Mold survives in warm, moist areas. The bathroom shower is a perfect place for it to grow quickly.

Mold is a common household problem, and it doesn’t matter if your home is brand new or 100 years old. Molds are living organisms that absorb their nutrients from organic food sources in the environment. They thrive in moist areas and only need a small crack or crevice to grow and spread, which is why a minor mold problem in your shower can easily turn into a major one if it’s not addressed quickly. We recommend checking your caulk frequently and treating mold at the first signs of growth.

Caulk is the material used to seal cracks between tiles in a bathtub or shower. After exposure to harmful mold, the original color of your caulk may begin to darken or turn black. Aside from unsightliness, mold growth can also be a very serious health problem, particularly for individuals with respiratory illnesses and allergies.

In this easy-to-follow guide, we’ll discuss what exactly mold is, why it’s problematic, and what you can do if you ever come across mold in your shower.

What is Mold?

Molds are microscopic organisms that are found almost everywhere—on plant and animal material, in soil and water, even in the air. Molds are critical to the environment because they facilitate the breakdown of dead plant and animal matter including leaf litter, feces, and animal carcasses. Mold spores are lightweight and easily carried by air currents, which allows them to spread quickly, especially in indoor environments. When mold is present in large numbers, it may cause allergic reactions similar to pollen from plants.

Dangers Caused by Mold

Mold growth in the home is a very serious issue that should be dealt with as quickly as possible. Exposure to mold can cause any combination of the following allergy symptoms:

• Runny nose
• Watery eyes
• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Difficulty breathing
• Itchy throat
• Headache
• Fatigue

Symptoms may progress in severity over time as the body becomes more sensitized to mold exposure, potentially causing worse complications. In addition to its adverse health effects, mold can also eat away at the building materials in a home and eventually cause structural damage,

How to Remove Mold from the Caulk in Your Shower

Removing mold from the caulk in your shower is crucial for keeping it safe and sanitary. In the event you notice mold beginning to grow in your shower caulk and want to take care of it yourself, there is a simple process that you should follow.

First off, make sure you have the following items on hand, as you’ll need them for the mold removal process:

• Hand vacuum or broom
• Soft-bristled cleaning brush
• Scrubbing sponge
• Spray bottle
• Wet cloth or rag
• Bleach
• Vinegar

Once you’ve gathered all the necessary materials, use the following six steps to remove mold from your caulk.

1. Ventilate the area and put on personal protective equipment

Mold removal is a messy job, so it’s important to make sure you’re protected before you begin. Always start by opening a nearby window or door to allow air to circulate throughout the process. We also recommend wearing a face mask, gloves, and goggles to protect yourself from inhaling mold as you perform the remediation.

2. Use a soft-bristled brush or toothbrush to remove debris from the tile

Dirt, dust, and other debris can spread around while you clean and obstruct your mold removal efforts. Before you attempt to remove the mold from your caulk, make sure the area is cleared of any surface-level debris. You can do this with a soft-bristled cleaning brush, or with a toothbrush if you don’t have one.

3.Create bleach solution

Mix one part bleach with ten parts water to create your mold cleaning solution. Prepare enough to generously cover the area of mold you are treating.

4. Apply bleach

Once your bleach solution is made, apply it over the surface of the caulk, paying extra attention to lighter-colored areas. Set the bleach in place by layering toilet paper on top, or cotton balls if you’re covering a larger area. This prevents the bleach from evaporating prematurely. Make sure to keep nearby windows open to allow for proper ventilation as the bleach sets.

5. Scrub the area

Next, take your soft-bristled cleaning brush and scrub the affected area to manually dislodge and remove any remaining mold on the surface of your caulk.

6. Finish the job with vinegar

Bleach does a great job of getting rid of visible mold, but it doesn’t eliminate it completely quite as effectively as vinegar. When you’re finished bleaching and scrubbing the area, we recommend following up with a vinegar treatment to eradicate mold beneath the surface of your caulk and tile. All you’ll need to do is fill a spray bottle with vinegar, coat the affected area until it’s completely covered, then let it sit for 2-4 hours. After that, rinse it off and enjoy your new mold-free caulk!

Mold is a common problem found in areas with high moisture and humidity, and thus, it often pops us in showers. Mold growth can create serious health risks and lead to costly property damage if left untreated. When at-home methods aren’t sufficient, a mold remediation professional can step in and correct the problem once and for all with advanced equipment and cleaning techniques.

If you suspect mold growth on the caulk in your shower, call a local mold removal company quickly to begin restoring the damage. An IICRC-certified team is the most qualified to thoroughly inspect your property for mold and develop a detailed, comprehensive plan to remove it.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.