How to stop mold in a shower drain that pools water
Linear shower drains accumulate mold quickly because long stretches of water pool inside them after use. Without a reliable way to keep the area dry between uses, homeowners find themselves repeatedly replacing silicone seals or scrubbing the same stubborn buildup.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- People have been saying this in most months since September 2026.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
How to stop mold in a shower drain that pools water
- 1Replacing the silicone sealant regularlyDid this help you?
- 2Thoroughly cleaning the drain weekly or twice a weekDid this help you?
- 3Using mold-specific chemical sprays like Wet and ForgetDid this help you?
- 4Running the bathroom fan for 15 minutesDid this help you?
- 5Placing a piece of copper or zinc in the areaDid this help you?
- 6Covering the window with clear plasticDid this help you?
- 7Hanging a shower curtain via a tension rod on the window side of the showerDid this help you?
- 8Cracking the window open during showersDid this help you?
- 9Submitting a maintenance order to the landlord or ownerDid this help you?
- 10Hiring a professional to redo the caulkingDid this help you?
- 11Venting the bathroom using a window and fanDid this help you?
- 12Removing water from the corners after showeringDid this help you?
- 13Switching to a mold-resistant PEVA/EVA vinyl curtainDid this help you?
- 14Improving bathroom ventilation by keeping the door open and running a fanDid this help you?
- 15Using a daily shower sprayDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“I am so frustrated. I caulked the entire shower exactly a year ago. I spent three days removing the old moldy caulk, cleaning, waiting for it to try, and then recaulking and letting that dry.”source ↗
“My back, neck, and knees ached the entire time. On top of that I accidentally scraped parts of the tub glaze off with the metal caulk remover tool.”source ↗
“Well now I have another issue- mold/ mildew in both of the front corners of the tub.”source ↗
“I cannot fathom doing this project by myself again, so I’m going to hire somebody this time. But what am I doing wrong? Why is my caulk moldy and why am I scraping off parts of the tub during removal?”source ↗
“We just moved into an older house and we have this window IN our shower. It will get wet and it looks like the paint is not weather, mold, or mildew proof (it also has some of the windows painted over so I can't open it all the way) but can I keep this from getting too wet and causing more rot?”source ↗
“We are not allowed to paint or modify the house AT ALL.”source ↗
“Do you think cracking the window open every time I shower with that water proof curtain would be enough to help with the steam for mold?”source ↗
“Recently completed a renovation and added this long drain. Turns out it’s a massive mould magnet because of long stretches of pooling water.”source ↗
“I have replaced the silicon once already 6 months in and need a long term solution.”source ↗
“anyone find a way to live with these without drying off after every shower?”source ↗
“we are in a constant battle of having to bleach clean the cloth curtain every 2-3 weeks. We shut the shower curtain after every use. What gives?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 5Can you use silicone to seal gaps around a shower drain?
- 2Why does mold keep growing back after I paint over it?
- 11How to stop mold and bad smells in front loader washers
- 3How to stop mice from coming up floor drains
- 8How to clean a really mouldy rental shower and fix the caulk
- 5How to stop water from splashing out of sliding glass shower doors