Help with mould problem

[MeredithGrey1]

(Sorry, this is long, just wanted to give all the info I think is relevant).
I feel like our flat is a constant battle against black mould. Is there a way to stop it for good?? We live in a flat with double glazing but no gas central heating and have electric heaters in bedroom and living room which we use to keep the flat at a nice temperature (it’s not a big flat). We have a dehumidifier which we put on for several hours over night and often for a bit when we go to work. When we’re in on weekends and it’s not raining I make sure to open the windows for as long as possible each day, on weekdays I try to remember to open the bedroom windows slightly while we get dressed as those windows are always absolutely soaking every morning and the windowsill below and walls around get mouldy. We both shower/bath in the evening and we open the window slightly while we do and use the dehumidifier afterwards. We always put the extractor fan on while cooking. But there is still mould! It’s around the bathroom windows, bedroom windows, front door, just found some in the corner of the living room which until now I had thought was a nice dry room. We clean it up regularly with mould remover and because we do it often it does come off quite nicely but just comes back so quickly and I can’t think what else we can do.

We do dry our washing inside because we don’t have any outside space or a tumble dryer (and this won’t change unless we move so there is nothing we can do about this) but there are just two of us so not piles and piles of laundry, normally two colour loads and a small white wash per week (also the area where we put the clothes rack is actually totally mould free). We live on the ground floor so I don’t want to leave any windows open at night or when we’re not here.

I know that once you have mould in one place it’s likely to come back unless professionally removed but I don’t understand why new mould is appearing. Am I missing something really obvious, or are some houses just mould prone? Is there anything we can do to slow the growth and prevent new spots?

Tbh it sounds like you are doing a lot already.

I do have windows on a latch slightly ajar even if raining sometimes. If your room air is warmer than ourside you will vent more moisture than the cooler air coming in.

Also I did wipe down my bedroom windows every morning. Or any damp windows.

Heated clothing airer for drying clothes. If you use this in a small closed room, with the dehumidifier running, the clothes should dry very quickly and the moisture confined to one room, where it’s being absorbed, rather than floating through the house. Might help?

Mould can occur from continual low temperature and lack of ventilation. If you house regularly drops below 14° it will risk the mould.

Re ventilation are you able to open windows every morning for at least 10 15 mins before you leave?

If you know anyone with a condenser drier ask them to show you how much water comes out of a couple of loads of washing and then imagine spraying that around your flat. It's a lot of water.

I would try really hard to fit in a drier, it won't take up much more room than an airer.

Otherwise, open your windows as much as possible, but don't run your dehumidifier with windows open, and dry your washing in one room with doors and windows closed and the dehumidifier running.

HG Mould spray is excellent to kill the mould.

Thanks, can definitely start wiping the windows in the morning - don’t know why this wouldn’t have occurred to me when looking at wet windows wondering what to do!

The flat can be a bit hard to heat but never feels uncomfortably cold or like I need a big jumper to stay warm, we don’t have a thermostat to make sure a specific temperature is maintained though. We try to remember to open the windows while we get ready in the morning, but in winter when it’s dark and cold it does get forgotten sometimes.

Is it more important to have a warm house, or a ventilated house when it comes to mould? Because in winter opening windows to ventilate can make certain areas of the flat further from the heaters quite cold (the bathroom has this problem when the window is open too long). Is it better to keep the window closed and the room warm, or open the window and let the temp drop a bit? The living room and bedroom are ok because they can stay quite warm with the windows cracked open, it’s just the bathroom I’m never sure whether it’s best for me to leave it open or not.

Karcher window vacs are great. Make sure you wipe down the frames with anti fungal regularly too. Steady heat not up and down .
Use the karcher on your shower screen too. Always put lids on cooking pots .
As Hardasnails says it’s really drying the washing you need to deal with. Dry at the laundrette?

I also have a window ajar in the kitchen when I cook, and yes to lids on pans.

I leave my bathroom window ajar but door shut if the room is still showing signs of damp. Tricky if you don't have heating in there. Definitely wipe down any shower screen or bath after use.