How to Clean Mold & Mildew From Stone Shower Stalls
Mold and mildew are types of fungi commonly found in shower stalls due to the damp, warm environment of the bathroom. Removing mold and mildew from the shower stall is important so it doesn't spread. When the fungus is on a natural stone shower stall, care must be taken not to damage the stone surface. Due to the porous nature of natural stone, it's important to remove mold and mildew as soon possible. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Rubber gloves keep ammonia from irritating or drying the skin. Combine 1/2 cup ammonia with 1 gallon warm water in a bucket. Wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from the harshness of the ammonia and mix the two ingredients together.
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Soak a sponge in the ammonia solution and wipe the solution over the natural stone surface wherever mold and mildew are present. Allow the solution to sit on the surface of the shower for a few minutes so it can kill tiny mold and mildew spores unable to be seen by the eye.
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Scrub the stone shower surface with a sponge. Rinse the sponge with plain water to remove the mold and mildew spores. Apply more ammonia solution and continue to scrub until the mold and mildew is gone.
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Rinse the natural stone shower stall with plain water and wipe down with a dry towel. Pour the excess ammonia solution into a spray bottle and keep near the bathroom to apply once a week to keep mildew and mold from returning.
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Tips & Warnings
Substitute bleach or hydrogen peroxide for the ammonia.
Run a fan or open a window in the bathroom to decrease humidity.
Use a squeegee after every shower to remove moisture from the stone surface.
Avoid using abrasive cleaners to remove mold as they will scratch the stone surface.
Severe mold and mildew removal can present a health hazard and may require the expertise of a professional.
References
- Photo Credit shower image by Dragan Trifunovic from Fotolia.com rubber gloves image by AGphotographer from Fotolia.com
