Bathrooms are an ideal place for mold to grow, as the humidity creates the perfect conditions for it to form. Mold can be tough to get rid of and it can cause illness for you and your loved ones if you are exposed to it for a long time. This is why it is important to remove any mold right away and ensure it does not come back.

If you’ve encountered mold in your bathroom, it is crucially important to address it right away. Reacting as soon as you see signs of mold will help prevent it from developing further. Aside from eliminating the mold, you also need to figure out the source of the moisture that caused the mold and stop it as well so that the mold does not return. Usually, you can remove mold from a small surface using bleach, borax, vinegar, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, detergent, baking soda, tea tree oil, or grapefruit extract. However, if the area affected by mold is larger than 10 square feet, you should call a professional to remediate the mold.

How to Remove Black Mold from Bathroom

Here are the specifics of what you need to do to remove mold using different methods. This will ensure that it is fully removed from the surface.

• Bleach

Bleach is a great way to remove indoor mold spores, sanitize the area, and prevent future mold growth. It is best used on nonporous surfaces like tiles, bathtubs, glass, and countertops. Bleach should not be used on porous surfaces like wood or drywall as it cannot remove mold from these materials. Another thing to keep in mind is that bleach is a corrosive chemical that can damage materials that it is used on. It also releases harmful fumes and toxic gases. To remove mold using bleach, you will need to mix 1 cup of bleach per gallon of water and apply the solution to non-porous materials and surfaces with mold growth. This will allow you to remove all mold growth.

• Borax

Using Borax is a more natural way to remove mold from your bathroom. To use it effectively, you will need to combine one cup of Borax per one gallon of water. During the cleaning process, make sure to vacuum loose mold with a HEPA filtered vacuum cleaner. Then, use a scrub brush and the borax solution to scrub the mold off the surface. Make sure to wipe away any leftover moisture and mold particles so they do not end up in the air. There is no need to rinse off the borax solution, just leave it to dry.

• Vinegar

Using vinegar is another natural and safe way to kill mold. Vinegar also does not give off dangerous fumes like bleach does. All you will need to do is to spray it on the surface and leave it. Repeat every few days and you will keep the surface mold free. There is no need to water down the vinegar. After you’ve sprayed the vinegar, you should leave it to dry.

• Ammonia

Ammonia kills mold on hard non-porous surfaces including countertops, glass, or tiles. However, it is not effective for killing mold on porous surfaces like wood or drywall. Keep in mind that ammonia is a harsh, toxic chemical. As it does kill surface mold, you should still make sure to remove any leftover dead mold and mold spores. It is best to create a solution of 50% clear ammonia and 50% water in a spray bottle, spray the solution on any moldy areas and leave the area alone for a few hours before you wipe or rinse it.

• Hydrogen peroxide

This is a great way to kill mold as this method does not damage the environment and it does not remove toxic residue or produce toxic fumes. It is effective at killing mold on floors, bathroom fixtures, walls, and even kitchen appliances. You can just take 3% hydrogen peroxide and put it in a spray bottle. Then spray any moldy surfaces and let it sit for 10 minutes. Next, scrub the area so that all mold gets removed and wipe the area down so that all residual mold and spores get removed.

• Detergent and water

This is a great way to remove mold from non-porous surfaces.

• Baking soda

This is a safe cleaner for killing mold. You can also use baking soda and vinegar together as they kill different species of mold. Just add one quarter of a tablespoon of baking soda into a spray bottle of water, shake it so that it dissolves the baking soda, spray the moldy area, use a sponge or brush to remove all mold from the surface, and then rinse with water. Finally, spray the area again and let it air dry.

• Tea Tree Oil

This is a great natural option for killing mold. Tea tree oil is antifungal and can kill all types of mold. You should, however, make sure that the tea tree oil that you purchase is made of Melaleuca Alternifolia so that it works. Just add tea tree oil and water to a spray bottle. The ratio should be 1 teaspoon of tea tree oil for each cup of water. Next, spray the solution onto the moldy surface. Make sure not to rinse the solution.

• Grapefruit Seed Extract

Another way to kill mold effectively is grapefruit seed oil. You can purchase it from many health food stores. The citric acid in it helps attack the mold and also disinfects and deodorizes. Make sure to mix a ratio of 10 drops of grapefruit seed extract per cup of water. Then, shake the spray bottle and spray it on the surface where you see mold growing. Next, rinse the solution. The longer the grapefruit extract is in contact with mold the more it will cut through it and prevent it from returning. Repeat the process as needed.

Preventing Mold in Your Bathroom

It is always best to try and keep mold away from your bathroom. There are some preventative measures you can take so that you do not end up with mold. Here are a few:

• Keep the bathroom clean and dry. This includes the shower, tub, toilet, sink and tile. You should also always use a mildew-resistant cleaner on your tile and grout.
• If you have leaks in your bathroom, make sure to fix them. Whether it is leaky shower, toilet, or sink, it can cause mold to grow.
• Increase ventilation in your bathroom to help ensure mold does not grow. Your bathroom should always be well-ventilated. You can improve the ventilation by running an exhaust fan during and after showers or opening a window if you have one.
• Use mold-resistant products to prevent mold. If you are able, when remodeling a bathroom, choose materials that are mold resistant, including tile, grout, paint, and caulk.
• Clean up any spills right away. If you spill something on the floor, make sure to wipe it off right away.
• Any areas that get wet in the bathroom should be dried immediately. This means that after a shower, bathing, or washing the floor, you should dry these areas right away. You can use a mop or a towel to do so.
• Keep proper humidity levels in your home. Your bathroom should be at a humidity level of 30-50% so you can prevent mold.

If you’ve encountered bathroom mold, call a mold remediation professional to help. These professionals specialize in mold removal with the proper tools and equipment to remove mold from your home or business and ensure it does not return. Mold removal technicians will find the source of mold, remove it, and restore your property back to its original state. Most cases of mold removal should be left to the professionals.

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.