Why is my bathroom always mouldy?

[edam]

Obviously I do clean my bathroom. But the mould always comes back - on the ceiling, on the grouting, on the window cill... I've never lived anywhere where the sodding bathroom is so determined to grow mould! It's a crappy 1970s house, btw, which probably has a lot to do with it. But does anyone have any top tips for stopping the damn stuff coming back?

It is quite simply not warm enough. You need hot dry air to dry up the steam and moisture in the air. That is all.

A dehumidifier and Dettol anti-mould would help

My bathroom is the same; it's poorly vented and chilly. Mould everywhere.

Same here. We're using bleach diluted in water in a spray bottle and spraying it everywhere frequently! Also keeping the heating on longer to let the bathroom dry helps.

Heat heat heat.... and when you are done in the shower, leave the heat on and the door open and the window open a crack. Feel the draft blowing through till everything is bone dry. Run your hands over the walls and ceiling to make sure it is dry before shutting window and door.

mop up any standing water when you have finished in the bathroom

I just run my towel over the bath before it goes into the wash, makes a huge difference

I keep the window open slightly all the time.

It's about ventilation - do you have an extractor fan or trickle vents on the windows. Avoid drying towels on radiators as that will just increase the moisture in the air.

Yes, I agree with the consensus on here - it's ventilation and nothing else. The condensation is caused by damp moisture laden air condensing on cold surfaces, and in areas where there is liitle air movement. I bet you have black in the corners of the ceiling? The window must be open when it's in use and after use it needs to be aired for an hour or more. If their is no window you will need a centrifugal fan, if you have a fan get another one and make sure it is a centrifugal one rather than axial as they are more powerful and set the timer overun to maximun. So many people keep all the windows clamped tight shut because it is cold outside and this is so unhealthy. I have my bathroom window wide open now at 10am and the temp outside is hovering around zero.

Ellie is right. I would add, have the fan wired so it comes on when the light is switched on, and runs-on for 20 minutes after the light goes out. Many people have an aversion to ventilation and will not switch on fans or open windows. When the fan is in use shut the door and window for the correct airflow suction.

A typical fan uses about 20W of electricity so will run for 50 hours for 10pence worth, so if anyone tells you it's expensive to run, poke them in the eye with a stick.

Old and worn-out extractors are sometimes noisy, but you can buy a new one for £10 or so if cost is a worry.

Centrifugal fans are generally quieter as well as more powerful.

Don't have the fan installed directly above a bath or shower as the electrical safety regulations are then more onerous and expensive.

Electrical work in bathrooms should be carried out by an electrician who is a member of a self-certification sheme.

Ooh, thank you for all these replies. Right, so it's ventilation? We do have double glazed windows with trickle vents but they don't see to be much effing use. I do open the windows but can't bear to have them open when I'm in the shower because it's freezing cold when you get out. Maybe a fan is the way to go - another thing to put on the 'stuff we need but can't afford until dh finds a job' list, sadly. But at least I know now, so thanks, everyone.

Ventilation and heating in adequate proportions.

Its more about ventilation after your shower than during. As long as you open the window after your shower you should be ok.

Agree with Pendeen.

But also too much ventilation can also cause a problem as there is moisture in the air. For example cold air comes in from the outside, meets the warmer air on the inside then turns into moisture.

I think some rooms are more prone to mould than others, depending on their position to the sun etc.

Also, have you checked for any water leaks in the bathroom? There may be a really small but persistant leak that is adding extra moisture into the atmosphere. Do you dry wet clothes in there? The extra moisture from the drying clothes will also contribute. Do you have lots of 'stuff' in the bathroom, lack of air circulation doesn't help.

It's a pain in the arse and once you get it it's a shite to get rid of.

An extractor fan makes a huge difference. A few years ago we converted a bedroom into a bathroom. When it was a bedroom there was black mold on the ceiling and the curtains went moldy because of ventilation. When we had it converted we had to have a fan fitted for building regs and it makes such a difference. The shower is used up to 5 times a day and yet it never feels damp in there and there is not a speck of mold either. I rarely remember to open the window The heating isn't on that often really either - 3-4 hours a day, tops.

when it comes to condensation, there is no such thing as "too much ventilation"

cold outside air holds less water vapour than warm indoor air does, therefore bringing in outside air brings less moisuture than the warm, wet air it replaces.

We have the same problem, I have an extractor fan and towel radiator on my "to do" list until then the ceiling is covered in mould.

Thanks everyone. The windows are north facing so I suspect that doesn't help.

(No, we don't dry clothes in there, btw, chance'd be a fine thing!)

Op, our bathroom window is also north facing. It is a small room and our only source of heat is the heated towel rail, which is always on when the heating is on. We have an extractor fan and I always always open the window after people have showered. Still got mould . I sincerely think hot dry air is the only answer, hence blasting the fan heater at it every time we shower from now on.

if you leave the fan running after each bath or shower, with the door and window closed, while residual water in the bath or tray, and on the towels, dries off, it should keep the room dry.

See if you can find a smoker to hold their disgusting fag under the fan, so you can verify it sucks well. If not, you could have it swapped for a more powerful one. Does it go straight through the wall, or is there ducting, for example in the loft?

Is it directly above a bath or shower (it makes a difference) and can you see one similar to yours in the link below? That will give me an idea of its power. The ones incorporating a low-voltage light and fan are especially weedy.

some extractor fans

(that was to bibbitybobbityhat)