Wet room mould! At wits end — Scope | Disability forum
If we become concerned about you or anyone else while using one of our services, we will act in line with our safeguarding policy and procedures. This may involve sharing this information with relevant authorities to ensure we comply with our policies and legal obligations.

Find out how to let us know if you're concerned about another member's safety.
Please read our updated community house rules and community guidelines.

Wet room mould! At wits end

Si_Obhan
Si_Obhan Community member Posts: 34 Courageous
Hi everyone

I have looked online and can’t find anywhere more suitable to ask about this - as I’m sure that many other disabled people have level access showers/wet rooms.

I am not able to bend down or reach up high to clean. I’m very dependent on limited help which is often diverted to hoovering & decluterring because I have young kids. We have a family bathroom which just has a toilet, open shower and basin. We have no room for any storage as all walls are tiled except the ceiling & floor, and all the floor space is in reach of the “flood” of water generated by every shower. (Small outside drains shared by 6 flats. For example, if I use my washer while my upstairs neighbour emptied her bath, our garden floods with soapy water. Council have been out multiple times and say there’s no budget to replace the drain and to have showers at night instead which we do). When we have a shower the water cannot drain down the floor fast enough so my whole bathroom floor right up to the door floods. All of the walls drip with water at all times. We started getting tiny stalagtites from the ceiling!

We had a radiator put in to help with coldness which is now so in the way I can’t use the basin in my chair. We also open the window to let steam out whenever we shower which is quite difficult as we’re on the ground floor With a communal garden and when the wind moves the blind it can be embarrassing. We put a shower curtain around the shower part but within 4 days it went black from mould and stank. The ceiling has anti mould paint but currently is black with mould. Every week I get someone to clean with bleach but it comes back. The grout on the wall to wall tiles is black. I’m ashamed of my bathroom when people come round. I can’t cope with the amount of cleaning it needs. I have incontinence so I have to shower every day but the steam generated by the shower is ruining the bathroom. Today a piece of sodden plaster fell down off the ceiling and smashed all over the floor and I’m at my wits end.

We do have an extractor fan that works when the light is on but it seems to do absolutely nothing. Please can anyone help with any suggestions? Does anyone have a wet room or similar accessible bathroom that doesn’t have these problems? I did have an Archimedes lift and a bath when we moved in but my husband had surgery and couldn’t help me transfer so my OT had the wet room put in and I hate it. It’s always freezing because of the window being open. It smells mouldy. If I want the radiator on I have to have the hallway heating on because they did a botch job and just installed one with no way to change the temp (it’s a converted social housing flat so limited budget... love living here but not in our own filth!)

I am beginning to think that maybe my problem is I can’t keep up with the cleaning and the mould is normal? To stop it we would have to wipe down all the tiles with a dry cloth every day which is impossible for me. Being at home a lot has really made me realise how much I can’t cope with cleaning.

Comments

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @Si_Obhan Welcome to the community, this certainly dies not sound as if it is fit for purpose. I don't have a wet room but I am sure that you wouldn't be expected to clean it to that extent when the bathroom has been used.

    I suggest you get somebody out like environmental health or Health and Safety Executive to have a look and send recommendations to your council/landlord.

    Maybe get advice from CAB or welfare rights as to who you van contact
  • atlas47
    atlas47 Community member Posts: 238 Pioneering
    edited June 2020
    Hi @Si_Obhan

    Sorry to learn of your problems with mould in your wet room.

    I would concentrate on getting your environment health involved. They will be able to test the drainage from the wet room into the communal external drains.

    Cost is not a cop out for your council, health and well being of your family is the overriding factor.

    Get your council to change the extractor fan, it sounds like it needs increased capacity.

    It should also continue to work for 15 minutes after showering and then to switch itself off.

    You should also put reflective panel behind the radiator and wall.

    Also check with your energy supplier, if they will conduct an energy efficiency survey, on your property, free of charge.

    Have you spoken to the OT that assessed the need for your wet room? I don’t imagine they would have envisaged, this living nightmare for you and your family.

    If any of your children are aged 5 years or under, speak to your Health Visitor, to gain 
    further support.

    I would get your MP involved, as you will deemed a vulnerable adult.

    Keep us informed, we are here to help.

    Stay kind and be safe.

  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,521 Disability Gamechanger
    The only thing I can suggest is to keep the window open as much as possible, not just when using the shower, we keep ours open for 12 hours a day even in winter.
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

Brightness

Complete our feedback form and tell us how we can make the community better.