Mouldy Sealant - Replacing and Preventing

We have all had this problem: you have slaved over cleaning the bathroom for hours only to find that the sealant around the bath or shower still has black specks all over it and no amount of rubbing seems to remove it. Even if you can remove the black you are often left with an orange coloured stain and the mould seems to grow back even more quickly the next time.

Simply using a bleach solution on mould will help to disguise the problem, but eventually the sealant will need to be replaced. This is a relatively simple job which just about anyone can do themselves with the right equipment.

• Use a Stanley knife to break the seal away from the wall along the whole length of the sealant. Pull it away in one long strip.
• Scrape out as much of the left over sealant as possible. You can buy a sealant remover, but meths works well to break down the residue and leave you with a clean surface.
• Make sure the area to be resealed is dry before applying the sealant in a long thin bead. Apply it carefully and evenly, but don't worry if it appears to be too thick at this stage.
• Dip your finger in a washing up liquid and water solution and run it along the bead of sealant. This will smooth it out and give a professional finish. The washing up liquid will prevent your finger from sticking to the sealant and will make this job very easy.

But what sort of sealant should you use to prevent the problem happening again? Thankfully there is now a range of sealants which are anti-mould and are designed for areas where mould might become a problem such as bathrooms.

One of the main manufacturers of these products are Unibond who produce a number of sealants designed for wet areas. Their anti-mould silicone based sealant contains a fungicide which resists mould and even offers a guarantee against mould build-up. It is designed to be used around showers, toilets, baths, in wet rooms and tiled areas.

Once you have applied your new sealant you need to take care to prevent the problem recurring. Even if you have mould resistant sealant, you will want to prevent mould forming elsewhere in your bathroom. The best way to do this is to ensure you have adequate ventilation and to mop up water spills as soon as possible. Open windows when showering or install a fan to extract steam. Regular wiping down and cleaning will also help with this problem.