by Gary Mays | Oct 12, 2024 | bathroom mould
Bathroom Bacteria Dangers Lurking in Your Bathroom: Whywait Plumbing's Health Alert
Bathroom bacteria is not just a lurking hidden danger. It’s a potentially deadly threat, especially for those who have recently undergone surgical or medical procedures that have weakened their immune system. With Queensland hospitals rapidly discharging patients, many unknowingly walk into potentially dangerous bathrooms. The time to protect your bathrooms is not tomorrow. It’s now.
Despite the seemingly pristine appearance of your bathroom vanity basin, shower, and bath, they could be hiding a dangerous secret. In the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 issues, taking bathroom bacteria seriously is more crucial than ever.
Recent research by Flinders University has uncovered that those seemingly harmless surfaces in your bathroom can become breeding grounds for harmful pathogens, including the notorious Legionella bacteria. This bacterium is not to be taken lightly, as it can lead to severe illnesses such as pneumonia, Legionnaires disease, and wound infections, posing a significant threat to your family’s health.
Legionella: A Hidden Understanding of the Risks
Despite what you may think that Legionella is only spread from air conditioning systems and hot water systems. The reality is that Legionella can breed anywhere that the right conditions exist.
Legionella bacteria, known to be more prevalent in home basins, showers, baths, and floor wastes than in hospitals, pose a severe threat. Often warm and moist, these areas provide the perfect conditions for Legionella to thrive.
Legionella thrives anywhere there is warm water, making your bathroom particularly vulnerable. It can spread through contaminated warm water or air around the taps and drains, posing a significant health risk. Think about it, almost everything you do in your bathroom involves using warm water, from washing your hands to showering. This warm water sits in the traps under your waste connection, where biofilm thrives in a perfect environment to breed multiple concealed strains of bathroom bacteria.
A recent outbreak in Melbourne, linked to cooling systems, tragically affected 90 people, resulting in two deaths. This underscores the potential severity of these infections and the urgent need for proactive measures. The consequences can be dire, making it crucial to take action to prevent such tragedies.
Biofilms, those slimy buildups you notice around taps and drains, are natural in basins, showers, baths, and floor wastes. Unfortunately, they create a haven for disease-causing pathogens. These biofilms are like protective shields for bacteria, allowing them to thrive and multiply, making regular and thorough cleaning essential.
While hospitals maintain strict infection control to manage biofilms, home bathrooms often lack the same level of attention and care. Thorough and frequent cleaning is essential to prevent bacterial growth and safeguard your family’s health from concealed bathroom bacteria.
Proactive Measures to Protect Your Health: Regular Cleaning is Key
Regular cleaning with effective disinfectants is not just a chore but a crucial step to mitigate the risks of Legionella and other harmful microbes. This is especially important in households with individuals recovering from illness or those with weakened immune systems.
- Focus on High-Risk Areas: Pay special attention to cleaning basins, showers, baths, and floor wastes. These areas are prone to biofilm buildup and require regular maintenance.
- Target Taps and Drains: Taps, mixers, and drains are high-touch areas that can harbour pathogens. Ensure these are cleaned thoroughly and frequently.
- Adopt Healthcare Practices at Home: Australia’s infection control guidelines suggest cleaning such surfaces twice daily in healthcare settings. This practice is worth adopting at home, especially when attending to a sick spouse or relative.
Choosing the Right Disinfectants
When choosing a bathroom disinfectant, you need to be aware that not all products are equal. Too many products contain dangerous chemicals, including bleaches. Bleaches are unsafe and ineffective, as they are nothing more than masking agents.
We recommend the Australian-made, 100% natural EnviroWizard Surface Sanitiser and Protectant, a plant-based, ready-to-use hospital-grade disinfectant, for its proven effectiveness in eliminating pathogens. This product is a comprehensive solution that ensures your bathroom is clean and safe from harmful bacteria, giving you confidence in your cleaning routine.
Why We Recommend EnviroWizard Surface Sanitiser and Protectant
EnviroWizard Surface Sanitiser and Protectant is a plant-based, ready-to-use hospital-grade disinfectant that ticks all the boxes. If we are undertaking a bathroom audit for you, we will use it to sanitise around the drainage connections in your basin, shower, bath, and floor waste. If your starting points are safety, effectiveness, economics, affordability, and sustainability, then it is the perfect sanitiser for you.
Effective against Covid-19, Canine Parvovirus and the following bacteria: Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, E. coli, and Salmonella. And it’s all made right here in Australia with Australian-sourced ingredients.
It is alcohol-free, tested and proven in the respected laboratories of Eurofins and Accuratus to prove effectiveness as a hospital-grade purpose disinfectant. It has been proven to kill 99.9999% of pathogens and bacteria safely and effectively. It’s also versatile enough to clean and disinfect most glass and stainless steel surfaces.
EnviroWizard Surface Sanitiser and Protectant is an outstanding product we recommend for maintaining a safe and healthy bathroom environment. Here’s why:
- Plant-Based Formula: EnviroWizard is made from natural, plant-based ingredients, making it an environmentally friendly choice without compromising efficacy.
- Long-Lasting Protection: Unlike many other products, EnviroWizard not only sanitises but also provides a protective barrier that continues to work long after application, keeping surfaces cleaner for longer.
- Safe for All Surfaces: This versatile sanitiser is safe to use on all surfaces in your bathroom, ensuring comprehensive protection against harmful microbes.
- EnviroWizard has been rigorously tested and proven to effectively eliminate a wide range of pathogens, making it a reliable choice for maintaining hygiene in your home. It has been shown to kill 99.9999% of bacteria and viruses, including COVID-19, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, E. coli, and Salmonella, providing comprehensive protection against harmful microbes.
Your Partner in Health and Safety With Preventative Plumbing Measures
As a leading plumbing service with 47 years of experience, Whywait Plumbing offers preventative measures to help reduce the risk of harmful bacteria in your bathroom. Our services, including regular professional inspections and water system maintenance, are designed to provide peace of mind, knowing that your bathroom is clean and free from potential health hazards.
Regular professional inspections and water system maintenance, such as those offered by Whywait Plumbing, can significantly decrease the likelihood of Legionella and other pathogens taking hold in your bathroom. These services can identify and address potential issues before they become serious problems, providing peace of mind and ensuring your home is safe and healthy.
- Our experienced plumbing technicians can assess and maintain your bathroom plumbing systems to ensure they can be kept free from harmful bathroom bacteria. Along with your cleaning, reassuring you that your home is safe.
- Regular maintenance audits can help prevent the conditions that enable Legionella and other hidden bathroom bacteria to thrive and keep your home safe.
Peace of Mind with Whywait Plumbing
With our extensive experience and commitment to health and safety, Whywait Plumbing is your trusted partner in maintaining a safe and healthy home environment.
Our services are designed to provide peace of mind, knowing that your bathroom is clean and free from potential health hazards.
Your bathroom should be a sanctuary, not a source of stress. By understanding the risks and taking proactive measures, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from the dangers lurking in your bathroom.
Regular cleaning and disinfecting with EnviroWizard Surface Sanitiser and Protectant combined with professional, proactive plumbing maintenance are crucial to ensuring a healthy and safe home.
After 47 years, you can trust Whywait Plumbing to help you safeguard your bathroom against harmful pathogens and concealed bathroom bacteria. Remember, regular cleaning and disinfecting are vital to maintaining a healthy bathroom environment.
by Gary Mays | Jul 2, 2022 | bathroom mould
Do you have mould around your tiles?
Do you have mould around the tiles or walls in your bathroom or kitchen? If you do, you are not alone, as it is a common problem, particularly in bathrooms and South East Queensland kitchens due to our sub-tropical climate. Like most problems, prevention is vital and preventing mould is often very simple.
Mould is a type of fungus that can grow on a variety of surfaces, including walls, ceilings, and floors. It is commonly found in damp or humid environments, such as bathrooms and kitchens. Mould can cause a variety of health problems, including allergies, respiratory issues, and infections.
Because your bathroom and especially the shower area are the wettest areas in your home, it is not uncommon to see mould growing in the grouting and silicon sealants. Mould loves the perfect atmosphere of your bathroom as it creates the ideal conditions for mould growth in the cracks and gaps in the tiling. Consequently, mould grows behind and through the grout joints on the tiles. As seen in the photo above, mould loves getting in behind the silicon seal on the internal corners, whether on the wall or the floor.
The most common area to find mould is in your shower, where it is nourished by your body oils, shampoo and soap residue left behind every time the shower is used.
Poor air circulation actively assists mould growth as the warmth and moisture created in the enclosed area of a shower offer ideal conditions for mould growth in the dark places of the shower around the internal corners and the shower floor drain. Poor air circulation is quickly resolved by installing a good-quality bathroom extraction fan above the shower that turns on automatically to remove all of the steam and water particles while you are using the shower, actively preventing mould growth.
What do you do if you suspect that you have mould in your bathroom or kitchen?
If you suspect that you have mould in your bathroom or kitchen, it’s essential to take action to address the problem. Here are a few steps you can take to identify, remove and preventing mould:
- Look for signs of mould: Mould can appear as black, brown, or green spots on surfaces. It may also have a musty or unpleasant smell.
- Identify the source of the moisture: Mould needs moisture to grow, so it’s essential to determine the source of the moisture in your bathroom or kitchen. This could be a leaky pipe, a humid environment, or poor ventilation.
- Repair the source of the moisture: Once you have identified the source of the moisture, it’s essential to fix the problem to prevent further mould growth. This may involve repairing a leaky pipe, installing a dehumidifier, or improving ventilation.
- Clean and disinfect the affected area: Be sure to wear protective gear, such as gloves and a mask, to avoid inhaling mould spores.
- Dry the area thoroughly: After cleaning the mould, it’s essential to dry the area thoroughly to prevent new mould growth. Use a fan or dehumidifier to speed up the drying process.
Whywait recommends using enzymes on mould
If you are suffering from mould growth in your bathroom and kitchen, then Whywait Plumbing recommends removing it before permanent stains are created. To not only prevent but also treat mould, we use what nature uses, which is enzymes rather than corrosive chemicals. Enzymes are a natural part of our world and play an essential role in everyday life. They are found in every living organism, and without enzymes, life is impossible. Enzymes are catalysts – not living organisms.
The success Whywait Plumbing has enjoyed with utilising our enzyme products is incredible, with every problem we have used exceeding our expectations and our client’s expectations. Enzyme products are a guaranteed supply of plant-based enzymes and enzyme products that, by their very nature, eliminate odours and organic matter, from blood stains to cleaning carpets and countertops, removing wallpaper, and even being used as a high-quality cleaner/degreaser.
For preventing mould and treating bathroom mould in the bathroom or the kitchen, we utilise a kitchen and bathroom mould and mildew spray, which is a spray and wipe product that is suitable for all surfaces in a bathroom or kitchen, whether they are Formica or stone bench tops, tiles, glass, timber or stainless steel as it will not only attack existing mould but prevent mould developing.
If you have surface mould in areas such as tiles grout, we spray the affected area whilst cleaning the area with a stiff brush. Once we have finished brushing the site, we leave it for 5 minutes, then rinse it with clean water. If you have heavy mould infiltration, applying a couple of extra times may be necessary to eradicate the mould.
Frequently we will find mould behind the silicon sealant on the internal corners in tile areas which will require more thorough work. First, we will need to use a utility knife such as a Stanley knife to scrape off all of the silicon and ensure you use a blade to scrape the remnants of silicon clear off the tiles. Once all of the silicon has been removed, we spray the mould as above until it has all disappeared. Once the mould has gone, we clean the area and dry it thoroughly with a hot air dryer to ensure no moisture is trapped in the open joint. Finally, we will need to apply a good quality mould-resistant silicon to the joint, specifically designed for high moisture areas.
Preventing mould growth reoccurring
Once we have removed the kitchen or bathroom mould, you need to ensure that you remove the chemical cleaners and bleaches from your cleaning regime and use our enzyme products in your bathroom and kitchen to prevent mould from reoccurring and ensure you have a positive prevention program in place in your home that contains no harmful phosphates or caustic chemicals.
Suppose the mould problem is extensive or we cannot locate the moisture source. In that case, it may be necessary to undertake a more thorough investigation, especially if you observe mould reappearing after a few days of our initial removal. In that case, you may have problems with leaking pipes or fittings that require a thorough investigation by us to ensure you are not damaging internal frames and wall linings. If you have leaking pipes or fittings behind the wall, then the mould is only a symptom of a bigger problem; ignoring it will not make it disappear.
Preventing mould growth in the first place is the best way to protect your health and your home. Be sure to regularly check for signs of mould and address any moisture issues promptly.
If you have any doubts about mould, contact Whywait Plumbing for advice on dealing with mould in your bathroom and kitchen.
by Gary Mays | Sep 5, 2013 | bathroom mould, Bathrooms, Consumer Issues, Drain Odours, Gold Coast Plumbing, Health Issues, Leaking Pipes, Plumbers, Plumbers Gold Coast, Sustainable Plumbing
Do you have mould around the tiles or on the walls in your bathroom or kitchen? If you do then you are not alone as it is a common problem particularly in bathrooms but also in kitchens in South East Queensland due to our sub-tropical climate. Like most problems prevention is vital and often very simple.
Because your bathroom and especially the shower area are the wettest areas in your home it is not uncommon to see mould growing in the grouting and silicon sealants. Bathroom Mould loves the perfect atmosphere to create the ideal conditions for mould growth in the cracks and gaps in the tiling. Consequently mould grows in behind and through the grout joints on the tiles. As can be seen on the photo on the right mould loves getting in behind the silicon seal on the internal corners whether it be the wall or the floor.
The most common area to find mould is in your shower where it is nourished by your body oils, shampoo and soap residue that are left behind every time the shower is used.
Poor air circulation actively assists mould growth as the warmth and moisture created in the enclosed area of a shower offer further ideal conditions for mould growth in the dark areas of the shower around the internal corners and the shower floor drain. Poor air circulation is easily resolved by ensuring you install a good quality bathroom extraction fan above the shower that turns on automatically to remove all of the steam and water particles while you are using the shower.
If you are suffering from mould growth in your bathroom and or kitchen then Whywait Plumbing recommend that you act now to remove it before permanent stains are created. To not only prevent but also treat mould you need to use what nature uses and that is enzymes rather than corrosive chemicals. Enzymes are a natural part of our world and play an important role in everyday life. They are found in every living organism and life is not possible without enzymes. Enzymes are catalysts – not living organisms.
The success Whywait Plumbing have enjoyed with utilising Enzyme Wizard products is incredible with every problem we have utilised it on exceeding not only our expectations but those of our clients. Enzyme Wizard products are a guaranteed supply of plant based enzymes and enzyme products that by their very nature eliminate odours and organic matter, from blood stains, to cleaning carpets and counter tops, removing wallpaper, and even used as a high quality cleaner/degreaser.
For preventing and treating bathroom mould in the bathroom or the kitchen you need to utilise Kitchen & Bathroom Mould & Mildew spray which is a spray and wipe product which is suitable for all surfaces in a bathroom or kitchen whether they are formica or stone bench tops, tiles, glass, timber or stainless steel as it will not only attack existing mould but prevent mould developing.
If you have surface mould in areas such as tiles grout simply spray the effected area with Mould & Mildew spray whilst cleaning the area with a stiff brush. Once you have finished brushing the area leave it 5 minutes then rinse it with clean water. If you have heavy infiltration of mould it maybe necessary to apply a couple of extra times to completely remove the mould.
Frequently you will find mould behind the silicon sealant on the internal corners in tile areas which will require more thorough work. You will need to use a utility knife such as a Stanley knife to scrape off all of the silicon plus ensure you use use a blade to scrape the remnants of silicon clear off the tiles. Once all of the silicon has been removed spray the mould with Mould & Mildew spray as above until it has all disappeared. Once the mould has gone rinse the area clean and dry it thoroughly with a hot air dryer to ensure there is no moisture trapped in the open joint. Finally you will need yo apply a good quality mould resistant silicon to the joint which is specifically designed for high moisture areas.
Once you have removed the kitchen or bathroom mould you need to ensure that you remove the chemical cleaners and bleaches from your cleaning regime and use Enzyme Wizard products in your bathroom and kitchen to prevent mould reoccurring and ensure you have a positive prevention program in place in your home that contain no harmful phosphates or caustic chemicals.
If you observe mould reappearing after a few days of removing then you may have problems with leaking pipes or fittings that require a thorough investigation by Whywait Plumbing to ensure you are not damaging internal frames and wall linings. If you have leaking pipes or fittings behind the wall then mould is only a sympton of a bigger problem and ignoring will not make it disappear. If in any doubt contact Whywait Plumbing for advice on how to deal with mould in your bathroom and or kitchen.
