Dont Want To Use Chemicals Heres How To Get Rid Of Black Mold In Your Bathroom Naturally
If synthetic chemicals arent an option for your family or pets, you can use effective natural methods to get rid of bathroom mold. Hydrogen peroxide, white vinegar, and baking soda are three nontoxic products that can remove mold in shower areas effectively. Hydrogen peroxide is naturally antifungal and antibacterial, which makes it perfect for treating mold. Baking soda also kills mold and absorbs moisture that facilitates mold growth.
Mix one part hydrogen peroxide and another part water into a water bottle and spray the solution onto the mold. Or, mix one tablespoon of baking soda into a spray bottle of water. Spray either of these solutions and let it sit for a few minutes, then gently scrub away the stain and rinse it with water. To prevent future mold growth, spray the area with undiluted vinegar and let it air dry. Vinegar is a powerful natural acid that can kill over 80% of mold spores.
Note: Although vinegar, peroxide, and baking soda are effective at mold removal and prevention separately, dont mix them all together because this creates a bubbly mess thats potentially toxic.
First Part: Cleaning The Toilet Bowl
What Is Black Mould And Why Does It Form
Mould is a fungus that grows in damp, warm conditions, such as a bathroom, where there is very little airflow. It can start as mildew, a white form of fungus found on a flat surface.
The growth of black mould on bathroom walls and ceilings is due to excess moisture, which may start with condensation building up over time following a shower or bath. The warm, moist air meets a cold surface and clings to it, like windows.
Mould can build-up for many reasons, apart from a lack of ventilation in your bathroom these include leaking pipes, poor insulation or if condensation has not been removed following a shower.
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Is A Ring In The Toilet The Same Thing As Mold In Thetoilet
Not always! A red rust or brown colored ring forms fromcalcium and magnesium mineral deposits that come from your water. If youscrub the inside of your toilet and cant get it clean, thenits a hard water stain and not mold. The mineral deposits have etchedtheir way into the porcelain making it near impossible to remove.
If you want more information about toilet bowl rings, this toilet bowl ring postis pretty awesome.
Where Not To Use Hydrogen Peroxide To Remove Mold And Mildew
As we mentioned, hydrogen peroxide is unlikely to inhibit mold growth on porous surfaces like fabrics and wood. If you notice mold on bath rugs, wooden walls, or other porous surfaces, the object or surface will need to be safely discarded according to your local disposal rules.
Hydrogen peroxide has the potential to bleach some types of natural fabrics like wool.
Hydrogen peroxide is generally safe on solid surfaces and even most synthetic fabrics. To avoid accidental bleaching, make sure to clean off all the hydrogen peroxide once you finish cleaning the mold.
When cleaning mold in your home, its a good idea to wear protective gloves, goggles, and a mask to prevent coming into contact with mold spores.
Heres how you can clean mold from solid surfaces using hydrogen peroxide:
Hydrogen peroxide is just one of many household ingredients you can use to clean mold. Using vinegar is another effective way to clean mold in your home.
However, its important not to mix hydrogen peroxide and vinegar together.
Also Check: How To Clean Black Mold On Shower Grout
How To Prevent Bathroom Mold
What all molds have in common is that constant moisture is required for their existence. Thats why the bathroom is a favorable place for them to thrive. Between the sink and the bathtub or shower, somethings always wetbut there are preventative measures you can take to keep mold from growing.
The key to mold prevention is to control moisture. Make sure the bathroom faucets and valves arent leaking, and the drains arent clogged. Having water that drips constantly or pools in an area of your bathroom is the perfect recipe for mold growth. Repair any leaks in the plumbing or walls. You dont want water hanging around any longer than necessary.
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Grout is extremely susceptible to mold growth because its porous and will trap moisture in. Reapply a grout sealer once a year to preempt mold growth.
Mold In Toilet: Facts Effects And How To Remove It
Mold in the toilet is an unwelcoming sight to both you and your home visitors.
Now, mold does come in different manifestations and colors. But one thing that youâll find common across all of them is the irritating smell that they draft.
If youâve found mold in your toilet, then youâve probably asked, howâs that possible?
Well, first off, mold will thrive anywhere that provides favorable conditions for its growth. Such conditions are humidity, warmth, and a viable food source. .
If left unchecked, this problem could fester from your bathroom into other living spaces. In the end, you may face a problem especially if you have a mold allergy.
Thatâs why in this guide today, youâll get a chance to learn about mold in toilets, what brings them, and how to deal with a mold problem.
Ready? Letâs kick it off!
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Apply A Cleaning Solution
Make another bleach solution and apply it to the tank walls to get whats left of the mold. You can also apply a mold cleaner by following the instructions on the pack.
Allow it to sit for some time then brush off the insides with your regular brush or toothbrush.
Be careful as you scrub the insides of the tank in order not to damage the floater or any other components.
Black Mold In Toilet Bowl Below Water Line In
Besides giving your toilet a bad look, mold can also cause allergies and compound existing respiratory issues like asthma and other lung infections.
Since you visit your toilet at least 3 times a day, it means will be exposed to mold more times than you would care for. But it doesnt have to be this way, there are things you can do to solve this problem.
That being said. How do you get rid of black mold in your toilet?
Lets get right into it.
Also Check: Removing Mold From Ceiling In Bathroom
What Causes Black Mold In A Toilet Bowl
First, we need to understand that mold is a fungus. Mold and mildew thrive in dark and humid areas . Black mold can be found in your toilet bowl or tank when you have been away for even a few short days on vacation. It can also happen if there has been waste left in the bowl for a while.
Since humidity and dark places are where mold thrives, your toilet bowl and tank are a prime breeding ground for it. Bathrooms are generally a big mold spot if you dont have proper ventilation. It is common to see this type of mold when you are cleaning a hoarders house in our experience.
Mold Growing In The Tank Alone
Now, during your inspections, at times you may find mold growing in your toilet tank but not in the bowl.
How is that?
First off, this occurrence happens if the tank in question does not get used frequently. Over time, the inside of the tank will start getting warm. And if you remember, warmth is one of the conditions that support mold breeding.
As a result, the chlorine levels in the tank will reduce due to this inactivity. And as you know, the chlorine compound plays a big role in killing and preventing mold infestations.
In other cases, you may also find mold growth at the bottom of your toiletâs tank. This kind of mold growth indicates that there might be a problem with the tankâs washer. Two of my top bets are that youâll find the washer either worn-out or broken.
Because of such a malfunction, water will leak onto the bottom of the tank as the seal now isnât as effective. And with time, youâll see mold start growing on the leak trail running beneath the tank.
If you have a broken-down washer, you have to replace it yourself or call in a plumbing service.
Read Also: How To Clean Mold Off Bathroom Ceiling
Pink Mold In The Toilet
The commonly known pink mold is a pink stain that is not a mold or mildew. It is an airborne or waterborne bacteria called Serratia marcescens. It grows in a variety of colors, including bright orange and red.
Like mold, it thrives in warm, dark, wet conditions, such as toilets, shower, bathtub, or sink. It feeds on mineral deposits as well as shampoo or soap residue.
What Causes Mold In Toilet Tank
It is important to remember that no type of mold grows without an underlying reason. There is always something that is fostering the growth of these deadly beings around your home. This is why experts tell us to always identify the core reason behind the presence of mold colonies on any surface. When it comes to mold inside toilet tank, the reasons mainly revolve around the frequency of flushing, quality of water, and contaminants inside the water.
Bear in mind that not flushing the toilet after every use tends to invite bacteria over. This eventually turns into deadly fungus over time. The molds in the toilet tank are dangerous to the extent that they end up contaminating the indoor air quality of the entire bathroom. This is why you should treat it at the earliest. Otherwise, you may get to see your health coming under their spell. Also, you should be extra cautious if you already fall sick more than an average human being.
Another reason is the use of hard water in toilet tanks. Hard water consists of minerals which leave a harsh impact on everything they come in contact with. Above all, excessive moisture is generally the primary reason behind the growth of black mold in the toilet tank. Usually, most of us do not wipe off the wet surface as soon as possible which eventually backfires in the worst possible way.
Also Check: How Do You Clean Mold Off Of Leather
Ec3 Laundry Additive Method
Laundry additive in a toilet? Sounds weird I know. You could use EC3 mold solution concentrate. That works just as well. But I like the laundry additive because it is meant to withstand agitation in the washing machine as well as a high volume of water.
To learn why I love the EC3 product line so much as well as HOW it works to kill both mold and mycotoxins, check out this detailed post about EC3.
How To Prevent Black Mold From Growing In Your Toilet Tank
A toilet tank is the perfect breeding ground for black mold dark and damp.
Unfortunately, this means that the usual recommendations for keeping mold at bay keeping the area dry and well-lit cant really be implemented.
If your toilet tank is prone to growing black mold, the best way to prevent this from happening is to spray a bleach solution on the inside of your tank once every week or two.
Ive been doing this since I first discovered black mold in my toilet tank, and I have never had another instance of black mold in my tank.
References:
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Scrub The Inner Walls Of The Bowl
After 10 minutes or so, the cleaning spray which you applied on the inner walls of the toilet bowl must have done its job. It is now time for you to get your hard brush and scrub away!
Be sure to get the mold under the rim of the bowl too. If a regular brush cant fit in, then use an old toothbrush to scrub those tight areas.
After doing this, take your toilet bowl scrubber and clean the area below the waterline where you previously applied the bleach or cleaning solution. The scrubber is a long, plastic-handled tool with ball-like bristles at the top.
When youre done scrubbing all interior areas of the toilet bowl, you can flush all the debris away.
Easy as ABC!
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.
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How To Identify Mold In The Toilet
Anxiety kills, dont hurt yourself before mold strikes. You will probably exclaim on sighting brown discoloration in your toilet, but how will you justify the appearance as mold? Therefore, before you start to look for a way of eradicating that ugly appearance in your toilet rim, bowl, or tank, you first need to confirm that it is mold.
Mold testing is the only accurate method of confirming the presence of mold in your home. It helps over guesswork, and you will be sure you are dealing with mold. You should test your toilet and home early to prevent mold from spreading and causing harm to your family.
Types Of Bathroom Sinks Where Mold Grows:
1) Plastic Toilet Sink This type of sink has an outer shell made from plastic material which makes it easy for the water to seep through the drain hole. These kinds of sinks usually have a small opening at the bottom where you need to put soap before washing yourself. If this kind of sink gets wet with water then it will start growing mold because of its porous nature. You should clean these sinks regularly so that they dont get infected by bacteria.
2) Ceramic Toilet Sink A ceramic sink is one of the best options available today. Unlike other materials like plastic, glass, metal, etc., ceramics do not absorb any amount of water. So, even after cleaning them thoroughly, they still remain moist. Because of their high porosity, they allow air to enter into the sink making it prone to getting dirty very easily. In order to keep them free from dirt, regular maintenance must be done.
3) Glass Toilet Sink Glass is another popular choice among homeowners who want something elegant but durable. However, unlike ceramic sinks, glass doesnt let out much heat. Therefore, it becomes difficult to maintain temperature inside the room. Also, due to its weight, it requires more effort to install than other types of sinks. But, once installed, it lasts longer than others. To keep it free from mold growth, make sure to use anti-mildew products while installing it.
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How Dangerous Is Black Mold In Your House
Many kindsand colorsof mold exist. Stachybotrys, a black mold, has a reputation for being particularly toxic, but it doesnt matter what type of mold youre dealing withall molds found within the house bring with them the possibility of health risks and should be removed immediately.
The most likely places to find mold in the bathroom are in the tile grout, around drains, and on the walls or wallpaper. Keep reading to learn how to treat affected areas and prevent mold from growing in your bathroom in the future.
