Remove mold from silicone window joints and window seals

• Removal of mildew made easy - all home remedies at a glance
  • 1. detergent
  • 2. Cleansing Milk or Scouring Milk
  • 3. Vinegar and vinegar cleaner
  • 4. Methylated spirits and hydrogen peroxide
  • 5. baking powder and joint pin
  • 6. Chlorine cleaner and mildew spray
  • 7. Steam cleaner
  • 8. Hot air blower
  • 9. Replace silicone joint
  • 10. Window seals made of silicone

On a silicone joint mold first appears in the form of small gray or black dots. Then you should remove all mold stains immediately, because they move very quickly into the silicone and then can not be eliminated. Here are ten different ways to get rid of the mold.

If the mold is removed before it settles permanently in the silicone joints, it is not necessary to renew the entire joint first. But many cleaners, which are specifically designed for these molds, damage the silicone and make both the joint and a seal of the same material porous. The seal would then have to be replaced and the window joint retracted with silicone compound. Therefore, we have collected here the various home remedies, which have proven themselves over the years in the window seal as well as the silicone joint. The best solutions for window joints made of silicone, we present here with the appropriate tips.

You need this:

• steam cleaners
• Soft cotton towels
• microfiber cloth
• Cuttermesser
• Old toothbrush
• silicone gun
• heat gun
• rubber gloves
• Gloves protect the skin from chemical
• detergents
• chlorine cleaner
• Pilzentferner
• cleansing milk
• hydrogen peroxide
• baking powder
• toothpaste
• Joint White Pen
• dish soap
• silicone cartridge
• silicone packing

Removal of mildew made easy - all home remedies at a glance

Of course, you do not need all of the above cleaners or materials right away. Depending on the level of contamination with the mold, another means is the perfect solution. But when the mold has first taken root in the silicone compound, at some degree, nothing can be done. Unfortunately, you must be aware of this, then the joint or the seal must be completely replaced.

So that the joints or seals on the window are not permanently damaged by the cleaning methods, we start here with the most harmless method, with which you can rid the silicone of mildew. If you arrive at the eighth point without visible success, replace the existing silicone material and insert new seals.

1. detergent

Thanks to its special structure, a microfibre cloth easily rubs off any dirt on the window seal, without over-roughening the sensitive silicone layer. It is therefore more effective than a normal sponge or cotton cloth. Warm water and some dishwashing liquid can often be very effective in completing this first step in cleaning the silicone joint.

Tip: There are big differences in the different microfibre cloths. It does not have to be the most expensive or high quality cloth. Basically, for a functioning household more a selection of different qualities of microfiber towels is more important. So you have the right cloth for every purpose.

2. Cleansing Milk or Scouring Milk

In the normal cleansing milk, which is used for the entire household, fine grains are included, which rub like a scrub a little on the surface. They do not seriously damage the window joint or the silicone gasket, but they cause micro-fine scratches. That would not be bad. But in these small scratches, of course, the next mold fungus can settle all the better. Then you get him down even worse, because he lies in these micro-traces on the window seal as in a trench.

Conclusion: foxing on a silicone joint, which have not yet retracted, you can remove it with the cleansing milk or scouring cream. Too often, you should not repeat this process. Next time it is therefore necessary to intervene earlier and wipe the window seal frequently with the microfiber cloth.

A similar effect has toothpaste, which at the same time fades the stains, but does not cause as much scratches on the silicone surface. It works well with the appropriate old toothbrush. But should be rinsed well with clear water, as the toothpaste otherwise dehydrates the silicone.

3. Vinegar and vinegar cleaner

Essigreiniger promises much gentler to remove the foxing from the silicone joint than, for example, a product with chlorine. Unfortunately, the vinegar cleaner also protects the mold and can not harm it. Significantly stronger is pure vinegar, which you should process only with gloves. It is also important in a window seal or a silicone joint to rinse the vinegar well. Otherwise, the corrosive liquid would continue to work for a longer time and, in the worst case, even through the seal.

4. Methylated spirits and hydrogen peroxide

Many still swear by methylated spirits. This is very successful at least in killing the fungal spores. However, it dries out the window joints and window seals extremely, which can later lead to a porosity of the seal.

Hydrogen peroxide is known to many women, as it belongs to many hair dyes. On a window seal made of a silicone material, it has a similar effect, because it fades out the mold and mildew and prevents the fungus from multiplying. Since the hydrogen peroxide is not as deadly as many other products or especially chlorine-based cleaners, the mold is not killed sustainably enough. Therefore, the effort with the hydrogen peroxide is worthwhile only if you just have it left.

5. baking powder and joint pin

For the joints between the tiles in the bathroom, there are joint white pencils, which are not a permanent solution, but conceal the problem quite well. At the window joints, you can also try such a pen. This works especially if you have already killed the mold with one of the other home remedies, but the stains are still partially visible. These pens are usually only in white. With a clear silicone joint, they are therefore no real help.

The baking soda must first be stirred into a mush so you can apply it. In terms of effectiveness, there seems to be big differences. The porridge should act for a few minutes to develop its full effect. But with long window seals and many silicone joints much baking powder is needed, which makes this method may be significantly more expensive than a sensible chlorine cleaner.

Interim conclusion for the home remedies:

• Microfiber and detergent - slight foxing, good effect
• Cleansing milk / scouring cream - good effect, slight damage
• Vinegar cleaner - hardly any effect
• Vinegar - stronger effect, but harmful
• Methylated spirits - not recommended
• Hydrogen peroxide - low effect
• Baking soda - different effects
• Joint pin - only hides the damage

6. Chlorine cleaner and mildew spray

With a chlorine cleaner, the mold is bleached and the fungus is simultaneously killed sustainably. Of course, this measure also has severe side effects. In no case should you breathe the chlorine cleaner in, it is also important to protect the skin. Use rubber gloves and either apply the chlorine cleaner with a spray bottle or with a toothbrush. Even kitchen paper, which you can soak in the chlorine cleaner, is a good help, since the product is then not so easy to other areas. Especially the window seal on a wooden window can be cleaned as gently as if you spray the complete wood with the cleaner, which would then dry out.

In mildew spray chlorine is also the main active ingredient in most cases. Unfortunately it is not easy to find the right product that really works. While a few mold sprays literally magic away the mold, nothing else happens with other products. The products cost around five euros each, which makes it difficult to try out the individual sprays. In any case, you should ventilate the room after applying the window joints.

7. Steam cleaner

Steam cleaners are advertised with many benefits. Unfortunately, the result is often not as convincing as the advertising for the device promises. Although mildew and mold can be removed with a steam cleaner. But the same result would often have achieved a microfiber cloth with a good household cleaner. In addition, the high heat at which this steam escapes from the device causes damage to the window joints. The silicone material can literally run in, similar to too hot washed laundry. Then a crack forms on the spot, which should actually be sealed by the silicone joint. This increases over time, so the windows are no longer completely sealed.

8. Hot air blower

Some home improvement swear in all circumstances on the Heißluftföhn. Although the mold may quickly die off due to the extremely hot air, the window seals as well as the window joints will probably do so. Silicone is a plastic that melts easily when exposed to heat. So before the gasket runs down the window, you better keep your hands off this method.

Conclusion cleaning methods:

• Chlorine cleaner - damage is acceptable as good effect
• Mildew Spray - minor damage, often very good effect
• Steam cleaner - a lot of work, little success
• Hot air blower - fingers away

A good spray with active chlorine, such as the Decotric product, simply named as a mildew spray, will make the mold completely disappear in a matter of minutes, but you'll have to ventilate it really well if you use it indoors. The only problem: After the contact time actually the place should still be cleaned, but often it is no longer to be found. But for window joints with mold spores, this spray is next to the steps 9 and 10, the only viable solution.

9. Replace silicone joint

Many do-it-yourselfers dread the replacement of the silicone joint, but the work is not nearly as complex as you might suspect. However, the old joint must first be removed with a craft knife or a potato peeler. Then a new silicone joint is pulled into the window. The joint is pulled smooth with a plastic puller and keeps the window closed airtight for several years.

10. Window seals made of silicone

The new gasket should have exactly the same profile, so that it fits exactly into the provided bracket in the window. It is not certain whether the corresponding gasket is made of silicone at all, because many window seals are still more of a rubber material. Unfortunately, you have to cut off a piece of the old window seal and take it to the hardware store to find just the right seal for your window. Also keep in mind, windows of different ages often have different seals, even if they are from the same manufacturer.

Tip: The old gasket is usually shrunk by the pressure of the closed window. The thickness of the new sealing tape should therefore be a few millimeters thicker, so that the seal is not too thin after a short time to really seal the window.

Tips for quick readers:

- Dishwashing liquid and microfibre cloth for light soiling
- Cleansing milk or toothpaste for coarse foxing
- Let the chlorine cleaner work for a few minutes
- Scrape out and renew the silicone joint
- Rebuild window seals