We usually get asked; “How should I take care of my washroom to keep mold / mildew out and how often should I clean it to avoid potential mold issues from popping up?”

When it comes to washrooms, it’s the least favorite room for homeowners to clean. However, dust, dirt, grime, and moisture sitting on your bathroom surfaces can lead to mold and mildew. So, why avoid the cleanup and put your family’s health at risk? Bathrooms should be cleaned weekly, but there’s also little things that can be done daily that can help make that weekly cleanup seem less daunting.

Daily:

• After a shower, squeegee your tiles to remove the excess water
• Keep the shower stall door or curtains open after a shower for at least 10 minutes to help exhaust the humidity that has built up inside
• Close the shower curtains afterwards to help dry them so moisture doesn’t get trapped when they are bunched up when closed
• Empty garbage bins every other day. Think of what gets thrown out: wet naps, damp paper towels, Kleenexes, tissue paper, etc. After a few days, your garbage bin can start to get musty and moldy
• Hang towels right away after a bath or shower. Leaving them on the floor can lead to musty odors and surface mold / paint / wood damage

Weekly:

• Toilet bowls
• Shower head; build-up can occur causing mold and clogging, preventing you from having a relaxing shower experience.
• Counters and sinks
• Walls and floors; dust, grime, hair is mold food when left on surfaces for too long
• Shower mats
• Replace hand and bath towels with fresh, clean linens
• Mirrors
• Door handles, faucets can hold onto bacteria

Ventilation:

• We suggest you use a fan that is not tied to your light switch to come on at the same time. Split the two and have two switches that turn the light and fan on independently. We recommend this because you need to keep your fan running about a 1/2 hour after a shower to fully vent moisture from your washroom.
• Washroom fans must be vented to the exterior of the home according to the Ontario Building Code.
• If your washroom fan is vented through your attic remember to insure the vent duct pipe is an insulated duct pipe. If the vent duct pipe is un-insulated condensation could form during the winter months causing condensation and mold issues