mould in anti mould grout!!!!!!

[ACCOLADE]

Hi everyone,

I have a problem with mould growing in the grout lines in the shower area of the bathroom. As soon as i treat it it will reapear. The walls are hardy backer boards, which should be anti mould proof. the tiles are travertine and have been sealed. and the grout was grandfix anti mould proof for life. all adhesives and grouts are flexiable for stone. Intrest to know what ideas you have.
Thanks lee

 

[White Room]

First time I've the hardie boards being called anti mould, they are not waterproof just moisture resistant...meaning they won't breakdown if they get wet.

Have you any kind of fine cracks in your grout lines.

 

[ACCOLADE]

No cracks, i have used clear siliconed in the corners. the hardy backer boards do say on the sticker that it is anti mould proof.

 

[DHTiling]

Do you have ventilation in the room. As in an expelair type fan. ?

 

[White Room]

The reason I asked about the cracks was whether moisture had got behind the tiles, is this happening all over the tiles on the grout and what adhesive was used to fix the tiles...

 

[mattle40]

It's possible that the mould is growing on the oily deposits, shower gels etc left over after a shower, the mould proof grouts prevent mould growing in them and spreading but it can still grow in deposits on the surface

Just a thought

 

[Discount Tile Supplies]

What did you treat it with? Check with Granfix if that product was suitable to clean their grouts, worth a call.

It may be anti mould grout but mould may grow on the surface if you have deposits of shampoo etc, as per Mattle. Ventilation as Dave says could be a issue here.

Keep a squeegee in your shower and wipe walls down after use, will make a big difference if your room is poorly ventilated.

 

[bugs183]

In most cases it's a lack of ventilation in the room, even with a good extractor fan set in the shower some rooms need more ventilation. Try and leave the window open and as DTS says squeegee the tiles off.

 

[ACCOLADE]

thanks for the posts, and I will try to reply to them all in one go. yes I have a Industrial size expelair fan with auto humidifier, I also added into the wall an air brick to get the air flowing.
It has grown in the grout lines and on small patches of stone, almost underneath the surface. but only in the bottom corners of the shower area.
I used a trade white flexiable adhesive from topps to fix them to the walls.
Yes I understand about the shampoo and conditioner and mould can live on that, but when you strip it back this will remove the shampoo but not the mould in the grout lines or at the base of shower.
I have treated it with two types of prouduct to see if thaer would be a difference in mould, but non, 1st lithofin stain stop/ 2nd pilkintons Quilare ?
I have not taken it up with grand fix yet, but most of them are willing to help out so will do, and No I have not got or used a squeezegee so this is somethink I will buy to help slow it down.
Thanks every one

 

[kilty55]

sounds like water damage if its down at base/bottom near tray

 

[ACCOLADE]

Its where the tiles meet with sealant, I have resealed it 9 months ago and bam its back. I think you may be right water has to be passing the seal some where

 

[kilty55]

ahh ok well i find that if water gets in even though you resealed the damage has been done and often the mould returns........remove the offending tiled area and re sheet then re tile?

 

[ACCOLADE]

Just a thought, is regrouting a possiability. if I dig out all the grout first strip back, reseal, regrout,reseal, or just bite the bullett!!

 

[kilty55]

try re grouting accolade yes but i think it will come back

 

[Discount Tile Supplies]

I think you may be right Kilty, might be a tile off job to see if mould is behind tile and coming through grout. So MC Hammer time Accolade.

 

[ACCOLADE]

YEP I think so, Its never nice spoiling good tiles, but mould is never going to go away if I dont.
Lee

 

[Discount Tile Supplies]

Just take one tile off first to look Lee

 

[ACCOLADE]

will do I think it will have passed in a small part about 10mm in the middle as this is jet black here, every where else just has tiny light spotting in a few grout lines, I am being fussy here. but it dose pee me off.