Commercial Cleaners Can Help
You might see bathroom mildew described as black mold or shower mold. This distinguishes it from green mold, the slimy kind you find under rocks or beneath abandoned buckets and containers below the sink. This distinction is important at stores.
Why? Because many bathroom cleaning products will get rid of black mold, grey mildew, and green mold as well, but the dosage and application may differ. For example, lots of baked goods have mold inhibitors, but you cant exactly scrub the bathtub with bread!
Youll want to use commercial products like Clorox, Microban, Concrobium, Benefect, RMR, or Mold Armor. These products can be quite concentrated, so youll need to carefully read the labels. You should check if they work against both mildew and mold, and are pet-safe.
What Is A Bathroom Sink Overflow Hole
Usually located beneath the faucet, the sink overflow prevents spillage of water on the floor when the sink gets filled. It is usually placed just a few inches under the full capacity of the sink. The bathroom sink overflow hole also introduces air into the sewer system, causing a suction that allows water to drain from the sink quicker.
Without a sink overflow, the sink can quickly fill up and spill all over your bathroom, as the water drains slower than the faucet flows. Sewage backing up from clogged pipes would also make their way onto your floors without the purpose of an overflow draining system.
Helpful Tip: Some sinks have caps or stoppers over their overflow holes so the homeowner can fill up the sink as needed. So if you cannot locate the overflow drain, check behind these caps and stoppers as you may have a sink model that features an overflow drain cover.
The Rmr 86 Mildew Stain Remover
RMR is back on the list with a product that took thousands of hours to develop by their cleaning experts. The name speaks for itself. It can remove mildew stains on or under any surface with great efficiency. Long gone are the days of scraping stains and blasting them with dry ice. This affordable cleaner will rid your kitchen, bathroom, sink, drains, and any surface in your home of black mold and mildew.
Congratulations! You are informed about the dangers of the black fungus. Now you can keep your house clean. Everything from your kitchen to your sink, your bathroom to your drains, and everything under and over can now be properly protected with the cleaning product of your choice.
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Mold Cleaning Trick #: Baking Soda And Bleach
Its important to note that bleach does not kill mold, it simply removes the stain created by mold. Vinegar, as mentioned above, is a great way to kill mold. Start with the vinegar method and then move onto this method for the best results.
- Mix 1 tsp liquid soap and 1 cup baking soda. Add several drops of an essential oil, such as lavender, peppermint, citrus, etc.) and then add enough hot water to create a paste.
- Next, in a separate bowl combine 1 part bleach with 2 parts water. Add mixture to a spray bottle.
- Use the bleach solution to spray the affected areas in your bathroom. Let it sit and dry.
- After the solution dries, respray the area with your bleach solution and this time get in there with a scrub brush.
- Rinse the wall, and if you still see mold, go at it again repeating until the mold vanishes.
- In some cases, grout or caulking must be replaced.
Best Cleaning Products For Bathroom Mold
With any cleaning product for bathroom mold, you should use gloves and work in a well-ventilated area. Wearing a mask is recommended as cleaning mold can cause the release of mold spores into the air.
There are plenty of products that claim to kill mold, but good old soap and water are usually enough to do the trick. You can also make a bathroom mold cleaning solution with items from around the house.
Borax, a white mineral powder, is a natural way to clean mold in the bathroom. Mix 1 cup borax with 1 gallon of warm water. Pour some of the solution into a spray bottle. Spray directly onto the surface you want to clean. Use a scrub brush, sponge, or clean rag to remove mold stains. Use the remaining borax mold cleaner to mop tile or vinyl floors.
Bleach is another good option for removing mold stains in the bathroom, but it should only be used in a well-ventilated area. Always open a window or turn on your bathroom exhaust fan when working with bleach. A 1:10 bleach to water solution is effective on nonporous surfaces like sinks, tubs, toilets, and showers, but it should not be used to clean mold from the ceiling or walls.
Read Also: How To Clean Bathroom Ceiling Mildew
Removing Mold From Painted Or Wallpapered Walls
For mold on painted walls, try a natural remover like white vinegar, borax and water. Youll need a spray bottle and a few other items to scrub the walls.
- Combine two tablespoons of borax with 1/4 cup white vinegar and two cups of hot water in a bowl.
- Pour into a spray bottle
- Liberally apply on painted walls.
- Scrub thoroughly and wipe clean, then spray again and let sit for 10 minutes before wiping dry.
How Much Does Mold Detection And Prevention Cost
According to homeowner reviews from across Canada, the below chart shows how much you can expect to pay for mold detection and remediation services. Keep in mind that every project will differ but these costs can help give you an estimate. For a more accurate estimate, for your project.
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*costs based on 703 real homeowner reviews as of November, 2021
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Alternatives To Typical Cleaning
You may choose not to remove the strainer or unscrew the P-trap, or you may wish to destroy mold in shower drains where the pipes are inaccessible.
In that scenario, the next best choice is to clean the drain with chemicals. The combination of vinegar and baking soda creates a powerful foaming drain cleaner that disinfects and deodorizes at the same time.
Step #1. Pour 1/2 cup baking soda into the drain, 1/2 cup vinegar, then cover for around 10 minutes to keep the foam contained in the pipe.
Step #2. Rinse with a gallon of boiling water containing 1/2 cup of salt.
Step #3. If you have metal pipes, the water can be extremely hot if you have plastic pipes, use hot tap water to avoid injuring them.
You can check this article on what essential oils kill mold for alternative cleaners.
Why Does My Sink Drain Get Moldy
Mold spores are everywhere in our homes but you cannot really see them and most will never grown unless the conditions are favorable. For mold to grow, the surface has to be wet especially at temperature of between 770 F and 860 F.
The reason your sink drain gets moldy is because it provides favorable conditions for mold to grow. Sink drains are always wet meaning constant supply of moisture for the mold spores and hence their continued grown.
Food waste that stick inside the sink drain also provide nourishment to the mold. Since you cannot eliminate water in a sink drain, keeping the drain clean is the best way to prevent mold from growing.
A smelly sink drain can be caused by several factors. Apart from the musty smell caused by mold, a sewage smell can also be detected especially when the P-trap is empty or when the plumbing vent is blocked.
To get rid of mold in a sink drain, pour ½ cup of baking soda followed by 1 cup of vinegar/hydrogen peroxide. After 15 minutes, blast hot water down the drain. Alternatively remove the P-trap and scrub the drain tailpiece using a bottle brush.
Bleach will successfully remove mold from a drain but it can damage the plumbing and kill the microbes in the septic tank if you are on a septic system. A baking soda and vinegar/hydrogen peroxide combination is a safe and effective method to deal with the mold.
Drain mold is non-toxic. That being said, it causes a musty smell in the kitchen/bathroom which is why you need to get rid of it.
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Making A Mold Removal Solution
Inspect The Mold Infestation
1. Put on protective gear. Before you start cleaning the mold, inspect the infested area. Make sure you wear rubber gloves before you handle any objects in the area. Most mold is not toxic, but large areas of black mold could be toxic and should be removed by a trained professional. Toxic mold is usually greenish black in color and is a major health risk. You should also be wearing enough clothing so that mold spores don’t come in contact with your skin.
2. Inspect the infested area. Remove all items from underneath the sink and inspect the moldy area. Throw away any mold infested items by placing them into a plastic bag and then sealing up the bag.
3. Compare your mold findings. You can compare the mold you find with pictures on the Internet to determine if it is a toxic strain or not. If pictures aren’t enough to identify the strain, you can also get a mold testing kit to make sure. If you have determined that you can clean the infestation yourself, then proceed with the following steps.
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How To Keep Black Mold In Your Bathroom Away
Once youve gotten rid of the mold, youve got to keep it away with regular maintenance. Regularly spraying vinegar on bathroom surfaces and letting it air dry kills mold spores and prevents growth. Make sure theres proper ventilation in the bathroom and install an exhaust fan if you dont have one. If you can, wipe down the shower with a cloth or squeegee after showering. Clean the bathroom weekly using your preferred cleaner and use an antifungal cleaner once a month.
Diy Steps In Getting Rid Of Musty Smell Under Bathroom Sink
Getting rid of the musty smell typically involves cleaning out the drain. Drain cleaners are a quick way to unclog your bathroom drain. But, cleaners are made of chemicals that can make you and your family sick. These chemicals also erode your pipes over time, calling for a worse problem. You can opt to clean your drain with a simple household solution instead. It uses ingredients found easily in the house or the stores. Due to the organic nature of this solution, it is safe to be used repeatedly.
- Insert the tip of a funnel into the mouth of the drain.
- Pour vinegar or baking soda down the funnel.
- Clean the drain cover to get rid of any mold and dirt
- Run hot water down the drain for one minute.
- Use Bleach To Remove The Musty Smell
While it is not always recommended to use harsh chemicals, occasionally, it might work. Along with other chemicals, bleach, too should be used sparingly. Be careful while handling bleach. Wear rubber gloves and safety goggles as a precaution, if necessary.
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Search For A Local Mold Remediation Company
Removing tough mold DIY-style may not give you the desired results. Additionally, using harsh store-bought chemicals can further deteriorate your health. So, instead of spending hours trying to scrub off dirty-looking yellow-green-black mold from your bathroom walls, you can hire a trusted mold detection and removal specialist for the job. You can also request them to use eco-friendly products to protect your bathroom and your health. Heres a quick guide on how to hire a mold remediation company to get rid of this nasty problem.
If you dont have proper ventilation in your bathroom or if you dont follow the right mold prevention practices, the mold can grow within 48 hours of moisture saturation. To keep your bathroom safe and mold-free you can hire a local pro by checking their HomeStars profile for their Star Score, Verified Badge and reading homeowner reviews to make a confident hiring decision. The sooner you start treating your mould issues, the better off you will be.
The Main Causes Of Dirt
As it is rarely noticed, the overflow hole is rarely cleaned well. Dirt and mold make their way into the overflow hole, eventually leading to grime build up. Since the overflow hole is usually undisturbed, debris can stick to its walls and sides and can get dried and crusty. The overflow hole can also harbor many types of bacteria, some being harmful to your health.
Some of the main causes of a dirty overflow hole include general dust particles that find their way into the sink overflow, food and organic material dropped into the overflow hole, and oils from conditioners and lotions that congeal over time.
Mold is also a common problem in overflow holes. The warm, dark, moist environment allows mold and mildew colonies to thrive, especially as the overflow hole is rarely disturbed. With these growths, the sink hosts various organisms that can give you allergies and make you sick when you inhale their spores.
The sink overflow hole is the part of the sink that prevents water from spilling out.
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Making Sure Your Sink Drain Stays Clean
One of the best, if not the only way to ensure mold doesnât have a chance of building up in your sink drain is to constantly keep it clean.
Make it a habit to treat the sink drain with white vinegar and baking soda. The foam or âvolcanoâ effect that these two substances produce wonât just kill the mold, it will get rid of its awful smell too.
For maintenance sake and not mold removal, you can cut the portions of the baking soda and the vinegar by half. Practice this regularly to keep mold from ever building up in your sink drain.
There are other substances you can use to make an effective sink drain mold-killing cleaner. These include borax, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide.
A combination of these 3 substances will foam once water is added. You can call it the âvolcanic effectâ. The good thing about this combination is that it also absorbs the bad odor from the mold, and will leave your sink drain smelling as fresh as new.
Baking soda alone has the power to kill mold and consume its bad odor, imagine how lethal a combination of the 3 would be. The mold in your sink drain wouldnât stand a chance!
If all you have is baking soda, then sprinkle some of it into the drain and leave it to sit for about an hour. When that time has elapsed, boil some water and flush it down the drain.
Remember to use warm water if your pipes are made of plastic to avoid damage.
How To Clean Mold From Bathroom Tiles
Scrubbing with vinegar or a borax solution is a great way to clean mold from bathroom tile. For small applications, mix 2 tablespoons borax into 2 cups warm water and funnel into a spray bottle. Spray the solution on tiles and let it sit for a few minutes. As noted earlier, you can also make a large-batch tile cleaning solution with 1 cup borax and 1 gallon of warm water. Use a mop or sponge to scrub away the mold. Whether you use vinegar or borax, there is no need to rinse the solution. However, you will want to dry the floor so the moisture doesn’t encourage the mold to return.
To clean mold from bathroom tile grout, use the same borax or vinegar solution as before. Apply it directly to grout lines and let it sit. Use a toothbrush or another small bristle brush to clean mold from bathroom tile grout. For hard-to-remove stains, mix two parts baking soda with one part vinegar to form a paste. Apply it to the grout and let it sit a few minutes before scrubbing away mold. If desired, you can also use a commercial grout cleaner.
Editor’s Tip: Check your tile material before using one of these solutions. Vinegar can be damaging to some tile materials avoid if you have marble, slate, granite, or stone tiles.
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