Silicone Around the Bath Going Black

If you buy good-quality sanitary grade silicone next time, it contains a fungicide which purports to prevent this (not 100% effective IME but better than nothing.)

I think if you always keep the shower nice and clean and dry between uses (yeah, right!) the mould problem doesn't happen.

David

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It's not all that difficult, I've even persuaded Spouse to do it.

A quick wipe over with a micropore cloth is all it needs and he realises that it's worthwhile because he doesn't have to replace the seal.

Mary

You want to try and persuade *my* spouse, plus three kids?!!

David

Well, if they don't mind mould it's their problem :-)

Mary

Try ventilating the room, clearing all kids, pets and idiots out of the way then cover the affected area with neat bleach. One of the gel type ones for preference because it doesn't run as much. Leave for ages and ages. If it's not too bad then it may clear it up. I've done this several times on my shower seal and run it down the grout lines to. Afterwards the shoer looks brand new.

I first tried it after ringing the helpline at Unibond asking what I had to do to qualify for their 25 year gurantee on the silicone sealant they sell. The instructions were to prepare really well and make sure all surfaces were scrupulously clean and dry then when in place clean regularly with diluted bleach. Obviously being a bloke I reasoned that if diluted bleach is good then neat bleach is better! Anyway it works a treat and it's a million times easier than replcing the nasty vile stuff.

The trouble is this is not surface mould, it is the deep in the substance of the rubber. All I can do it cut it all out and replace it but I don't want the same thing to happen again.

Kevin

That may be so but it must start on the surface. Prevention is better (and much easier) than cure.

Mary

The message from "Mary Fisher" contains these words:

Prevention would mean I'd have to chase the rest of the family (and myself) for ever. Replacement takes a few minutes every couple of years. I know which I'm more likely to do!

If I remember my O-level chemistry that isn't actually the case - the presence of water is required to generate the bleaching (oxidising?) action? Something to do with sodium hypochlorite?

David

Where can I get this "neat" bleach? All I can seem to find is solutions of varying strengths ;-)

Carnaby Street? - You'll need to fix up the TARDIS first though!

Been there done that, got the tee-shirt. Its caused by two things, possibly cheap silicone, expensive stuff eg Dow Corning 785 has fungicide in to prevent this and water actually in the silicone. This water comes from excessive use of a wet finger (as recommended on the tubes) when applying the silicone. Last lot I did, couple of years ago, I used a dampened Rawplug silicone tool and got very good results and no mould.