My shower smells like mold-I have slate on walls and floor and it's sealed to look shiny. What should I clean it with every day and also to get rid of the mold. It's a steam shower and I have a fan and keep the door open after the shower. I assume that should be OK and not the reason for the mold smell. What do you think? Also, do I have to seal my granite counter tops again?

 

Dear Susie:

I don't even want to go into the semantics of the suitability of slate in a shower stall. (And then, which slate??...) And I don't want to talk about the sealing of stone in a wet environment, either.

What I can tell you is that nothing smells like mold as mold itself does! I never even heard of slate (or whatever) smelling like mold: when there's smell of mold, you can bet your last buck that there's mold!

Where?

Most likely behind and under the tiles, trapped by the sealer.

How did it get there?

Very possibly through cracks in the grout and/or caulk: water found its way behind the tile and by gravity under them, and the moisture can't migrate through the core of the stone to the surface because of the layer of urethane that you have on top of it.

What to do?

I have no idea without actually inspecting your shower stall. Hopefully it is not terminal, but only a stone restoration contractor could make a sure assessment. Consult with one – that's my advice.

 

“ Also, do I have to seal my granite counter tops again? ”

 

How would I know?... I mean, you didn't even tell me which granite or “granite” you have!... J

To find out do this:

Spill some water in a couple of spots of your stone, let it dwell for 5 minutes or so, wipe it dry and observe if the areas under which the water has been sitting have become (temporarily) any darker than the rest. If so, then you will apply a good-quality impregnating sealer. If not, you won't.

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Ciao and good luck,

Mauri z io Bertoli

 

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