I have a walk-in shower in my master bathroom that has a raised tile ledge and glass walls. Recently, I discovered a mushroom growing from the grout cracks outside of the shower. When I inspected the inside, I noticed more cracks in the grout that might be allowing water from the shower head to seep through. I tried to clean the area with Tilex mold and mildew cleaner, and I know I need to reseal it, but I'm unsure if I need to completely tear out the shower or just fix the lip outside. What should my next steps be?
2 Answers
First off, do you have good ventilation in your bathroom? I noticed that ventilation can make a big difference. If you have a fan, make sure it's getting used every time someone showers. Mushrooms are usually a sign of underlying water damage from a larger colony of mold. That means you might have more damage beneath the surface than what you can see. Unfortunately, just cleaning it with bleach won't solve the problem. You might have to consider tearing out the affected area to truly address the issue.
Honestly, if you're seeing mushrooms, that signals a serious moisture problem below the tile. It's possible that you'd need to rip out the entire section to properly fix it. Just regrouting without addressing the root of the issue isn't going to help, and you might end up with more mold later on. If you can, check out those pictures you posted. They'll definitely help in determining how extensive the damage actually is.