation before calling in a plumber.
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Mouldy shower?
As for mould growing in your shower grout, that’s usually a different story.
“When the grout in your shower turns black, that’s a different fungus called Aureobasidium,” says Michael Taylor, a Lecturer School of the Environment, Flinders University, in a recent article for The Conversation.
He adds: “It’s slimy, sticky and somewhere between a filamentous mould, which grows threadlike roots through whatever it’s eating, and yeast, which prefers a free-floating, single-celled style of life.”
“Bleaching will often kill Aureobasidium, but the dark pigmentation will likely hang around – harmlessly, but stubbornly.”
The best way to remove mould is to first kill it and then get rid of it using a microfibre cloth.
Lucinda Curran is an Indoor Environmental Health Consultant. She previously told Better Homes and Gardens, “The cleaning technique is what works best – not a product,” she says.
She adds: “Microfibre cloths are designed to pick things up off a surface, as opposed to regular cloths, which smear them around.
“Always keep cross-contamination in mind – as it is easy to spread mould from one area to another, and cause it to release spores which will help it to spread.
“Microfibre cloths are designed to pick things up off a surface, as opposed to regular cloths, which just smear them around,” she says.
“Always keep cross-contamination in mind – as it is easy to spread mould from one area to another, and cause it to release spores which will help it to spread.”
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