Bathrooms are by far the wettest and most humid places in our houses, which makes them the ideal place for mold to begin to grow. When we shower or use hot water from the sink for a long period of time, we’re adding tons of hot moisture into the bathroom, and if you have poor ventilation that very easily can lead to mold growth.
Mold can pop up on walls, ceilings, on or around tiles, sinks, toilets, or windows. If you have any soft surfaces in your bathroom, such as bathmats, towels, or curtains, it’s likely mold will cling to them too. So how do you deal with this problem?
Removal
When removing mold, the thing to keep in mind is that we’re actually trying to kill it. This means you have to use a method that’s highly acidic to truly get rid of the problem. A good place to start is with bleach. This works best on showers, sinks, toilets, and tiles. An added bonus is it’ll help keep tiles and grout fresh and white. If your tiles or grout are colored however, this one may not be for you. A popular, more natural route is vinegar. You can use this on its own or mix it with baking soda for an even faster cleaning option. This can work on everything in your bathroom, but is best for walls, ceilings, floors, or wooden surfaces. For any kind of soft surface, we recommend scrubbing the object with a brush and detergent and rinsing it thoroughly. After that let it soak in a bleach (or vinegar) solution distilled with water for roughly five minutes and rinse thoroughly again. From there just let everything out to dry. Don’t forget to wear a mask and gloves and use proper ventilation whenever possible.
Prevention
The number one issue that leads to mold in your bathroom is excessive moisture. So, the problem isn’t really keeping mold away, but rather keeping away excess moisture in the room. The best thing to do is install and religiously use a fan in the room whenever water is run for more than a minute or two. If the fan seems like too much of a commitment right now, if possible, you can shower with the bathroom door window open. Or, you could purchase a dehumidifier and run it in the room.
It’s also very important to clean your bathroom often. Annoying? Yes. But worth it? Probably. The best way to keep your bathroom mold free is by keeping everything as clean and dry as possible. This means weekly deep cleans, including bathmats, shower curtains, etc. If you’re really committed it may also be worth it to dry off the shower after every use, to prevent the water from being able to evaporate on its own.
Faulstick Plumbing
At Faulstick Plumbing, we specialize in installs, repairs, and inspections for all of your well, water, and plumbing needs. Our family-owned and operated business has built a reputation as the best-doing things the right way with the customer in mind, every time. Give us a call at 570-992-0447 to discuss your needs today!
