Clean and Remove Bathroom Mold & Mildew

What is Mold & Mildew?

Mold and mildew are fungi that grow in moist and warm environments.

Mold and mildew can be identified by their color; either shades of pink, brown or black, that cover the surface of the item they are growing on.

A large amount of mold or mildew will leave an area with a musty or sour odor.

If you have a problem with high humidity and a warm environment, mold or mildew will take root on fabric, wood, sheetrock, paper, and most bathroom surfaces.

Everyone has a problem with mold and mildew at one time or another. Don’t worry though- I have all the tips and tricks and know just how to clean it up fast.

Are you ready then? Let’s get busy cleaning!

Causes of Bathroom Mold & Mildew

This is probably not a shock to you, but mold and mildew love to hang out in the bathroom. The small area, poor air circulation, high humidity and low lighting levels make this an ideal environment.

You’ll see most colors of the rainbow in mold and mildew in the bathroom if you let it get out of control.

The most common causes of mold & mildew include:

• Low circulation of air
• Poor lighting or low lighting
• Warm environments
• High humidity
• Damp areas

How to Get Bathroom Mold & Mildew under Control

Reduce Humidity

First of all, the steam and running water that naturally occurs in the bathroom makes an ideal breeding ground for mold and mildew. Reducing the humidity will go a long way in stopping mold and mildew from growing.

The easiest way to accomplish this is to turn on the bathroom fan. Bathroom fans pull moisture and steam from the air. You can also open the bathroom window just a bit to help the air circulation.

Air conditioning, or turning on the heat (season appropriate) will have the same effect.

Turn on the Lights

Mold and mildew growth is inhibited in well-lit areas. Keep the lights on in the bathroom to keep the mold and mildew growth down to a minimum.

How to Remove Bathroom Mold & Mildew

Cleaning the Bathtub/Shower

Mold and Mildew thrives in the shower and the bath not only due to the damp conditions, but because of the grime that builds up on the surfaces with each use.

Body oil and soap scum nourishes the growth, so you should regularly scrub the shower and tub with your favorite cleaner and wipe it dry.

Regular chlorine bleach mixed with water in a 50/50 solution and sprayed on the surfaces, will remove the mold and mildew immediately, but only consistent cleanliness and keeping the moisture levels down will stop mold and mildew from coming back.

How to Get Rid of the Musty Odor

• Scrub the tub and shower with baking soda or your favorite cleaning abrasive.
• Use a disinfectant or bleach to kill remaining germs
• Spray the tub and shower with plain undiluted vinegar each week and let it dry. (no need to rinse). This not only deodorizes, but stops future growth

How to Stop Mold & Mildew from Coming Back

Use your Fan or Open the Window

Reduce the humidity to reduce mold and mildew growth.

Clean with Bleach

Clean the showers and tub regularly and use bleach to kill the mold spores.

Clean with Vinegar

Vinegar does a great job with deodorizing and killing mold and mildew.

It’s mild acidic nature makes the environment inhospitable to future growth and it also removes any musty odor.