There’s Mold In My Bathroom - How Do I Remove It?

At MoldTech, we’re often called in to remove black mold in the bathroom - it’s one of the most common places that mold grows indoors, but many homeowners don’t understand why or know how they can make simple changes to their home and habits that can help reduce the likelihood it will grow.

The most obvious reason you may need to remove black mold in the bathroom is moisture and humidity. Naturally, because of bathing and showering, the bathroom is a place in your home with lots of opportunity for water and moisture to go where it isn’t welcome and to linger and cause trouble. If wet surfaces or puddles aren’t dried out quickly, they can lead to mold growth - the same goes for rooms without adequate ventilation, since humid air can travel and settle in places that water usually doesn’t reach.

All this repeated moisture can help create the ideal conditions for mold growth in your bathroom. The main ingredient for mold growth is some sort of water - an organic material and stable temperature give both food and ideal growing conditions. As you can imagine, the bathroom is full of these three necessary ingredients, making it a prime location for mold growth.

The Why and Where of Mold in the Bathroom

If you need to remove black mold in the bathroom, there are a couple of places that it frequently occurs, and good reasons why those places are so commonly affected. Black mold often appears because of:

• Blocked bathroom drains: Does your shower or sink drain slowly? Is it constantly clogged or create lingering puddles in the basin? If this sounds like your home, this standing or persistent water might be the reason there is mold growing in your bathroom. If you have a big problem with hair or other things blocking up the drain, there are inexpensive plastic and wire drain catchers that can help prevent things from making it in there. Chemical washes and other products available at home improvement stores can help dissolve detritus already in the drain, but they’re not the best for the environment - cleaning out the P or S trap under your sink can help, or having a professional plumber in to ensure there aren’t bigger problems can also make a big difference.
• Excessive humidity: Do you have a fan in your bathroom? Make sure your fan is on and running when you’re having a shower or a bath - it can have a huge effect on the humidity levels in your bathroom and in your home by sucking that super moist air out before it can condense on surfaces and potentially aid in mold growth. It’s also important to make sure that fan exhausts out of your house and not directly into the attic - and a little yearly maintenance to prevent dust buildup and irritating squeaks will go a long way.
• Dirt and soap scum: Nobody wants a dirty bathroom, but hospital-level cleanliness isn’t always achievable either. Making sure that dirt, dust, and soap scum are regularly cleaned away can also help prevent mold growth, since these three materials can be all the food mold needs to grow. Make sure you pay attention to all the places in your bathroom - give your shower curtain a wash, look to hard-to-reach corners and underneath the sink too.
• Leaks and drips: This is the most frequent reason we are called to remove black mold in the bathroom! A leaky pipe, persistent water drip from the corner of the shower, or sweating toilet reservoir are all ways that leaks and drips may be present in your bathroom. Keep an eye out in these important places to catch any problems early.

These types of moisture issues are commonly found in most homes, and aren’t indications of a bad housekeeper or messy habits - they’re all part of life. But they can be minimized once you’re aware they’re happening. If you suspect a problem with black mold in your bathroom, you might want to check these common spots that mold grows:

• The bottom edge of the shower curtain
• Underneath cupboards
• Between the toilet reservoir and the wall
• Along tiles, grout, and shower doors
• In corners and along baseboards

The DIY Mold Removal Approach

If you want to remove black mold in the bathroom, many people’s first thought is to go the DIY route. There are many websites, blogs, and home improvement sites with suggestions, tips, and other information on removing mold with bleach, vinegar, baking soda, household cleaners, and other products. The bad news is they’re nearly all ineffective, can spread or increase your mold problem, and don’t address the root of the situation.

The DIY approach may save you some money initially, but in the long run it leads to bigger problems and increasingly aggressive products to try and get the situation under control. The biggest problem with DIY mold removal approaches is that it’s frighteningly easy to inadvertently spread the mold to other areas of the room or your home. Reusing sponges is the most obvious problem, but mold is motivated to survive - spores may hitch a ride on your clothes, shoes, bottles, and as you enter and exit the room.

Removing mold promptly is so important because it causes adverse health effects and can cause serious long and short term harm. Scrubbing away at a moldy spot can release more of the harmful mycotoxins into the air, harming you and anyone else present.

The last reason we never recommend trying to remove mold on your own is that none of the popular DIY removal methods actually work - they’re either too weak to kill the mold, or so toxic they might hurt you or damage your home, while not really harming the mold at all. Bleach is a common household chemical that is more dangerous than most people know - and totally ineffectual at doing more than injuring the surface layer of mold growth.

When is it Time to Call in the Pros?

Any time you spot mold growth or need to remove black mold in the bathroom, it’s best to have a professional come and assess the problem. Not only will they be able to quickly and efficiently locate the problem (which may be behind walls or baseboards as well as what’s visible), but they’ll be able to offer suggestions to reduce the cause behind the mold growth. Addressing that root cause is the single most important thing you can do to prevent mold from recurring, and after a safe and thorough mold removal, making necessary changes to your home or habits will ensure you never need to call for help again.

How Can MoldTech Help?

We remove black mold in the bathroom and throughout your home across southern Ontario, and have been one of the leading remediation companies in the GTA for a decade. This brings with it experienced, confident teams, friendly and knowledgeable service, and, most importantly, a safe and thorough mold removal in Toronto and the GTA. We’re Canadian owned and operated and have been at the forefront of safe and non-toxic mold removal and remediation for years, pioneering the use of a natural chemical wash that thoroughly removes all traces of mold spores and roots.

At MoldTech, we know it’s difficult to choose a contractor to work with - we’ve heard the horror stories too. There are a number of ways we guarantee our services, and one is by actively participating in membership based organizations that accredit and certify mold removal and remediation specialists across North America. Our membership in the following organizations mean that we’re always up to date with the latest research and learning about mold remediation, that we have access to specialized training and courses to improve our knowledge and technique, and that we’re committed to providing safe and qualified services to homeowners in need. At MoldTech, we follow the standards and guidelines of the IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification), the National Association of Mold Professionals (NAMP), and the IAQA when it comes to mold remediation, as well as being involved with the Ontario Association of Home Inspectors.  These certifications mean that our products and services are certified to independent third party specifications, and is proof of our commitment to professional standards and workmanship.

Stay Safe!

Mold isn’t the end of the world - it’s an important part of the natural environment, but it’s not welcome in our homes, and should be addressed as soon as it’s spotted. Unchecked mold growth will lead to sickness and property damage over time, and trying to clean it up yourself can hasten the process. If you need to remove black mold in the bathroom, the only way to ensure that it’s 100% gone is to call in a professional - if you’re interested in having a technician assess your home, get in touch with us at MoldTech, we’d be happy to be a part of your safe home strategy