What Causes Mold Growth In Toilets
Every toilet has the perfect conditions for mold growth moisture, nutrients , and a suitable place to grow.
Several reasons can make your toilet become a breeding ground for mold. If your toilet has been left unused for a couple of days, then dont be surprised to see mold growing in it. Likewise, your toilet bowl and tank can grow mold because they are often dark and humid.
Nobody ever wants mold to grow in their toilet or sit there for a long time. The fungus can be a threat to your health, even if youre in a good health condition. However, lets see how mold thrives in each compartment of the toilet.
Different Types Of Bathroom Mold
Before we talk treatment, lets look at what you might be dealing with.
There are several different types of mold that tend to form in bathrooms:
- Stachybotrys chartarum
- Talaromycosis
- Cladosporium
These molds vary in terms of both commonality and risk, with black mold being both the least common and the most dangerousthough no type of bathroom mold is considered to be rare.
There are some traits that separate these various types of moldespecially when it comes to their colorbut testing to see what kind you have can be expensive, and rather pointless too. Experts recommend that you always treat and get rid of mold in a bathroom without waiting to find out what kind youre dealing with. And fortunately, the same methods can usually be used regardless of mold variety.
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How To Clean Black Mold In The Shower Or Bathroom Tile And Silicone Sealant
In order to clean that stubborn black mold in the shower or bathroom tile and silicone sealant, there are a handful of products that you can try. Give the following products and methods a shot:
- Gelivable Mold Mildew Cleaner Gel: This product works amazing on tiled walls with black mold. But the downside is that it is kind of expensive .
- Bleach: Bleach has long since been the king of cleaning. It works well against black mold as well.
- Toiler Bowl Cleaner : Toiler bowl cleaner does a surprisingly great job as well cleaning that black mold in the shower tile or bathroom.
Also Check: How To Clean Mildew From Bathroom Ceiling
Best Way To Remove Mold From Your Toilet Tank
A thorough solution to cleaning black spots from the toilets tank is to pour distilled vinegar into the tank and allow it to sit for about 20 minutes. Then flush the toilet a few times. Avoid using bleach in the tank as it is corrosive to some parts. If the problem persists, use a brush to scrub at the black mold when the water is down after flushing. Repeat until it is clean.
Is Black Mold In Your Toilet Tank Dangerous
Mold comes in a variety of colors, but black mold seems to be the one that strikes fear in the heart of people who find it in their homes.
The truth is, mold is all around us even in the air we breathe.
And while you certainly dont want mold growing in your toilet tank , black mold has never been proven to be more dangerous than any other type of mold .
Mold of any color can cause certain health issues in some people, including headaches, itchy eyes, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea .
Infants, children, the elderly, and those with underlying health conditions are most likely to suffer health issues from mold exposure.
However, many people have no negative effects.
Finding black mold in your toilet tank isnt necessarily a reason to panic, but it does need to be removed.
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Cleaning Inside The Tank
You can easily clean mold that collects above the water line inside the toilet tank and underneath the lid with a chlorine bleach solution. Wear rubber gloves while working with chlorine bleach and avoid inhaling the fumes. After shutting off the toilet supply and flushing, fill the tank about halfway with the bleach solution and scrub the sides of the tank above the water line and the underside of the lid with a kitchen scrubby. After rinsing the sides and the lid with clear water, turn on the water and flush several times to clear the tank of residual bleach.
Vinegar And Baking Soda Method
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Mold Vs Manganese Black Spots In A Toilet Bowl
Mold spores are always present in our homes. They however thrive in dark, warm and damp surfaces like the toilet bowl or even inside the toilet tank. Apart from black, mold can also be green, grey, orange, purple, pink or even even red.
To prevent mold from growing in your toilet bowl or other fixtures, clean them regularly using baking soda and vinegar. The vinegar penetrates through surfaces thereby killing their roots.
Since molds need oxygen to grow, they will be found above the toilet bowls waterline where there is an ample supply of air. Constant flushing of the toilet supplies them with the moisture they need to thrive.
If you live in an area with hard water, it will be manifested in your fixtures like toilets, tubs and sinks. The minerals found in hard water in large concentrations are iron, manganese and calcium.
Iron forms reddish brown spots in a toilet bowl and in most causes a red a ring around the waterline called a toilet ring. Calcium forms a whitish or creamy accumulation in the bowl.
The best way to get rid of hard water stains in toilets and other fixtures is by installing a water softener. A water soften removes the hard water minerals before the water enters your house, which also prevents clogging of pipes and appliances.
Another option for removing manganese from water before it stains your toilets and other fixtures is by installing an iron filter. This is because manganese and iron are almost chemically identical hence the same removal process.
What Causes Black Mold On A Bathroom Ceiling
Mold on the ceiling is caused by moisture that has no where to go. Mold loves moisture. Steam from hot showers and bathtubs rises to the ceiling, and without proper ventilation it can settle there. If the moisture remains too long, mold spores begin to grow. In addition to being unsightly, mold can also cause health issues. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mold can cause nasal stuffiness, throat irritation, coughing or wheezing, eye irritationor skin irritation. And even more alarming, serious lung infections can occur in people with weak immune systems.
Is black mold deadly? Find out common mold myths.
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Making A Mold Removal Solution
How To Keep Mold From Returning
No matter how diligent you are about removing visible mold, if you donât address the underlying issue, it will come back. Where theres mold, theres moisture, says Larry Zarker, CEO of the Building Performance Institute, which trains and certifies professionals who specialize in creating healthy, safe and efficient homes. Here are some common mold hangouts in homes, along with ways to eliminate their moisture source.
Also Check: How To Get Rid Of Mold Bathroom Ceiling
Health Risk Of Black Mold
Mold is gross to look at but what is the real risk? It turns out that mildew and mold growth in the bathroom does not pose a serious health crisis unless the mold spores begin to spreadthrough the rest of the house.
Some types of mold become a danger when allowed to spread on surfaces with cellulose, which is found in wood and wood-derived materials such as paper and fiberboard.
If the mold penetrates the walls, floorboards, and rafters, the toxic mold may develop.
In bathrooms, the mold is more likely to cause minor respiratory issues in some individuals. Potential symptoms include:
- Itchy eyes
- Rashes
- Skin irritation
During a severe reaction, you may also find it difficult to take deep breaths. If you detect these signs, remove mold and consider having your property inspected for the spread of moldthrough other areas.
While mold is rarely a danger, remove it before it has the chance to spread. It can easily travel through air ducts and settle in rooms throughout the house.
Mold Under The Toilet Rim
The shade and humidity in the underside of the toilet bowl are an ideal place for mold fungus to thrive. Even when using a disinfectant, you may still find it difficult to clean the brown or black discolorations under the rim. It could be that the tank is feeding mineral deposits or organisms into the bowl.
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How To Remove Black Mold On The Toilet Seat
Toilet seat mold is relatively uncommon and is mostly caused by irregular cleaning, leaving the seat damp or high humidity levels in the bathroom. Clean the seat regularly and ensure that its always dry. High levels of bathroom humidity can be prevented with a portable dehumidifier.
When all else fails, get a seat coated with an antimicrobial agent and never worry about mold on the toilet seat again.
What you will need: Undiluted white vinegar in a spray bottle, some bleach and a soft brush.
1: Spray white vinegar onto the affected areas and scrub with a brush until all the fungi comes off.
2: Wipe all areas of the seat down on top, sides and underneath with bleach on an old cloth. The bleach will disinfect and kill any remaining spores.
3: Wipe the bleach from the seat with warm soapy water and dry it off completely.
If Its Growing In The Toilet Tank
Mold which is growing in the toilet water tank may be due to the following causes
- Infrequent flushing if the toilet in question is not used very often this can lead to mold or mildew. The water turns stagnant and mold spores enter and feed on nutrients and algae which tend to be present in the water supply. Also, the stagnant water will gradually lose the effectiveness of the chlorine which helps prevent mold formation and the temperature may warm to room temperature, making it even more attractive for mold to make a home.
- Contaminated water supply see above.
- Infrequent cleaning most people do not think to clean here often, if ever, and so there may be mineral deposits on the sides which can gather and feed any mold spores that manage to get in. It is also dark which mold loves.
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The Problem With Mold
While mold doesn’t have the same effect on everyone, the Institute of Medicine found in 2004 that there is enough evidence to link mold with upper respiratory ailments and coughs, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Moreover, it can induce symptoms of asthma in people with that disease.
Researchers have suggested links with other adverse health effects, such as memory loss and lethargy, but no causal connection has been proven. In short, if you are sensitive to it, mold can cause considerable respiratory discomfort. Even if you aren’t particularly sensitive, mold creates an environment in which it is easier for you to contract lung infections.
What Youll Need To Remove Bathroom Mold
These are just a few of the products and tools that can help you get rid of mold in bathroom areas.
- Antifungal cleanser: Clean off black mold from grout and tiles with a product like RMR-141 RTU Funcigide.
- White vinegar: Kills mold spores and slows down potential regrowth.
- Soft cleaning brush or toothbrush: Use to scrub away black mold stains.
- Standard spray bottle: Fill with homemade cleaning solutions.
- Bleach: Brightens and disinfects surfaces after removing black mold.
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How To Remove Black Mold From Toilet Tank
Have you opened your toilet tank and discovered that black mold is growing inside? If so, keep reading because Im going to show you how to remove black mold from your toilet tank easily and effectively.
When we first moved to Japan, we did a lot of research on what we needed to know about the country.
We thought we had it pretty well covered, but one thing we hadnt accounted for was mold growth inside our house.
Japan can get very humid in the summer. The combination of high humidity and darkness is the perfect breeding ground for black mold which is why I was shocked and disgusted to open my toilet tank after six months of living in Japan and discover that it was covered in black mold.
Fortunately, a small amount of black mold like this is easy to remove and doesnt generally require you to call in a professional mold removal company.
What Causes Mold In Toilet
Mold is a type of fungus that can grow on many kinds of surfaces, and most often appears when the surface is allowed to become damp. Any room of the house can develop a mold problem as long as there has been some contact with moisture, whether that moisture comes from the outside, from plumbing problems, or through high levels of air humidity. Bathrooms are particularly susceptible to the growth of mold because there are so many ways and places for moisture to collect.
Toilets are by definition, moist environments: both the bowl and tank are partly full of water at all times except during the act of flushing. Theyre also dark areas, especially when the lid is closed, and are naturally at room temperature. These conditions are perfect for mold to thrive.
Toilets that are used infrequently and not flushed often are more likely to develop a mold problem than those that are flushed many times a day. All toilets need to be cleaned regularly to prevent mold spores from growing and expanding into a larger problem.
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How Do You Prevent Mold From Growing In The Toilet
- If you have a bathroom window, open it during showering.
- Make sure that you are using your exhaust fans when you take a shower or bath and leaving them on for at least 30 minutes after you finish.
- If your bathroom is prone to higher humidity, grab one of these recommended bathroom dehumidifiers and use it during and for an hour after you shower or take a bath.
- Never leave waste sitting in the toilet. I know a lot of people like to follow the if its yellow let it mellow motto but when it comes to mold you always want to flush.
- Clean your toilet bowl once or twice weekly using a scrub brush and the EC3 Mold Solution Concentrate or Vinegar.
- Add 1 cup of vinegar to the toilet tank a few times a week to help prevent the mold.
- For toilets that are not used often, be sure to flush them every other day.
- Fix any bathroom leaks immediately.
Remember, no mold is the best mold so make sure that you are taking care to prevent it and remove it correctly if you do find some.
In this post I refer to EC3 products. They are one of the only two mold and mycotoxin removal products that I personally use and recommend. Please read my article outlining what makes EC3 superiorwhen it comes to killing mold and mycotoxins. It has been independently lab tested and proven to be 99% effective when used properly. I encourage you to purchase EC3 products directly through Micro Balance. If you prefer to shop on Amazon, Micro Balance has a presence there as well.
