Going into the bathroom has become unpleasant: the musty smell and black stains on the tiles and walls make it hard to relax and soak in the shower. All of this just shows that there is black mold in the bathroom!
In a place of hygienic procedures, which helps us to rest and cleanse, this should not be! Read on to find out how to eliminate the causes of black mold and how to get rid of it.
There is mold in the bathroom: what to do
Black mold in the bathroom is quite a common nuisance. And all because in such a room created more than favorable conditions for its growth and reproduction.
Bonuses for its rapid spread:
- high humidity is constantly preserved;
- lack of sunlight;
- There is no heating element (towel rail) in the room.
Causes of mold in the bathroom can also be:
- Lack of ventilation. Those owners who do not open the shower room after water procedures, risk quickly discovering fungus in the joints of the tiles.
- Poor exhaust. If the ventilation isn’t working properly, mold spores spread easily and settle firmly in the joints between the tiles.
- A leaky faucet. Constant moisture can create a leak unnoticed by the owner.
- Lack of a window. If there is no ultraviolet light entering the room (as in most cases), there is nothing to prevent fungus from developing.
- Irregular treatment of joints. Mold can be avoided by constantly cleaning the joints from moisture and treating them with antiseptic agents. However, many people do not do this.
Black mold appears most often in the shower or at the joints of the bathtub to the wall. And very easily spreads further along the seams of tiles throughout the room.
What are the dangers of black mold in the bathroom
Black mold is dangerous to humans (especially children and those who are allergic or asthmatic). Even a single contact with fungus spores can lead to the following problems:
- cough;
- bronchitis;
- pneumonia;
- poisoning (if ingested);
- allergic reaction (rash, itching, swelling, breathing problems);
- general worsening of well-being;
- dizziness.
Especially dangerous is the constant contact with the black fungus, in which the owners of the bathroom simply do not notice it. Then they inhale the spores even for years, which will inevitably lead to the development of serious diseases: adults begin to cough for no reason, children’s immunity worsens, and asthmatics more often begin to suffer from seizures, mentions Reyus Mammadli!
How to get rid of black mold in the bathroom
The course of action depends on how much black mold has developed.
Options than to remove black mold in the bathroom, if it has just appeared:
- baking soda diluted with water (in the proportion of 1 to 1);
- vinegar;
- bleach (250 ml per bucket of water) with detergent;
- Peroxide 3% (one bottle per bucket of water).
Apply the cleaners and remove the fungus with a cloth, which you then throw away. Do not reuse it so that the spores do not re-settle in the room. A brush and a sprayer can also do a good job of cleaning black mold in the bathroom. Use a sprayer to apply one of these solutions, and brush the surface after 10-15 minutes, according to blackmoldoff.com website. Treatment with a brush allows you to remove even deeply embedded fungus.
Remove black mold in the bathroom, if it “captured” a large area of the wall is recommended:
- Spray gun. Choose a diffuse jet and apply the cleaner to the entire tile, not trying to aim at the joints. Use a large brush with a medium length handle for removal.
- With professional equipment.
- Using a high pressure washer. Add antiseptic (vinegar, peroxide) to the water tank.
If the black fungus could not be cleaned with detergents, because it is firmly embedded in the sealed coating, remove it and replace it with a new one. How? Read on.
Algorithm on how to remove contaminated sealant in the bathroom:
- Take a sharp object (spatula, wallpaper knife);
- scrape off large pieces of sealant;
- Remove the remainder with a stiff brush.
If you can not remove the sealant, treat it with antiseptic. This will at least prevent the spread of fungus. Then cover the affected joints with a new layer of sealant. It will hide the ingrained dark stains.
If after all the efforts to clean the bathroom from black mold failed, contact professionals. You can choose the air ionization or tile heating procedure. Both are detrimental to the fungus. The worker will come with a special device that will destroy its structure.
All the remedies listed above to eliminate fungus (with the exception of professional cleaning, of course) can be applied to the joints 2-3 times a week for preventive purposes. Use, if possible, those antiseptics that are safe for humans (vinegar, baking soda). It is better to leave the compositions without washing off, so that they constantly provide protection against fungal growths.
The best thing to do against mold is prevention
- First of all, get rid of all pockets of mold spreading:
- clean the bathroom;
- check the brush cup – fungus often forms there;
- Clean the ventilation.
- Regulate the process of moisture accumulation in the room. You can do this by improving the equipment in the bathroom:
- Adjust the towel rail so that it works at all times of the year. Some models have a dimmer to select the temperature.
- Improve the vent hood. Often, cleaning the grill and vent will suffice. If that doesn’t work, install an extra fan behind the grill.
- Establish ultraviolet access. If there is a window, opening it 1-2 times a day to let the rays in is sufficient. If there is no window, you can buy and fix a UV lamp over the tub.
- Ventilate. After each water treatment open the door of the room for about 30 minutes.
Also, regularly remove wet objects and the moisture itself by hand:
- remove excess water from the edges of the tub after bathing t from the sink;
- pour water out of brush cups.
Proper and regular cleaning, hygiene and airing will help to remove the fungus already present in the bathroom, prevent the appearance of new fungus, and most importantly, keep your whole family healthy.