I put off cleaning the mouldy bathroom for ages only for it to be gone in a few minutes
Few household chores are as much of a faff yet essential as tackling mould. As foul to look at as it is bad for you, the fungus poses health risks — and it’s notoriously difficult to remove for good.
The Sisyphean nature of it all explains why I’ve been deliberately ignoring my shower grout, but I am wise enough to know that you never win against mould.
Wishing it away didn’t work, so when I came across an affordable yet attractive cleaning brush after popping into Søstrene Grene, I knew it was time to bite the bullet.
For those unfamiliar, the shop is a budget homewares chain originating from Denmark. Its labyrinthine layout is expertly crafted to tempt me into buying a basket full of chic and cheap trinkets.
It stocks everything, including a respectable range of cleaning tools with tasteful wooden handles. The cleaning brush I purchased is essentially a firm-bristled draught excluder fixed to an acacia handle.
I’d watched clips of people cleaning online with similar brushes (they’re everywhere on Amazon) and figured it wouldn’t hurt to drop £1.98 to test one out myself.
They’re a cheaper and low-fi alternative to the trendy SonicScrubber cleaning tool that’s ubiquitous on TikTok. The tool, which could be mistaken for an electric toothbrush, comes with interchangeable heads designed to clean different nooks and crannies and save you the effort.
But to keep it simple, this wand of stiff bristles seemed perfect for cleaning stubborn stains in awkward spaces — and, go figure, it was.
When I finally faced the mouldy grout, a dollop of Fairy liquid and a few sweeps with the brush were enough to wipe away the mould and mildew I’d dreaded so much.
The solution was devastatingly easy — washing-up liquid and my trusty new brush removed virtually all traces of black mould. No wait time, elbow grease or noxious vapours required.
I’m guilty of procrastinating on chores I dread only to discover they’re relatively straightforward, and thankfully, this proved to be one of them.
I might have gotten a better deal shopping on Amazon (such as three for £2.99) or opted for a brush from OXO (my brand of choice), but for a sub-£2 impulse purchase, it delivered.
I’ve dealt with far worse cases of mouldy grout and sealant, so I can’t say whether it will tackle a more serious outbreak, but the first thing I’d try is Fairy liquid and what amounts to a draught excluder on a stick.
Oddly, I’m looking forward to cleaning with it again, but only if it takes two minutes, tops.
