Bath mats are twice likely to develop mold, contrary to rugs in kitchens and living rooms due to the high predisposition to moisture and dirt. Regardless of the material, whether rubber or cloth, bath mats notoriously harbor grime and, if not cleaned, could favor mold growth. Once mold grows, it cannot stop and can sometimes cause permanent stains if you don’t intervene.
To stop your mat from going moldy, wash and dry it every week to eradicate moisture and grime. Also, washing it with a combo of white vinegar and laundry soap every two months helps prevent permanent stains. Keeping dampness away by drying it after use also reduces its chances of going moldy.
Bath mats’ vulnerability to mold growth is usually high and can be challenging to control, especially in humid and warm bathroom ambiances. Getting a few pairs for constant replacement alleviates the problem. Nevertheless, it would help if you had a subtle combination of cleaning procedures which we’ll discuss in this article.
How to Stop Mold Growth on Your Bath Mat
The basic approach for stopping your bath mat from going moldy is cleaning using varying techniques, in addition to ensuring that it’s constantly dry. Mold grows and multiplies faster in damp and dirty conditions, and cleaning and drying eliminates them.
However, impeding further mold growth goes beyond just scrubbing and drying. High humidity in your bathroom from steamy showers increases the air to moisture ratio, promoting mold growth. Although clean mats are devoid of dirt, mold that’s already formed gets an excellent medium to continue multiplying and becoming persistent. An impeccable way to remedy this is by opening your bathroom windows to allow ventilation so the hot mist escapes. You can also run your exhaust fan during baths and for at least an hour after you’re through.
Why Is Bath Mat Cleaning Important?
A clean bathtub mat is a safer companion when scrubbing and scratching yourself in the bathtub. Bath mats are in your bathtub or shower rooms for a reason, and no, it’s not for decoration or improving the ambiance. Rather, it protects you from slips and falls that can often be sudden and fatal. Mats provide a firm grip against the soapy surface and more friction between their top surface and your feet. This grip ensures that you don’t fall over while turning about.
Letting dirt accumulate underneath can be disastrous for you since moisture and warmth from hot showers create a loathsome slime. This slippery substance makes your bath mat lose its grip, thus facilitating slips and falls. Besides, you’d hate to provide an impeccable medium for bacteria growth, further predisposing you to illnesses.
Note that bath mats come in different materials, with bathtub mats mainly being rubber. Similarly, bath rugs demand an equal share of care because they can be a cesspool of bacteria you’d hate to step on. Since they dry your feet to prevent slips on floors and tiles, it makes them absorb a better portion of moisture, making them equally vulnerable to mold growth.
How Often Should You Clean Your Bath Mat?
Your bath mat’s cleaning frequency depends on the purpose it serves and the material building it. Besides, the frequency of baths determines the dry periods and intervals, prompting a more frequent cleaning schedule. On average, you should clean your bath mat at least once every week. If you predispose your bathtub more frequently to moisture, you should dry it to prevent long periods of contact with water. Besides, you should at least clean it more than once if household members take frequent baths too, to prevent dander, dirt, and grime from building up.
While washing bath mats with soap and brush works for weekly cleaning, schedule thorough brush-through using a combination of white vinegar and soap every month or two. Such occasional cleaning schedules help get rid of staining bacteria that make your bath mat clad repulsive colors.
Bath Mat Cleaning Basics
Before cleaning your bath mat, consider a few prerequisites to prevent tarnishing and immediate wearing out. Most bath mats come with labeled information recommending the proper detergents and suitable temperatures for optimal cleaning. Some detergents can be corrosive or less effective, and some temperatures might be tarnishing.
For moldy bath mats, be sure to soak them for about an hour if dry before scrubbing with a tough-bristle brush and an excellent detergent. Remember to vigorously shake off the dirt, hairs, and all forms of the debris before cleaning. It would be best if you did it outside in free space or a washing machine. And after cleaning, place them in the sun to dry out before using them again. For rubber bath mats, it’s ideal to not dry them in the washing machine after cleaning since machine temperatures weaken their material cohesiveness.
Ways to Clean Bath Mats with Mold
A simple wash with soap and water might get rid of dirt and slimy grime but won’t clear mold. This cleaning technique scrubs the surface and lets you go past deeply rooted mold, which usually resists abrasive forces. Here are two ways of cleaning moldy bath mats.
Cleaning with hands
Cleaning moldy bath mats can be strenuous, prompting prior soaking to loosen the rigid mold. Follow these simple steps.
- Get your white vinegar ready and mix with water to form a cleaning solution.
- Soak the moldy bath tab for an hour
- Once it adequately soaks, add a strong disinfectant or detergent and use a hard-bristle brush to scrub molded patches until they’re tidy.
- Rinse and hang it in the sun for drying to destroy pathogen remnants.
- Cleaning with a washing machine
Cleaning a moldy bath mat with a washing machine should be simple. However, avoid air-drying for a lengthy period for rubber mats and rubber lined mats since it damages the material. Follow these steps to restore your bath mat.
- Prep your washing machine for cleaning by setting the correct temperature
- Add white vinegar, detergent, and a few grams of baking soda to the washer.
- Throw in the moldy bath mat with a few soft towels to increase scrubbing and friction for better cleaning.
· You can air-dry the mats, but don’t expose rubber mats and rubber-lined mates to lengthy air drying. If possible, let them hang out in the sun for the better part of the drying.
Conclusion
Bath mats are incredibly susceptible to mold growth, and it’s easy to see why. Since moisture and dirt form a primary medium for mold growth, they often predispose them, especially if they accumulate. Therefore, it’s always reasonable to maintain clean bath mats to cut mold development and for a safer and appealing bathroom.
