Is bathroom mold becoming a nuisance in your home? You are not alone. Mold thrives in moist places, so it is no wonder that places in the home with increased usage of water, such as the bathroom, often become hosts to this unwanted guest. Areas with increased usage, such as the sink, shower and bathtub, are common areas where mold grows since these areas tend to be moist. Apart from being unsightly and giving off an unpleasant odor, prolonged contact with mold may also pose risks to one’s health. Here are some ways you can remove these pesky visitors from your bathroom and keep them at bay.
Clean Your Bathroom Regularly
Keeping your bathroom clean is a must for keeping mold at bay. Try to clean your bathroom at least once a week to discourage the growth of mold. This includes the bathroom floor, as well as surfaces that commonly tend to be wet such as the shower, sink, toilet and bathtub. Wiping away excess water from surfaces after usage will also go a long way in helping to reduce the moisture levels in the bathroom and prevent mold from growing.
Check Your Drain
The bathroom drain is a favorite breeding ground for mold. Mold growing in bathroom drains is usually easily detectable from its distinctive odor. One way of getting rid of this mold involves a household item you probably already have in your pantry: vinegar. Simply pour vinegar into the bathroom drains and leave it for 20 minutes, flushing the drain with water thereafter. Bleach is also an effective cleaning agent against mold.
Sometimes, the problem of mold growth can be compounded if your bathroom drain is blocked. This is because a blocked drain means that water is not being drained properly, causing more moisture buildup and thus making it an ideal breeding ground for mold. You can solve this problem by finding products specifically formulated to dissolve substances clogging the drain. Cleaning mold from the drain may be more difficult than cleaning it from surfaces, since the drain can be hard to reach. If you are finding it difficult to clean mold from your drain, you can consider calling for professional help to do so.
Clean Bathroom Items
Most people tend to keep a lot of things in their bathroom, but these items can become potential breeding grounds for mold if not cleaned regularly. Shampoo bottles, towels, soap cases and other items can have moisture on their surfaces, which can encourage the growth of mold on them. Hence, it is important to ensure that these items are cleaned regularly and kept as free of moisture as possible.
Proper Ventilation
Bathrooms tend to be more humid compared to other areas in the house. This is because water evaporates to become moisture in the air, and since bathrooms tend to have higher water usage than the rest of the house, they tend to also have more moisture in the air. This increased humidity level in the bathroom makes it a conducive area for mold to grow. If the bathroom is not ventilated properly, then the excess moisture gets trapped on surrounding surfaces such as the walls, encouraging mold to grow. Installing a good ventilation system in the bathroom can reduce the level of moisture buildup in the air, slowing down mold growth.