Bathrooms practically invite mold — the warmth, humidity, and soap residue create ideal conditions for it, and a shower tray often bears the brunt. The good news is a handful of kitchen staples can handle it just as well as anything from a store shelf.
Start with a baking soda paste
Mix one cup of baking soda into four cups of water until it’s thick and creamy. Spread it over the moldy spots, let it sit for at least 10 minutes, then scrub with the rough side of a sponge and rinse with warm water. It’s gentle enough to use regularly to keep mold from returning.
Bring in vinegar for tougher spots
Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle, coat the tray generously, and let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing and rinsing. Vinegar’s natural antifungal properties help stop mold from coming back, not just remove what’s already there.
Try citric acid for a lighter scent
Dissolve 150 grams of citric acid in a liter of water, pour it over the tray, wait about two minutes, then scrub with a non-abrasive sponge. It cuts through limescale and soap scum without leaving a strong vinegar smell behind.
Lemon for extra brightness
- Mix half a cup of lemon juice with four tablespoons of baking soda — it will fizz slightly — and scrub it into moldy spots with an old toothbrush before rinsing.
- Or soak a cloth in strained lemon juice, wipe the tray, and leave it for an hour before rinsing thoroughly.
For deep, stubborn mold
Combine 400 ml of water, 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide, 2 tablespoons of baking soda, and 1 tablespoon of fine salt, then bring it to a gentle simmer. Soak cotton balls in the warm solution and press them directly onto the worst
mold patches, leaving them in place for a while before wiping clean. This reaches into grout lines and corners that a sponge alone struggles with.
Whichever method you reach for, regular attention — even a quick vinegar spray after showers — goes a long way toward keeping mold from settling back in.
