How changing just one cleaning habit can prevent mould from returning for months

The 60-second habit that stops bathroom mould for months: dry-down after every splash

Mould on the shower grout that keeps darkening, the black fuzz creeping along silicone, the musty film on window frames — many of us reach for bleach, scrub hard, and feel victorious for a week. Then the familiar spots return, sometimes faster than before, and the cycle starts again.

There’s a quieter fix that works for months at a time. It doesn’t involve stronger chemicals, weekend deep cleans or expensive gadgets. It’s a one-minute change to what you do after anything gets wet.

The one habit: a 60-second dry-down

The habit is simple. At the end of any “wet event” — a shower, boiling pasta, mopping, even a steamy bath — you dry the moisture before it becomes condensation. In a bathroom, that means a quick squeegee of the shower screen and tiles, followed by a fast wipe with a microfibre cloth along corners, grout lines and the base of the glass.

In a kitchen, it’s a short routine the moment you turn off the hob or dishwasher: lid off the pot, fan on, windows cracked, and a quick pass of a cloth under wall cabinets and on the window ledge where steam collects. The goal is not perfection; it’s to deny mould the lingering damp it needs to colonise.

Why moisture, not dirt, drives mould

Mould (mold) is a moisture problem before it’s a cleaning problem. Its spores float everywhere — in bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens — waiting for three things: water, still air and a food source such as soap scum, cellulose dust or cooking residue. You can strip a shower with bleach or hydrogen peroxide and see the grout lighten, but if the surface stays damp and the humidity hangs, the spores will reattach and flourish.

Many people don’t realise how long surfaces stay wet. Even with an extractor fan, a tiled shower can hold micro-puddles in grout lines for hours, especially along silicone edges and corners. Condensation forms on cooler spots — window frames, metal fittings, uninsulated walls — feeding a faint film that quickly turns into visible growth.

What the dry-down looks like in practice

After the last person showers, squeegee the walls and glass from top to bottom. The tool does most of the work, pulling litres of water down the drain in seconds. Then use a dry microfibre cloth to swipe the corners, tap base, shampoo niches and along the silicone joints where beads of water cling.

In the kitchen, keep the extractor fan on a high setting while cooking, and for at least 15–20 minutes after you turn the burner off. Open a window a crack to create cross-ventilation and encourage airflow. Then wipe the underside of cabinets near the hob, the splashback, and the inner edges of windows where condensation collects. It’s quick, and it stops steam from settling into porous seals and wooden trims.

How often and how long?

Every time there’s steam or spray, do the dry-down. That sounds obsessive, but it’s a 60-second add-on to what you already do. If you shower daily, you dry daily. If you boil a big pot once a week, that’s when you ventilate and wipe.

In homes where I’ve introduced this routine, the feedback is consistent: the first week feels like a chore; by week two it’s muscle memory. Three weeks later, that line of grey in the grout simply doesn’t come back, and silicone stays clear for months.

The science that makes it work

Mould growth is exponential once it gets established, but it’s fragile in its early hours. Deny it free water and stagnant air, and you interrupt the cycle. Surfaces that dry quickly don’t let spores germinate, and rooms with moving air avoid the clammy microclimates behind shampoo bottles, around window latches, or under soap dishes.

Humidity matters too. A simple hygrometer will show that keeping indoor relative humidity under 60 per cent dramatically slows growth. The dry-down helps you hit that target without relying entirely on a dehumidifier. You’re physically removing water before it evaporates and lingers as damp air.

Bleach, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide — where they still fit

Cleaning agents have their place, especially when you’re dealing with existing staining. Bleach can whiten grout, though it doesn’t penetrate porous surfaces deeply, and it won’t prevent re-growth if moisture remains. Vinegar can help dissolve mineral scale and soap film that feed mould, but it’s not a magic bullet. Hydrogen peroxide is often effective on light mould patches, as it breaks down organic material and leaves less residue.

Here’s the key shift. Use these products to reset a surface, not to maintain it. Once a shower is restored, the dry-down becomes the main defence. It’s the change from reaction to prevention that keeps mould at bay for months, not the brand of bottle under the sink.

Setting up your home so the habit is effortless

Habits stick when the tools are to hand. Hang a squeegee inside the shower at shoulder height. Keep two microfibre cloths within reach — one in the bathroom, one in the kitchen — and swap them out every few days so you’re always drying with a clean, absorbent surface. If clutter gathers on window sills and shower edges, clear it; tidy edges dry faster.

Think about time as much as tools. Start the extractor fan before you shower or cook, not after. Warm, humid air is easiest to move when you create a slight pressure difference, so opening a window by a finger-width helps. If your fan is weak, consider a replacement with a higher extraction rate and an overrun timer that keeps it running for 15 minutes after you leave.

Ventilation and airflow that actually work

An extractor fan only helps if the room can draw in make-up air. If the bathroom door seals tight, leave it ajar or trim the bottom to allow airflow. In older homes with chilly walls, a small, quiet dehumidifier can be a useful backup on cold, wet days when windows steam over; use it during showers and after laundry dries indoors.

Watch for cold bridges where condensation forms first, such as aluminium window frames or uninsulated corners. A quick pass with the cloth along those edges matters more than polishing the mirror. Mould loves microclimates, not just rooms.

Choosing the right squeegee and cloth

Any squeegee that fits your hand will work, but a flexible silicone blade glides better over varied tile and glass. A wider blade means fewer swipes, which keeps the habit under a minute. Microfibre cloths should be dense, not fluffy; you want absorption and a clean edge to pull moisture from grout lines.

Store them where you’ll use them. A suction hook inside the shower for the squeegee, and a wall-mounted caddy or narrow shelf for a folded cloth, will save you hunting for tools when you’re half-dressed and in a hurry.

Fixing stubborn spots so prevention can work

If mould has already rooted into grout and silicone, you may need a one-time reset. Scrub grout with a paste of oxygen bleach or a targeted bathroom cleaner, rinse well, and allow it to dry completely before you begin the dry-down routine. Silicone that has turned black through its full depth often needs replacing; no cleaner reverses that.

Once you’ve restored the surface, stay strict for a fortnight. That initial stretch breaks the pattern spores rely on and gives you a clean slate that’s easy to maintain.

Common mistakes that keep mould coming back

Many households run the extractor for two minutes and call it done. Moisture silently lingers, especially on cold mornings when you see the tell-tale condensation beading on windows. Keep the fan running until the mirror no longer fogs and the air feels crisp, even if you’ve already wiped down.

Another trap is relying on a weekly deep clean. It’s satisfying, but it doesn’t touch the daily physics of damp and airflow. A short, frequent drying habit outperforms a once-a-week blast because it addresses the cause rather than the evidence.

Why this habit pays off beyond mould

The dry-down makes bathrooms smell fresher because you’re not feeding bacteria with constant moisture. Mirrors stay clear, taps spot less, and even towels dry faster in air that isn’t heavy with humidity. In kitchens, the same routine reduces greasy film on cabinets because steam isn’t condensing and setting grime.

It also makes occasional deep cleans easier. When you stop the cycle of damp, you slow mineral build-up and soap scum, so descaling becomes quicker and less frequent. That’s time back, week after week.

A small change that compounds

If you’ve tried every spray on the aisle, this habit can feel almost too simple. But the difference is structural. You’re removing the essential ingredient mould needs — lingering moisture — before spores get their foothold. It’s a one-minute add-on to what you already do, and it keeps your grout pale, your silicone clear and your windows free from that grey line for months.

Start tonight. Hang a squeegee, fold a microfibre cloth, and finish the next shower with a fast dry-down. The clean you keep is the one that doesn’t let mould settle in the first place.