The bathroom is a common location for mould growth. Not only is this unsightly, but it is also a health risk for many. Black mould spores are connected with various health problems, including asthma, dermatitis, and other illnesses. Therefore, removing mould from a bathroom is essential to maintenance around the home.
In this article, we will explore why mould growth is so prevalent in the bathroom, how to remove mould from the room, and how to prevent mould in your bathroom.
Why Does Bathroom Mould Occur?
Mould in your bathroom is very common. Mould is a fungus that grows best in damp and warm environments which are the conditions found in the bathroom. Mould can grow exceptionally fast when there is little airflow in the room.
Mould often starts as mildew, a white fungus on any flat surface.
The growth of black mould on bathroom walls or the bathroom ceiling will occur when there is excess moisture in the room. Condensation builds up over time, often over areas such as the shower or bath.
As warm and moist air meets cooler surfaces, like those on the window, the moisture will stick to it.
While poor ventilation is often blamed for black mould in your bathroom, other issues might cause the problem. If there are any leaking pipes, poor insulation of the house, or improper removal of the condensation after a shower or bath can cause a growth in bathroom mould.
How to Identify Mould in the Bathroom?
There are numerous signs of bathroom mould. The important factor to remember is that mould forms in hidden areas and then expands to be more visible. If you can see mould on the walls or ceilings, then it’s likely that you have a bigger problem, and you should remove the bathroom mould immediately.
There are also some other telltale signs of mould that you should be on the lookout for. These include:
Smell
A constant musty smell within the bathroom, even when the bathroom looks dry and clean. The smell is a typical sign of a smaller amount of mould hidden away. Some common reasons for this could be a build-up of moisture somewhere in the room or a leaking pipe.
Dark Appearance
If any smooth surfaces, like walls or tiles, look brown or muddy and also have a damp and slimy appearance, then there can be black mould growing on them. You might also notice some black or brown colouration on the tile grout.
Damaged Bathroom Walls
Mould can cause significant damage to the walls. So if there is crumbling plaster on the wall, there are off-coloured walls, blistering painted walls, cracked tiles, or warped walls, there could be hidden mould within the walls.
Unstable Floors
In addition to potential damage to the walls, there might be damage to the bathroom floors. If the floor feels soft or spongy, there might be moisture under the floor caused by a leaking pipe or when an excess amount of moisture or water has seeped underneath the floor.
Black on the Bathroom Ceiling
If the bathroom ceiling looks darker or discoloured, it could be a sign that mould growth is happening. The main areas where you might find this is close to the bath/shower areas in the room.
The Health Risks of Bathroom Mould
There are many health risks of bathroom mould. It depends on whether an individual has a sensitivity to mould. For those people who have an allergy, exposure to even the slightest amount of mould can cause cold-like symptoms (wheezing, stuffy nose, and itchy eyes/skin).
Some people may experience more severe reactions such as asthma attacks, fever, or breathing problems. There have also been cases where people have died because of mould exposure.
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How to Clean Mould in Your Bathroom
Learn how to clean mould from a bathroom ceiling or bathroom walls easily using these simple-to-follow instructions.
Step One: Assess the Bathroom Mould
The first thing that you should do is to ensure that the mould is safe for you to remove. It is highly inadvisable to clean mould from a bathroom where it is caused by sewage or other hazardous waste. If the mould is caused by this, you should immediately call in a mould removal expert, who can identify the issue and solve the problem.
Otherwise, you can remove mould from the bathroom yourself.
Step Two: Prepare for Cleaning
Before you start to remove bathroom mould, you need to ensure that you’re staying safe. Wearing the right protective gear can protect you from harm. It is best to wear gloves, rubber gloves are best but disposable gloves are also acceptable. You want to wear some safety glasses and preferably some old clothes that you can wash immediately afterwards.
A face mask is also a good idea as it helps prevent mould spores from being breathed in.
In addition, you will want to have the right equipment to clean mould from the bathroom. You’ll need some baking soda, white vinegar, chlorine bleach, or other cleaning agent. If you’re using a DIY mould-cleaning mixture, ensure you have a spray bottle.
To help get rid of mould, you will want a stiff brush, an old toothbrush, and a damp cloth.
Step Three: Ensure the Area is Ready for Cleaning
Before you begin, clean tiles and bathroom walls to free them from mould, ensure the area is ready for cleaning.
Start by ensuring the window is open and closing the door. These steps prevent spores from spreading throughout the rest of the home. In addition, you might want to get a bin bag for binning any materials used in cleaning as well as a bag or bucket for putting in cleaning clothes ready to wash later on.
Step Four: Start Cleaning
Now you can start cleaning the mould. Removing mould can take some time, so set aside a few hours to clean all the surfaces. You can start by cleaning the bathroom tiles. Using a spray bottle, apply some of the cleaning solutions, like white vinegar, onto the affected areas until there is a visible coating. However, you should not over-saturate the area.
Then you can use a cloth or sponge to wipe the black mould away from the walls. Do not use the same side or cloth once it is too saturated or dirty. If you find it hard to remove the mould from an area you can use a stiff brush.
Next, you can remove mould from the grout in the bathroom. This is one of the hardest areas to remove mould from. To start here, you want to spray your cleaning solution onto the grout. Grout might need stronger cleaning solutions (like bleach), and you should wear rubber gloves.
Once applied, you can use a brush to scrub away the mould. For hard-to-reach spaces, you can use an old toothbrush. If it still doesn’t come away, you might need to use a screwdriver to remove the grout from the bathroom and replace it.
This same process can be used for cleaning mould off any bathroom sealant that you might have around the bath, shower, sink, or toilet.
Shower curtains can also attract mould and are often missed. Mould can often collect close to the bottom, where most of the liquid collects, and then spread upwards.
Regularly cleaning the shower curtain in a washing machine is important. You need to soak the curtain in a mixture of warm water and a cleaning solution. Using a non-toxic option, such as baking soda and white vinegar in a solution of washing liquid and warm water is the best option.
One of the biggest problems is that a plastic shower curtain can block water, so you might need to clean the curtain several times to get rid of the mould.
After cleaning the curtain, then you need to dry the curtain thoroughly.
Step Five: Clean Up
Once you’re finished, bin all the rags, sponges, brushes, and other items used for cleaning. Wash your clothes at a high temperature to ensure there are no lingering mould spores.
Be sure not to leave any potential mould in a bin.
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How to Prevent Mould in the Bathroom
In addition to removing mould from your bathroom, it is important to prevent mould in the room. Several actions can help. Here are some of the available options:
Keep your Bathroom Ventilated: Keeping the bathroom ventilated is one of the key aspects of preventing mould. An extractor fan, keeping a window open, or even keeping the door open when the bathroom is not in use, are good options. An extractor fan can be installed relatively easily, but can also be expensive.
Wet Towels: Damp towels are one of the worst offenders and prevent many from being about to tackle mould successfully in a bathroom. Hang wet towels to dry immediately after use. Or wash them immediately.
Reduce Humidity: High humidity in the home can cause mould to spread in the bathroom. If you’re struggling to reduce humidity in your home, then you can try to dehumidify your home. Reducing humidity and excess condensation in the home can also help those with a poor immune system. High humidity can cause numerous issues.
Purifying Plants: Some plants are great at helping you to get rid of excess condensation and mould from a room.
Dry Down the Room: Don’t leave the bathroom wet after showering or bathing. Instead, dry down the room as much as possible.
Final Word: Removing Mould From the Bathroom
Keeping your bathroom mould-free is important. But if you do get bathroom mould, you must take the time to clean the area and remove it so there are no adverse health issues from the mould. It might take time, depending on the size of the mould infestation.
When cleaning, ensure that you avoid contaminating other areas of the home and setting off any respiratory issues.
However, it is important to not only clean the mould from your bathroom but also prevent it from happening again in the future.
