The sealant round the top of my bath has gone black (I have showers every day so the sealant gets water over it all the time)

Scrubbing it’s not working so do I have to tear it out and replace it or are there any cleaners which will work?

Is there anything I can do to stop it going black in the first place?

Remove all of the sealant (use a stanley knife blade flat to avoid damaging the sink) and some of that sealant killer stuff.

Use some anti-bac sealant.

Improve ventilation around the bath so that it’s not wet/damp all the time.

remove it. Its a ball ache. Ive never had much joy with chemical removers – have to go for physical – careful use of scraper knives.

refit with the highest quality sanitary silicone you can find. Dow Corning 785 or Mapei.

Use a bleach based cleaner to keep the bugs from developing.

Meths on a rag helps for getting the last remnants of the old stuff off.

Replace with silicon (not acrylic) sealant (anti-bacterial as above)

Try leaving some bleach on it for a day.

Detol mould&mildew remover works pretty well for us, think it’s chlorine based.

I’ve already redone all the sealant with anti-mould stuff but due to excellent design work on my flat, there is no ventilation so the room is always damp and without this stuff it still goes mouldy.

Nothing will get shot of it completely, although mould remover will make it look slightly better. And I’ve never found a brand of sealant that’s immune to it.

Bleach / toothbrush is a short term fix. but replacing it is best

What about grout?

As above

Short Term – Bleach Toothbrush; then Daily/Weekly wipe over with wet bleached cloth

More permanent fix, removal all sealant with sharp knife and/or plastic/wood scrapers; wipe dry apply new high quality sealant, then Daily/Weekly wipe over with wet bleached cloth.

Repeat as necessary

Top tip fill the bath with cold water leave 24 hours for the bath to settle before applying sealant, it helps to stop the sealant pulling away from the bath/tiles during use as the gap will be at its widest

If the silicone is black the only thing I have found to rectify this is to replace the silicone. When you replace it go for the good stuff, this is really one of thoes situations where if you buy cheap you will buy twice and it is total PITA to scrape out the old silicone. To scrape it out i have found the window scrapers you get with stanley blades in them to work well.

To prevent the mould coming back better ventilation is required, but what i have also found to help is a quick wipe down of the screen and tiles with a window squeegee to get the worst of the water off the walls.

For grout i have had sucess with asda 19p bleach and an old tooth brush and scouring pad. Thin bleach works fine and as long as it is not coloured it should do the trick.

We have this problem in our bathroom (no windows just an extractor fan). No sealant is perfect just make sure you dry round the bath after use. This has helped ours.

Flash spray with bleach will remove it. Spray it on and leave it for an hour.

Use an old flannel to wipe the sealant after each shower and clean a little more often……

Replace with Dow Corning 785 Sanitary sealant – best stuff available.

Cheap silicone produces the problems you are experiencing.

Use black silicone, problem solved. 😀

Trying To clean it is pointless, it’s rotting and needs to be removed.

The best tool for the job is a very sharp chisel. Will remove it far easier than Stanley blades or scrapers.
Probably a 10 minute job to remove all the sealant round a bath with a chisel on e you are practiced at it.

Replace with Dow Corning 785 Sanitary sealant – best stuff available.
Cheap silicone produces the problems you are experiencing.

100%

Never use anything else, its not cheap. But the cheap stuff is total garbage.

same as retro83 here, Detol mould&mildew – spray it on, job done.

Yeah, echo the above replace with better sealant is the only fix.

Only thing to add is that GT85 works surprisingly well to help remove the sealant

Another vote for Dow Corning – very good stuff

Cheapo bleach will bring it up like new

Use black silicone, problem solved.

Love it!

We used HG Mould Remover on some black spots on our bathroom ceiling (before the whole bathroom sprung a leak and ended up being replaced on an insurance job anyway!) but that gave very good results.

Nobeerinthefridge – Member

Use black silicone, problem solved.

Balls – posting this ^ was the only reason I opened this thread – and I was beaten to it!

the mould will pit the old silicone so it will never be right again hence everyone saying to remove it and start fresh.

I have used this stuff in my flat and it’s been excellent: http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Adhesives+Sealants/Sanitary+Sealants/Forever+White+Sanitary+Sealant+310ml+White/d180/sd3202/p63890

I also used this grout touch up stuff and that too has been excellent and no discolouration for years: http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Adhesives+Sealants/Tile+Adhesive+Grout/Forever+White+Grout+Reviver+Arctic+White+200ml/d180/sd3107/p50440

and that’s in a bathroom with no natural ventilation (just a tiny vent that has a 5m long duct to get outside).

for removal either get a little blade holder or use some tough duct tape on the back of the blade or you will cut your fingers to shreds and not realise it until you see blood everywhere.

Your wasting your time trying to clean it up. Replace it with the Dow Corning 785 and if you can’t improve damp situation much, spray the shower down with a leave on cleaner each time you use it that prevents the mould returning. We use “method daily shower spray” it’s safe non-toxic stuff that seems to last forever and keeps the bathroom sparkling. Loads of places sell it, but I pick it up in b&q.

While on the subject a few drops of tea tree oil in some water in a squirty bottle is good for removing small patches of mould. Used to use it in my flat before I had the damp fixed.

Cheapo bleach will bring it up like new

For grout maybe.

But when silicone goes black, it’s fuggered and needs replacing.

AS well as the above you might want to consider a small fan if there isn’t an existing installation. The OH had the same issues until she a.) fitted a fan and b.) wiped the shower walls down with a micro fiber towel afterwards – like clockwork. Also gets a clean with meths every other week. Not a hint of mould since using this technique. The main thing, I think, is the removal of the majority of condensation/water from the sealant after bathing/showering.

A cloth can be had for very little cash – get a couple and circulate to keep clean and fresh.

I used one of THESE instead of a metal blade to avoid damage to soft surfaces (if there are any, of course). Good little tool for removal as it’s reasonably sharp.