Shower Mold Removal

Bathrooms are a perfect environment for all types of mold to bloom.  They are usually warm, humid, and have plenty of common cellulose materials.  It makes the bathroom unattractive, smells, and could be a health hazard.  This is a place where you are bathing yourself, yet the surroundings are unsanitary.  While showering, you may see spots of mold spread onto the walls, curtains, and even the ceiling.  Shower mold removal is a routine that needs to be done quite frequently.  I know it’s a real pain, but a necessity that can’t be stressed enough.  This will minimize spores in the air to latch onto surfaces and get out of hand. Another thing to think about is “Kitchens and Bathrooms” are the biggest selling points in real estate.  After pouring tons of money into these projects, It doesn’t make sense to have mold damage eat into your investment.  This article will be an outline on how to keep mold under control.

If this Mold is identified as Toxic Black Mold

Recognizing Toxic Black Mold can be very tricky.  Most mold that appear to be dark may not be the dangerous species that is a huge health hazard.  The material in question that has dark mold appearing most likely would need to be saturated with water most of the time to be toxic.  This would be caused by a leak of some sort.  Simply moist conditions in the room doesn’t warrant the toxic black mold (Stachybortrys chartarum) to be present.  If in fact the tests are positive, then professional remediation is a must.  Normally identification by your senses consists of it’s distinctively unpleasant and musty smell and slimy, green, gray or black appearance.  You can read about my article on “Toxic Black Mold Symptoms” if you do indeed have this tested positive.

Shower Mold Removal

How do you get rid of mold in the shower?  Be prepared, this is no easy task.  There are several methods to effectively eradicate it.  Follow the steps below to fight the present mold problem.  This should keep the nuisance at bay.

• Identify where the mold is proliferating.  Most of the time, It’s visible along the caulking, tiles or other surfaces such as marble, exposed sheetrock walls and ceilings.  If applicable, the shower curtains could contain it too.  The color could be black, green, pink, red, or even white.

• Clean the areas by spraying some hot water onto the surface.  Follow with a strong detergent, let it soak for 5-10 minutes, and scrub with a brush.  Elbow grease maybe required by this task.  If this does remove the substance, whether it be soap scum or mold, then rinse with warm water.  Dry completely with either a clean cloth or paper towel.

• If the mold wasn’t removed from the last step, then a more heavy-duty cleaner will be needed.  One part Bleach and one part water can be mixed to tackle the job.  As mentioned above, let the solution soak for 5-10 minutes, then scrub the area.  There are also a couple of recommended cleaners that can effectively neutralize the bad cases.  They can be found on the equipment and cleaners page at this website.

Foot Fungus

Foot Fungus (Onychomycosis) or Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection of the toenails or fingernails.  One of the causes is from dirty shower floors amongst other things.  This ailment causes fingernails or toenails to thicken, discolor, disfigure, and split.  Without treatment, Onychomycosis may interfere with standing, walking, and exercising.  I’m including this topic in the article because most communal showers require the use of shower shoes because of the risk.  I’m not saying that you should wear shower shoes at home, but someone in your family may have this ailment and cause it to spread.  If this is the case, then cleaning the surface daily should be required.

Prevention

Congratulations, you finally removed the fungus!  You will need to prevent this occurrence from happening again.  There are some ways that can help:

• Ventilation by either keeping the bathroom door open, if a window is present leaving at least a crack in it, or running a fan or dehumidifier in the vicinity (keep in mind electrical shock hazards).
• Wiping down the shower stall after every use will not only help with the mold from developing, but also soap scum too.  This includes removing standing water on the floor and if you have a rubber anti-slip mat, hanging on maybe a towel rack.
• Routinely (every week or so), sanitize the shower area with cleaner.
• If you have a shower curtain and bathroom rugs, then clean them on a regular basis.  They also can contain mold and certain colors of the material can hide it.

Conclusion

There are many dangers of having fungus growing in the shower area.  This affects the most vulnerable people such as young children and the elderly.  Also, individuals that have allergic reactions to the exposure of certain toxins can be life threatening.  Exposure to this environment on a daily basis can lead to prolong issues.  It is important to keep the area clean for a safe, and healthy environment.  Please comment if you have anything to add or have any questions.