Why Mold Grows in Your Bathroom & How to Prevent It

9/9/2020 (Permalink)

There are easy steps to take to prevent mold from growing in your bathroom!

Whether you're a homeowner or a renter, you never like to see mold. Here, we will help explain why it's growing and how you can prevent mold in your bathroom!

Why Does Mold Grow in My Bathroom?

Mold growth doesn't have much to do with how 'clean' your home is - even though finding it may make you feel that way. Mold spores are everywhere all the time. These microscopic spores float through the air and can enter your home through open windows, doors, HVAC system, or even on your clothes.

When exposed to moisture, these spores will quickly grow into an infestation and produce the mold colony you see on walls or in the shower. Since mold loves moisture, the bathroom is the perfect place for it to grow. The constant moisture and humidity is just what mold needs to thrive in your home. If your bathroom has high humidity or some sort of water leak, it's likely mold will grow.

How to Prevent Bathroom Mold

1 Invest in a good exhaust fan.

If every time you take a hot shower your bathroom is full of steam, you likely need to invest in a better ventilation fan or get one if you don't already have one. Proper ventilation will allow excessive moisture to be sucked out of the room and sent outside. An effective fan is the #1 defense against bathroom mold.

When you shower or bathe, be sure to turn the fan on beforehand and keep it running for about a half hour after to ensure all excess moisture is sucked out. You should also check out the CFM (cubic feet per minute) of your fan to see if its powerful enough for your bathroom. To find the fan with the right CFM, multiply the square footage of the room by 1.1 for 8 foot ceilings and by 1.5 for 9 foot ceilings (Spruce).

2 Be sure there are no leaks in the bathroom.

If there is a broken seal on your tub, grout, or even a leaky pipe behind the wall or under the sink - You're likely to have mold growth. Leaks allow moisture to build up and create an environment mold would love to grow in. Fix any leaks promptly.

3 Use your squeegee.

If you squeegee glass shower doors or tiled walls, they're much less likely to grow surface mold. When no moisture is present, there's not much for mold to grow on.

4 Always close your shower curtain.

Many have to replace or clean their shower curtains every so often because mold begins to grow all over them. This mold growth is usually due to people leaving their shower curtains open, wet, and bunched up after a shower. When you leave the curtain like this, it's hard for water to drop down into the tub and the curtain to dry off. Over time this constant moisture on the curtain will breed a mold and mildew infestation.

5 Remember to let shower items dry.

If you leave a wet washcloth on the ledge of a shower for a few days, you may find fuzzy mold growing on it. Similar things happen when loofahs or sponges are left on shower valves or handles and may even grow on the surfaces of tub spouts. Constantly wet shampoo bottles may also harbor mold growth underneath them.

To prevent this type of surface mold in the bathroom, it's best to remove items from the shower when they're not in use or place them on a rack that allows them to properly dry.

The key to preventing mold growth in your bathroom comes down to controlling the level of moisture and humidity in the room and acting quickly when you find signs of mold.

Mold Problems? Call SERVPRO for Mold Remediation - 203-707-1952

SERVPRO of Westport/Fairfield is a 24/7 damage restoration company specializing in fire, water, mold removal and COVID-19 services. Whatever you damage, we're to make it "Like it never even happened."