How do I stop our bathroom getting so mouldy?

[Gettheetoanunnery]

It's an en suite and the top of the walls and ceiling have all got very mouldy and damp, it looks disgusting. We're renting so don't want this coming off our deposit either!
We make sure we use the extractor fan with every shower and then open the window wide once we're done in there but it doesn't seem to be making a difference, it's just getting worse.

Any ideas on how to stop and remove this would be greatly appreciated

[ClareMarriott]

I would just try wiping the walls and ceiling down with just a cloth. Do you have a window cleaner thing that you can wipe down the shower screen ? Can you have the window open whilst you wash ? Do you have a radiator in there or heated towel rails that would help keep the atmosphere warm?

[mistlethrush]

We run a dehumidifier in our bathroom - constantly in the winter and sometimes in the summer - we never have a steamy bathroom, don't get mould and can dry our washing in there in the winter.

[PigletJohn]

you ought to run the extractor fan until all the water is gone. That includes wet towels and shower trays. Provided the extractor is effective, that will be better than the window because there will be an airflow drawing the water out of the house. Fresh air will be sucked in under the bathroom door.

You fan might be ineffective. Hold a joss-stick or get a revolting smoker to hold their disgusting fag under it, and see if the smoke is whisked away. Go outside on a cold day and see if the steam is being blown out of the vent.

See if you can identify a fan similar to yours here, it will give me a clue how good it is. Does it extract through a 105mm pipe straight through the external wall, or is there a hose above the ceiling? Is it clogged with fluff and cobwebs?

A typical extractor fan will run for about 50 hours on 14p worth of electricity, so don't be shy to run it.

[3b1g]

We use dehumidifier eggs which seem to help.

[PigletJohn]

btw look in the loft to see that the bathroom ceiling is well-insulated, if not it will be cold and attract condensation. You can buy a big roll of quilt for about £10 (get the sort with Ecose as it does not shed dust and fibres) if your landlord is unhelpful.

[seaweed74]

Our bathroom had a horrible mould problem. Just had it all ripped out. Extractor fan was heavily clogged with dust, etc and useless. But we also discovered numerous leaks! Two in the wall from the shower and four others (3 from loose bath fittings, one from loose sink fitting). The whole room was very wet. Plumber reckons water leaking for 5 years or so! we only moved in last September. Dehumidifier, sealing leaks, new extractor, no problem at all now.

[Aimee3005]

I tried this last night and it worked a charm... Mix bicarbonate of soda and neat bleach to form a thick paste and spread it on any horrid black mouldy areas (perfect for black mould on shower sealant, round the bath, grout etc). Use a toothbrush and push it in the horrible areas and leave overnight. Ours was awful and no amount of scrubbing, or even neat bleach seemed to work but this did the job!

[PropositionJoe]

The Dettox mould and mildew spray in a green bottle in all the supermarkets is very effective at keeping mould at bay. The kids' bathroom is ten years old and the sealant/ grout is still White. Don't know if it would be enough to solve the problem now, but i would definitely recommend using it after you have cleaned this mould away.

[PigletJohn]

chemicals will kill mould, but you still need to cure the source of dampness.

[Kellyl26]

Bleach just clears the mould. Leave it on for a bit you won't even have to scrub.

[fuzzpig]

Glad to read this thread. Our bathroom isn't too bad but we do get the odd spot.

HG spray is really good.

[CatsRule]

We have the same problem it doesn't help that dh likes monkey baths! but I really hate the smell of bleach so I use white vinegar. It takes the mould off well, it doesn't stop it returning though so a mould killer spray or bleach would be best for that.

Someone also suggested that I get the gutters checked and cleaned...it is upstairs and on outside walls/ceilings that we have the problem areas. The loft has been checked andnit is dry so possibly dampness from blocked gutters.

[Gettheetoanunnery]

Sorry for posting and not coming back, how rude!
Thanks for the advice, will get some mould cleaner stuff ASAP. I don't think the extractor fan is of any use at all tbh, doesn't seem to make any difference anyway. Will try the cigarette trick though.
Does anyone know if its our problem to deal with or would it be the landlords? We do leave the window open as much as possible but it's so cold recently and it's wasting all the heat upstairs.

[Jackshouse]

mistlethrush and other what type of dehumidifier are you using in your bathrooms?

[gingergiraffe]

Maybe your ceiling and walls are not painted with bathroom paint. Ordinary paint is no good as I discovered when my husband painted ours. Lots of other good suggestions here to try.