A Beautiful Master Shower in Rye, NY is Now Mold-Free Thanks to a Stone Cleaning Service

October 13, 2017

Not many of us are great at noticing things that gradually get worse over time, and bathrooms are no exception. Somehow, we tend to fail to notice grime accumulating on the ever-darkening grout beneath our toes or the mold growing on the grime thanks to moisture. That is why a master shower that used to look like a dream when it was installed a few years ago had turned into a mold-ridden nightmare.


Our client, a Rye resident, was experiencing this very problem. He had a beautiful natural stone shower installed a couple of years before, and he was mighty proud of it at first. But the days of enjoying long, relaxing showers had become a thing of the past. Now, he hesitated to even get in his own shower and used slippers, as the dark grout and mysterious discoloration of some tiles became increasingly evident and did not go away with strong soap and scrubbing. That is when he realized that his shower was going to need a professional Rye stone cleaning service for it to go back to the way it used to be.

Not wanting to wait to see if any of his friends had any recommendations on a high-quality hard surface restoration company, he started looking online for one in Rye. The search results quickly provided the location of several companies, including Sir Grout Westchester. He discarded one company because of its bad reviews, and then he ruled out others that seemed to be too new to stone cleaning. Then he found all he needed on Sir Grout Westchester's website. Noticing our credentials, experience, and the results we have been able to get on most kinds of hard surfaces, he decided to call for a free in-home evaluation and see what Sir Grout Westchester could do for his moldy shower.

On the scheduled day, Tim O'Leary, Sir Grout Westchester's owner, arrived at our client's residence to assess the problem and see what would be the best way to get the shower looking its best. He was warmly greeted by our client, who quickly guided him to the master bathroom. The shower was infested with mold, and some of the natural stone tiles had signs of bad discoloring that were probably caused by cleaning products that were not specifically designed for the type of stone used in the shower. Our client was assured that the damages were perfectly reversible with our stone restoration service. He immediately scheduled another appointment for us to get started.


Most people underestimate how fast mold can develop and grow under certain conditions that, unfortunately, are not hard to come by. Mold is a fungus that feeds on soap residue and human waste, which is quite abundant in showers and bathtubs. Its growth is aided by moisture, and showers that are not properly cleaned and dried can experience rapid mold growth. The problem of mold growth also can be worsened by improperly sealed grout and stone tiles.

When our technician returned a few days later, he started by spraying a strong alkaline cleaner all over the shower before letting sit for a few minutes in order to start the cleaning process. The strong cleaner breaks up grime and starts killing the mold, which are then removed with pressurized 310-degree vapor steam. To remove tougher mold, a combination of steam and a bleach dilution is used to neutralize fungi and clean the shower.

Once the shower is mold-free and the grout is clear and back to its original color, our technician applied our very own ColorSeal, which is a sealant that helps keep water away from grout while recoloring it and making it mold-resistant. Last but not least, our technician applied Stone Armor over the stone to make it water-resistant and easier to clean, which was necessary in order to keep mold away for as long as possible.


When our technician was done, he went to get our client and see what he thought of the results. He was pleasantly surprised, as his shower looked brand new. He said he would definitely hire Sir Grout Westchester again, adding that he would recommend us to his friends if they ever had a similar problem.

Mold problems can be easily avoided if you follow a simple set of instructions while doing your bathroom cleaning. First, don't use soap-based cleaners, as these tend to leave a layer of sticky residue that attracts dirt instead of repelling it. Fungi feed off of this residue. Second, letting your shower simply air dry is not sufficient, especially if there isn't enough ventilation. To help retard the growth of mold and mildew you should squeegee the walls of your shower to aid in the drying out process. You should also keep an eye on your grout's color. Darkening grout can be a sign that it isn't properly sealed and that water seepage is occurring, which may allow accelerated mold or mildew growth.

If your shower is looking dingy and moldy and you are considering hiring professional hard surface restoration experts in Rye, look no further than Sir Grout Westchester. We have ample experience restoring most kinds of natural stone surfaces that have experienced a wide-array of damages. Call (914) 592-5902 or fill out our "Request a Quote" form to get a free evaluation. Also, consider signing up for our newsletter to get our latest promotions.

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