UNSIGHTLY black mould can blight the most pristine and luxurious of bathrooms, but with six simple steps you can keep the problem at bay, writes Will Reardon.

With the right products and techniques at hand, bathroom mould is preventable, saving you time and effort scrubbing tiles and silicone trims.

1. Become a fan of fans

The first thing you need to think about is ventilation. Ash Chilver, sales director of bathroom specialists HiB (hib.co.uk), explained: "Effective ventilation in bathrooms is crucial in reducing the build-up of unsightly and potentially dangerous black mould and spores."

Ultimately, if you don't want mould, make sure your bathroom is well-ventilated. Often the best way to ensure this is with an extractor fan. Of course, opening the window when the bathroom's getting steamy is a good idea but this isn't always a practical option for everybody, which is why extractor fans come in handy. Mould grows best in humid conditions, so keeping the room well-aired is the first step towards keeping the problem under control.

2. Let the light in

Mould thrives in darkness, so make sure your bathroom gets plenty of light. As bathrooms retailer Victorian Plumbing (victorianplumbing.co.uk) notes, when it comes to reducing bathroom mould a "simple yet effective method is increasing the amount of sunlight entering the room". And don't worry, you can always get opaque window film if letting your blinds down might reveal a bit too much.

3. Stop drying clothes in the bathroom

Moisture from wet laundry contributes to the humid conditions that allow mould to grow. In a well-ventilated bathroom, this may not be so much of an issue, but if you are having mould problems and you're drying washing in the bathroom, it's extremely likely this will be exacerbating the issue. If there's no way round it, open a window to let the room breathe.

4. Keep dust at bay

Dusting is essential for preventing mould's growth, along with regularly cleaning your bathroom surfaces with suitable products. Get into the habit of dusting regularly and it won't seem like a massive job, and will certainly be quicker and easier in the long run than having to tackle set-in mould.

5. Get some gadgets on board

There's a gadget for everything these days - and mould prevention is no exception. The GROHE Sense Smart Water Sensor (£51.99, grohe.co.uk) is a nifty device that can sense humidity in your home and alerts you when conditions are getting a little too mould-friendly, so you can tackle the issue before it becomes a bigger problem.

Another useful gadget is the Minky Damp Guard (£7.99, minky.com), a moisture absorber which provides a budget-friendly way to ensure damp doesn't build up in your home. Simply place it in an appropriate place in the bathroom, let it work its magic, and empty the contents and replace the tablets when required.

6. Pick paints wisely

If parts of your bathroom walls are painted, it's a good idea to pick a paint that contains mould-fighting ingredients. There are a number of options out there, including Zinsser Perma-White Interior Paint (RRP £18.94 for 1L, zinsseruk.com), which contains a biocide that protects against fungal degrading, meaning less unsightly mildew and mould for you.