Nearly everybody has experienced bathroom mold. If you think you have never experienced it, you should probably look deeper into the corners of your bathroom. While mold makes your bathroom stink, it remains one of the most common problems in most households. Fortunately, it is also one of the easiest to prevent and get rid of.
Mold loves to grow in damp areas. This makes a lot of sense since bathroom floors are almost always conducive for their growth. Here are some of the common causes of bathroom mold:
If you or your friends have had a mold problem, you will probably have it on you. However, scary that may sound, it is a fact. Now, let’s get to how we can rid our bathrooms off this stinky fungus.
Before you can put up measures to prevent or clean your bathroom of mold, you will have to find the mold in your bathroom. It is not always that obvious. Check hidden spots that are moist, around exhaust fans, basements, and even in crawl spaces.
Preventing mold
Your best bet at successfully keeping your bathroom mold-free is improving ventilation in your bathroom. It is essential to keep in mind that the mold could be starting in the bathroom and forming in a different room. You could also follow the following tips to help you in your mold prevention efforts:
- Turn your bathroom fan on regularly, especially when and after having a shower. Leave the fan on for about 30 minutes after each bath. It will be essential to install an exhaust fan if you do not already have one.
- Make sure household humidity levels remain below 50%. A dehumidifier or an air conditioner could help.
- Install mildew-resistant shower curtains and make sure to wash and replace them often.
- Dispose of empty shampoo or shower gel bottles, toys, or any loofahs left in the shower. All these items provide a damp environment, which is conducive to the growth of mold.
Tips to get rid of mold
Working to prevent mold from infesting your bathroom is much easier than getting rid of it. However, if your bathroom is already infested with mold, it is quite easy to get rid of the mold and maintain a clean and fresh bathroom. Here are a few tips to get rid of mold in your bathroom:
- Install the right size fan for your bathroom. Depending on the bathroom’s size, the fan size should be sufficient to dry even the distant corners in the bathroom. The bathroom’s appropriate size should be large enough to clear up moisture in the bathroom in less than 30 minutes. Compare the cubic feet per minute numbers printed onto the fan base to the size of your bathroom and determine the best match.
- Reseal grout lines yearly. Grout lines act as the breeding ground for many types of bacteria. It is essential to get the grout sealer replaced at least once a year to help them stay waterproof and keep them mold-free.
- Fix leaks immediately; they pop up. Mold is sustained and nurtured by humid and moist surroundings. Leaks are especially conducive since they are usually hidden and dark. If you notice any faucet dripping or pools of water under the toilet trap, you should move to get the issue fixed before the mold decides to move into your bathroom.
