A humid environment can be a breeding ground for mold, so follow these tips to keep it away or get rid of it.
If you find mold in your bathroom, try the following tips to remove it and prevent it from returning.
By Pang-Chieh Ho
It sneaks up behind you, it’s the mold. When you are not paying attention, black or green stains can appear on the bathroom walls and ceiling. Mold can sneak up on your shower curtains. It can also take over the rug, spreading throughout the fabric in a way that ultimately makes it unsalvageable, as was the case with my own bathroom rug (RIP).
Not only is mold unattractive and, let’s say it out loud, really gross, but it can also cause adverse health effects. Some people may experience symptoms such as a stuffy nose, sore throat, coughing or wheezing, burning eyes, or a skin rash when exposed to it.
People with asthma or mold allergies may have more severe reactions. And if you’re immunocompromised or have chronic lung disease, you could get lung infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Mold grows wherever there is moisture, so the bathroom is one of the most common places where it occurs. So what are the best ways to prevent it? And if you see it in your bathroom, how should you eliminate it? Below, we tell you what the experts suggest.
How to Prevent Mold from Appearing in the First Place
The best way to prevent mold is to reduce sources of water or moisture in your bathroom. Here we share a few things you can do.
1. Ventilate your bathroom. Ventilation is crucial to reduce the humidity level. Turn on your bathroom exhaust fan during and at least 30 minutes after a shower, advises Mallory Micetich, home expert at home services website Angi. “If possible, you can also keep the window and door open during or immediately after the shower to prevent moisture buildup.”
If you need extra help keeping humidity down, try using a dehumidifier. To inhibit mold growth, it’s best to keep your home’s humidity levels no higher than 50%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
A small-capacity dehumidifier will probably be enough for your bathroom, says Misha Kollontai, who oversees dehumidifier testing at Consumer Reports. And if the dehumidifier is going to be a permanent fixture, consider purchasing one that comes with a pump so you can run the drain hose along the wall and into the tub. This way you won’t have to worry about having to constantly empty the tank.
2. Dry your bathroom items. After a shower, wipe down the walls with a squeegee or microfiber cloth to reduce water waste and soap scum buildup, says Jennifer Rodriguez, director of hygiene at home cleaning services company Pro Housekeepers. .
Make sure your towel is completely dry and, in the case of your shower curtain, lay it out to air dry after you shower. For your rug, you can hang it over the bathtub or on a towel rack to allow it to dry completely, notes Rodríguez.
As a personal tip, I have been able to reduce the mold problem in bathroom mats since I replaced my old mat with a Sutera stone bath mat. I found that since it is made from diatomaceous earth, it absorbs water and dries quickly.
Another item to keep in mind is soap, as it could be collecting water underneath. If you are using a bar of soap, place it in a soap dish with drainage holes. Or you can use liquid soap in a bottle instead of a bar to avoid water buildup under the bar, says Micetich. Although it’s worth noting that shower gels and body washes can be less environmentally friendly because they typically come in plastic packaging.
In addition to soap, anything on the shelves in the shower or bathtub can be prone to mold. For sponges, cloths, bean bags, and similar items, it is best to leave them somewhere where they can dry completely. That could mean hanging it or having a hook in the shower to put them on, Micetich points out.
3. Clean, clean, clean. Regular cleaning will help ensure that your bathroom remains mold-free. In addition to quickly cleaning the walls after a shower, try weekly deep cleanings. You can use a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water or a nonabrasive bathroom cleaner like Biokleen and Everspring, advises Rodríguez. Spray it on the walls, let it sit for a few minutes, then scrub with a soft brush or sponge and rinse with water. And if you’re treating tougher stains, like hard water stains or mold, use a paste of baking soda and water and repeat the same process.
You should also regularly wash bathroom linens, such as towels and rugs, at least once a week, Micetich recommends. For the shower curtain, use a machine-washable fabric shower liner, like this N&Y Home shower curtain model made of polyester, and wash it monthly, explains Rodriguez.
4. Repair leaks. Fix dripping faucets because it will create additional humidity in an already damp room, says Robert Gershman, senior mold remediation contractor at Dry Ease Mold Removal. And in general, be sure to repair any leaks in your home’s roof, walls, or pipes so that mold doesn’t have moisture to grow.
You should also periodically check the tiles and grout for cracks. If there is a crack, water can seep into the subfloor or drywall behind the shower, which can then lead to mold. If that happens, it’s a good idea to call a professional to repair it, Micetich adds.
5. Use mold-resistant materials. When selecting your bath mat and shower curtain, consider purchasing ones that are mold-resistant, Rodriguez suggests. You can also paint your bathroom with mold-resistant paint, which contains fungicides that kill mold spores before they can grow. Or try adding mold inhibitors, available at paint and home improvement stores, to your paints before painting the room, according to the CDC.
6. Check your insulation. “Something that is often overlooked but can really help reduce mold in the bathroom is insulation,” says Micetich. “When bathroom walls are not properly insulated, humid air from inside the bathroom can infiltrate between the walls,” he adds.
That moisture can create a buildup of moisture in the form of condensation and, over time, lead to mold, rot, wall discoloration, musty odors, and potential health problems. If you have recurring mold problems that just won’t go away, it’s a good idea to have a professional come check or update your wall insulation.
How to get rid of mold in your bathroom
First, if the moldy area of your bathroom is larger than 10 square feet, you should hire a contractor or professional service to address the problem, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). .
But if it is a smaller area, you can try to clean it yourself. Before doing so, however, the EPA recommends limiting your exposure by wearing an N95 respirator, long gloves that extend to the middle of your forearms, and goggles. You should also keep the bathroom well ventilated while cleaning.
Use a stiff bristle brush to scrub surfaces with dish soap and water or distilled white vinegar. After scrubbing, let the area sit for 10 to 15 minutes and then scrub the area again, repeating as necessary, says Micetich.
You can also scrub the mold with a diluted bleach solution. The CDC recommends that the solution be no more than 1 cup of household bleach in 1 gallon of water. And when you use bleach to clean mold, you should never mix it with ammonia or other household cleaners because that will produce a toxic gas.
You may need to throw away absorbent or porous materials, such as ceiling tiles and any carpet-related materials, if they become moldy. Because mold can grow in voids and crevices within porous materials, it can be difficult or impossible to completely remove, according to the EPA.
If mold continues to reappear after cleaning, that could mean there is moisture behind the building materials, so you’ll need to contact a professional to repair or remove the items that are causing this intrusion, explains Gershman.
If you do not own the house or apartment where you live and the landlord does not fix your mold problem, it is a good idea to hire a licensed inspector to conduct an inspection that will document the severity of the mold growth and any potential health problems associated with it. the type of spores found in your home, Gershman says.
To account for the severity of the problem, we recommend informing your local housing authority and contacting your state department of public health or environmental protection. Each state, county, and city may have different laws regarding requirements for landlords to handle these issues, so it’s best to do your research locally to see what is needed from your landlord and take action from there, Micetich recommends. .
Correction: This article, originally published on February 8, 2024, has been updated with the correct spelling of Mallory Micetich’s last name, Angi.
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