When you get a stone bath mat, you enjoy a drier environment and incredible cleanliness. That said, it is still possible for stone bath mats to collect mold if you’re not careful.
Your mat’s diatomaceous earth foundation provides benefits such as antibacterial properties, fast drying, and reduced odor. If you want to keep mold at bay, too, you need to maintain a few habits.
Why is My Stone Bath Mat Moldy? 3 Main Reasons
Do stone bath mats collect mold? It's rare, especially compared to fabric mats (see our Stone vs. Fabric Mat Guide), but it can happen. There’s no need to panic, though you can fix this quite easily; let’s get to the root of the problem first.
1. You Haven’t Been Keeping Up Your Cleaning Regimen
When you're learning how to clean a stone bath mat, it doesn’t just mean picking the right materials. You also need to stick to a set schedule to gradually remove troublesome residue. Oils, dead skin, and dirt clog your mat’s natural pores, creating a breeding ground for mold.
Fortunately, one of stone bath mats' main appeals is being low maintenance, so they don’t need cleaning very often. You can remove surface particles every few days with a sandpaper brush, then do a deeper cleaning every three to six months.
2. Your Bathroom Isn’t Well Ventilated Enough
Showers, washing your hands, and baths all kick up humidity into the air. If you’re not ventilating your bathroom regularly by running your fan or opening a window, this humidity has to go somewhere.
If you haven’t cleaned your bath mat and don’t ventilate your bathroom, that’s all but a guarantee for mold growth.
3. Your Bath Mat Doesn’t Dry Fast Enough
One of the reasons why stone bath mats rarely get mold is because they dry too slowly. As such, a slow-drying mat has more opportunities to create the pockets of warmth and moisture that mold loves so much.
How to Remove Mold From Your Stone Bath Mat
Soap isn’t enough or recommended to clean mold (and it’s too harsh for your stone bath mat, to boot). You’ll need a solution that’s equal parts water and white vinegar, the latter of which has powerful mold-killing and antimicrobial properties.
Wipe down the affected area with your solution, then wait for 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure not to rush this step: you need to give the white vinegar time to gradually kill the bacteria and mold spores to prevent future growth. You can use this solution for surface mold, but don’t soak or submerge your bath mat in it.
You can then do another wipe-down session with your cleaning brush and lay your stone bath mat against something to dry in a well-ventilated area.
Enjoy Today’s Best Stone Bath Mats With Kalhoof
We know how surprising it is to see mold growing on your bath mat, but even the best materials need a little love and care. Not only do we provide diatomaceous earth bath mats, we help you learn how to maintain them over time.
With regular wipedown and deep cleaning sessions, you can keep your mat clean, safe, and odor-free. You can also keep mold at bay by regularly ventilating your bathroom and drying off thoroughly before stepping out of the shower.
Want to learn more about extending your bath mat’s lifespan? Check out our blog for maintenance tips!