Key takeaways
Exposure to mold can cause problems ranging from allergic reactions to infections
It’s important to remove mold as soon as you spot it in your shower
For extensive or difficult mold problems, you’ll need to call a professional
Have you ever spotted mold or mildew in your shower or around your bathtub? If so, “Ewww!” may be the most natural response. You’re in there to get clean, not be surrounded by fungi.
Unfortunately, mold and mildew love to grow in warm, wet environments. So if you don’t have good ventilation, they’re likely to keep coming back—even if you clean or disinfect your bathroom regularly.
What’s worse, some types of shower mold can cause health problems, ranging from minor to severe, if you breathe in the spores. That’s especially true for people with allergies or other sensitivities, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Luckily, mold growth on showers can be easier to deal with than other places. “Often, mold on the surface of nonporous items can be cleaned, and it’s really not harmful,” says Danny Lipford, host of TV’s “Today’s Homeowner.” “Mold on porous items is another story. It’s difficult to remove, and due to the potential health effects it’s better to just replace them.”
Bathroom mold can also be widespread—even hidden behind shower tiles, inside drains, and in other hard-to-reach areas. And in those cases, regular household cleaning products won’t help.
So what can you do? Read on to learn about the different kinds of mold and mildew, what it takes to handle minor mold problems by yourself, and when you need to call a professional.
Know your molds and mildew
Excess bathroom moisture creates the perfect breeding ground for mold.
It can be difficult to identify the exact type of mold (or growths) you have just by looking at it, but here’s a guide to the kind you’ll find indoors. Each of these thrives on moisture, and can develop on surfaces and inside fixtures if they’re not regularly cleaned and thoroughly dried.
Cladosporium is black or olive green and can grow on wet surfaces, especially where temperatures range from 65–82°. Exposure to cladosporium rarely leads to disease but can cause allergic reactions and worsen asthma.
Aspergillus—which is gray, brown, yellow, green, white, or black—can survive many years in moist, dark environments like shower heads and hoses. It presents a greater danger than cladosporium, often causing allergic reactions and respiratory infections, as well as lung inflammation in people with weak immune systems.
Stachybotrys chartarum (“black mold”) produces harmful compounds called mycotoxins that can cause asthma, chronic sinus infections, headaches, and fatigue in sensitive people. It can appear slimy and smell musty and often grows on cellulose, common in wallpaper, cardboard, and wallboard (drywall), especially when water damage is present for a long time. It can form in showers when there’s stagnant water.
Mildew is a gray or white patch, usually flat, found on wet surfaces. It looks dry or powdery, and has a musty smell. People often use the terms mold and mildew interchangeably, but mildew is easier to get rid of, less likely to spread uncontrollably, and is less likely to cause health problems. You can easily scrub it away with a general household cleaner.
Do you need testing?
A professional mold assessor can check for hidden mold breeding grounds.
Photo: Mold Pro, Chicago
When you discover mold, It’s tempting to want to find out what it is—and whether it poses a health risk—using a do-it-yourself testing kit. You may also want to call a professional to make that diagnosis.
In most cases, neither is necessary. Routine mold sampling and testing can be costly and is not typically recommended. That’s because any kind of mold should be removed as soon as possible, according to the CDC.
You can usually scrub away mold yourself if it’s limited to less than 10 square feet on a shower wall or other non-porous surface (see “DIY shower mold removal,” below). More stubborn mold requires professional removal help.
Neither option takes care of airborne mold spores. “Microscopic mold spores can travel through your air-conditioning system and be breathed in,” says Brad Fishbein, owner of Lookmold, a Florida-based information and referral service. “When this is the case, it’s wise to hire a professional mold-removal company to sanitize the building materials, personal contents, and air within the affected area.”
Air sampling can determine if there are mold spores in your home. You can collect samples with an at-home kit, then send it to a laboratory for analysis, or else pay to have a professional mold assessor perform an inspection.
DIY shower mold removal
A stiff-bristled brush is good for cleaning mold from bathtub caulk, grout, and crevices.
If you’re ready to remove small patches of mold and mildew from solid bathroom surfaces, here’s how to do it.
First, you’ll need personal protective equipment to prevent inhaling, touching or spreading the potentially harmful fungi. The followingare available in home-improvement centers or online.
Disposable latex gloves (if you’re using mild detergent), or nitrile gloves made of puncture-resistant rubber (if using bleach or other strong chemicals)
An N-95 respirator mask, which is sufficient for most DIY mold removal jobs
Safety goggles
Disposable hair covers, which look like paper shower caps and prevent mold spores from settling in your hair
Disposable shoe covers, to prevent tracking mold from one room to the next
If you decide to use mold-removal sprays or other cleaning solutions, follow instructions carefully. They may contain chemicals that are harmful if inhaled, touched, or applied incorrectly.
If you’d prefer using natural household products for mold removal, try the following:
For mild cases of surface mold
Add 1 tablespoon baking soda to a spray bottle filled with water, and shake until dissolved.
Spray moldy area with the solution, then use a scrub brush to remove the mold.
Rinse surface with water to remove any residue.
Spray area again and let surface dry without wiping. This will kill any leftover mold and prevent it from returning.
For more severe or stubborn mold
Mix a solution of 1 part bleach and 2 parts water, and carefully fill a spray bottle.
Spray the area, and let it sit for 10 minutes.
If necessary, scrub with a brush or old toothbrush.
Allow area to dry thoroughly before painting or caulking.
Important safety tip: Never mix a bleach solution with bathroom cleaning products or any other solutions containing ammonia, as toxic fumes can be released.
More cleaning tips and solutions for solid surfaces
Spray ½ cup borax mixed in 1 quart water. Apply to patch of mold and let sit for an hour, then wipe clean with water and allow to dry.
Spray ½ cup white vinegar and ¼ cup borax mixed in 1 quart water. Leave on the mold patch for an hour, wipe or scrub with water, and allow to dry.
Spray 3%-strength hydrogen peroxide onto the area. Let it sit for 10 minutes, then scrub with a cloth.
To remove mold in hard-to-reach spaces and crevices
Use a grout brush or old toothbrush to scrub bathtub caulk, tile grout, and shower door tracks. You may need to apply a lot of elbow grease. Wipe clean with a damp cloth.
To remove mold from a plastic shower curtain
Remove shower curtain from the rod and place it in the bathtub.
Carefully mix a solution of 2 parts hydrogen peroxide and 1 part water in a spray bottle. Spray the curtain, and let solution sit for 10 minutes. Then rinse gently and thoroughly.
If any visible mold is left, scrub away with a paste of equal parts baking soda and water. Again, rinse thoroughly.
If necessary, flip the curtain and repeat on the other side.
How to prevent mold from returning
Exhausting warm, damp air during and after a shower is important for keeping mold at bay.
Now that you’ve removed existing mold, you’ll need to keep it from coming back. These tips can help:
Clean your shower at least once a week.
Install bathroom exhaust fans that are vented to the outside. Run them during and 15 minutes after showers.
Check pipes for leaks, and repair, or replace them as needed.
Buy a hygrometer, which measures humidity. If necessary, use a dehumidifier to keep your home’s levels between 35% and 50%.
Use high-quality air filters with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units and replace them as directed.
Check to make sure HVAC units drain properly.
Make sure gas heaters are properly vented to the outside to reduce moisture in the air.
Direct water from outdoor downspouts away from the house to prevent foundation leaks.
Examine your basement for leaks and repair them as needed.
Check the basement crawl space for excess moisture and place black plastic on the ground to reduce humidity.
When to call a pro
Major or difficult mold problems should be handled by a professional.
Credit: APS Restoration, Alexandria, Virginia
In certain situations, it’s much better to call a professional than attempt to handle major mold problems yourself. They include the following:
You suspect mold (say, because you smell an earthy, pungent odor) but can’t locate it.
The mold problem is too big or overwhelming for DIY cleanup, or the mold damage has caused structural problems.
You, or members of your household, have allergies, asthma, a weakened immune system, or other health issues—or are experiencing recent respiratory issues.
If you do need professional assistance, start by calling local cleanup and restoration companies that can inspect, assess, and remove mold. Make sure they’ll also replace water- and mold-damaged drywall and other materials, or be prepared to hire drywall installers or qualified handypeople for those tasks.
If the job is beyond their scope of services, mold abatement or remediation specialists go further. They can also install systems that prevent future problems, including ventilation, drainage, and waterproofing.
Regardless of which route you take, do your homework. Here are some questions to ask before hiring a mold professional, from Houston-area ServiceMaster Restoration and Cleaning:
Are your employees properly trained and certified? Reputable certifying organizations include the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC), the National Organization of Remediators and Mold Inspectors (NORMI), and the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA).
Is your company in current compliance with state licensing, insurance, educational, and other requirements?
What types of mold testing do you do?
Do you provide a free mold assessment?
Do you isolate the affected area and dispose of contaminated material properly?
Do your technicians wear personal protective equipment?
Do you guarantee your work?
You can also ask friends or neighbors for recommendations, or check online reviews.
How Yelpers found expert help for shower mold
A professional should have the expertise and equipment needed to deal with your mold problem safely. Photo: Certified Indoor Environmental, Lake Oswego Oregon
If you have a water leak, or if your mold problem is too big to handle on your own, it’s time to call an expert. Here’s how some Yelpers got the help they needed.
A clean job…
“After discovering a faulty shower had been going for quite some time and mold had started growing in the walls, it was clear that we would need mold remediation,” says Maisy Y. of Los Angeles. “[Restoration General] using thermal imaging [to show us] where the water damage was. The work was performed cleanly, quickly, and efficiently. They knew what they were doing and even though the walls had to be cut open, it was done very tidily.”
Honest, reasonable, and professional…
“I recently hired 911 Restoration of Dallas to remediate mold out of a bathroom in my home,” says Laura L. of Plano, Texas. “I couldn’t be more pleased with their services and with each of them individually. They are all very professional, polite, and skilled…. My home tested clear of mold, I’ve moved back in, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
They explained the process …
“We were nervous to call in professionals to help us with our mold problem, but it became evident that our efforts… weren’t sufficient,” says Arna J. of Portland, Oregon. “Certified Indoor Environmental took the time to explain the process and had very reasonable prices…. We were so relieved to learn that not only would they clean up our mold, they also… properly set up our bathroom fan vents.”
Find a home cleaning service or mold remediation service in your area.
Comments