How to replace silicon around shower base?

[rjshoobridge]

we have replaced the silicon around the base of our shower three times! Each time we have done everything correctly including using the proper shower silicon but it still seems to get mould stuck in it and can’t be removed. Someone mentioned that we could use some sort of grout instead? We would like to give this a try but not sure what to get?

 

 

[Jason]

Hi @rjshoobridge,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community.

As we're missing a couple of our resident Bunnings D.I.Y. experts on the site today, let me tag a few helpful members in @JoeAzza, @Dave-1 and @Nailbag for their thoughts. 

Thanks,

Jason

[Dave-1]

Good morning @rjshoobridge 

Mmmm thinking, you probarly have tried this one Selleys 290ml No Mould Resistant Silicone Sealant - White but cant help to show you just in case.

After you remove the silicon, how have you cleaned the surface? I have generally used a slightly diluted bleach to "take out" whatever bugs are about. Be cautious as bleach will strip things and change them a little as well. (plastics, colourings type deal)

All I can suggest is to clean with something toxic to mould before you reapply. If mould keeps coming back it may be an idea to get someone to look at the waterproofing of the wall (is the mould only on the base or does it travel up the corner joins of the tiles? ) 

Does the water in your shower drain towards the drain or sit and bead?

Dave

[rjshoobridge]

Thank you so much Dave, yes we have tried that Selleys and we have also tried two other similar products that do the same thing & still mould. We will look at getting someone in I think but we noticed at Bunnings in the grout section there are so many to choose from. We wondered if you could use this instead? Just to give it a try?

[Dave-1]

Good morning @rjshoobridge 

Sorry i missed welcoming you to the bunnings community So A warm howdy and "nod" towards you

I havnt seen or heard of a grout that is used on two edges that move (slightly) so would expect the grout to crack and flake away. The silicone is flexiable and stops water entering. That said your shower base if installed properly even if the edge was replaced with grout and it cracked it should still drain towards the drain hole. Is the surface inside the shower area slopped at all?

It comes down to "three times" and you are frustrated. Unknown territory that you may have to scrape out. Pretty much a your call type deal.

Dave

[rjshoobridge]

so sorry I forgot to answer your question from the original message, yes the drain is sloped correctly, water doesn’t pool or sit in the mould areas, it is strange. Thank you so much for your advice really appreciate

[EricL]

Hello @rjshoobridge 

My apologies for the late reply. I suspect that you have a deep-seated mould infestation which is causing the mould to travel up to your new silicone seal. The next time you remove your silicone seal, I suggest removing as much as possible and spraying the area with Glitz 2L Cleaning Vinegar. Vinegar's acetic acid content helps kill mould spores and prevent further growth. While it may not be as effective on porous surfaces, it's a natural, non-toxic option for tackling mould in many situations. 

However, please do not spray your showers aluminium frame as it could cause pitting, discoloration and corrosion. You can use a small soft paint brush to wipe the cleaning vinegar onto the affected surfaces near the aluminium. Allow the vinegar to soak in for a few minutes and then wash it all off to prevent damaging the aluminium frame. I then recommend allowing the area to dry off or use an electric fan to promote air movement inside the shower area.

Once the entire area is totally dry you can then apply the silicone sealant to the area. Please do not use your hands or fingers to finish off the surface of the silicone. Use either a clean popsicle stick or use a Paint Partner 4 Piece Silicone Scraper Set. If you are using a soapy water mixture for cleaning, make sure the container and the water are clean and free of debris. Do not use an old mixture of soap and water so as not to contaminate the surface of the silicone.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

[Nailbag]

Hi @rjshoobridge 

The most likely reason you're getting mould reappearing each time is because even though the silicone is of the right type isn't being applied correctly. It means that the edges of the silicone are either not sealed to the tiles allowing moisture to enter or the area wasn't fully dry on application.

This is a job I do quite regularly. These are the steps I follow:

• Ideally the shower hasn't been used for 24hrs to allow the surface to be as dry as possible.
• I remove all the silicone using one of these tools pushing it forward. Ignore the crap reviews as they are probably not using it correctly. I also use a new blade in my scraper. Again ignore the reviews.
• I then use my workshop blower along the opening to blow out any moisture deep inside and dry up any residue. If its bad I also use my cordless heatgun, but a hairdryer is just as effective.
• Next is to wipe everything with turps to clean of any tiny remnants of silicone. This is an important step.
• I then apply this silicone, which is by far my weakness in technique if I'm being honest. Basically I have a habit of apply to much and scraping off too much. As you probably know, giving the silence a light spray of soapy water will allow you to smooth the Silone surface. But it can be a fine line of applying too much which allows this moisture to seep around the silicone edge to late cause mould.

Nailbag

[rjshoobridge]

Thank you so much! I will definitely give all of this a go however the last three times we completely cleaned the shower out and didn’t use it for two months prior to pulling up the silicon and then didn’t use shower for two months after. We have also done everything that is suggested in all of these comments why applying however the only thing we haven’t tried is vinegar so we will give that a go. For some reason it’s just staining the silicon in certain areas with mould. It’s not like surface mould where you can scrub it off it has actually stained it so it cannot come off.

Thank you again