There is nothing good about having mold in your bathroom. It is usually a sign of neglect and if not taken care of, it could lead to less desired outcomes – health complications and possible structural damage. Luckily, if caught early, you can easily remove mold and prevent it from spreading using readily available solutions at home. This article explores how to remove mold from your bathroom ceiling.
People with weak immune systems are advised to stay away from bathrooms with mold as it could lead to serious health complications. Besides the possible structural damage (in extreme cases) mold can cause to your building, here are ailments that can result from excessive exposure to mold:
Breathing issues – people with breathing complications such as asthma can find it hard to breathe inside a mold-ridden bathroom
Skin irritations
Stuffy noses
Pulmonary hemorrhage
Allergic reactions
Molds come in different colors and shapes. Here are the common ones:
Aspergillus
According to cdc.com, most people breathe in the Aspergillus spores without getting sick. However, people with a weak immune system can suffer from Aspergillosis, an infection that results in several breathing complications including allergic reactions and lung infections. The symptoms include wheezing, coughing, and fever.
Chaetomium
The Chaetomium fungus loves dark walls. It thrives in wet soils, plant matter, and poorly ventilated walls. Chaetomium spores can cause serious health issues including severe breathing issues in people with a weak immune system and fatal allergic reactions.
Acremonium
Acremonium causes numerous skin irritations and inflammations. This mold will appear in shades of pink, grey, white, or orange.
Why mold loves the Bathroom
Mold thrives in the bathroom because the combination of moisture and heat creates the perfect environment for these spores to grow. They love the humidity inside the bathroom.
How to prevent mold from growing in your bathroom
You can prevent mold from accumulating in your bathroom or other damp areas of your house in several ways:
Keep the bathroom dry
After taking a shower wipe all the bathroom surfaces with a dry piece of clothing to get rid of the moisture.
Open the windows to allow clean and fresh air to circulate inside the bathroom
Place an exhaust fan inside the bathroom to get rid of excess moisture
When cleaning pay special attention to hard-to-reach areas, crevices, and corners where mold spores can grow easily.
Apply mold-resistant paint
Repair any leaking faucets or water sources inside the bathroom. The goal is to keep the bathroom as dry as possible when not in use. This includes ensuring that the water accumulating at the bottom during a shower drains well.
Mold-resistant paint prevents mold and mildew from building up on your walls. This is normal paint but with certain additives designed to break down mold spores and render them ineffective. Such paints contain mildewcide – a compound that prevents these spores from growing. Using such paint will help reduce the effect these mold spores will have on your bathroom walls. However, using mold-resistant paint is only a temporary solution if the bathroom is always humid.
Mold removal options
There are many options you can use to remove mold from your bathroom. Luckily, many of these options are organic and the products are easily available. Before we go into the step-by-step of removing mold from your bathroom, here are mold removal options you could try at home:
Vinegar
White vinegar is excellent in handling mold spores. Add undiluted white vinegar into a spray bottle and spray on the surface where the mold occurs. Let everything soak in for about 15 minutes before lightly scrubbing the mold off. Be careful while doing this as the goal is to get rid of the mold, not the paint. Allow everything to dry off.
Lemon juice
Squeeze lemon juice into a spray bottle and onto the affected area. Lemons are natural cleaners with a wide range of applications around the house. Once you have sprayed let everything soak for several minutes before scrubbing and wiping the surface with clothing.
Hydrogen peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is also an important cleaning agent around the house. Put diluted hydrogen peroxide inside a spray bottle and work your magic over the affected surface. Let everything soak for 15 minutes before scrubbing the mold off lightly.
Baking soda
Baking soda and vinegar have a million uses in the bathroom and kitchen. Put 1-2 teaspoonful of baking soda inside a bottle with warm water. Mix well. Spray the mixture onto the affected surface. Let everything soak for several minutes before scrubbing off lightly.
How to remove mold from ceilings using hydrogen peroxide – step by step
Always start with protective gear
Since you will be spraying the ceilings ensure your eyes are well protected. The solution can be irritating if it gets into your eyes
Have the right mix according to the manufacturer’s instructions
Mix hydrogen peroxide solution with water parts as directed by the manufacturer. The standard ratio is 1:3 hydrogen peroxide to water parts
Put this solution into a clean spray bottle and shake well to ensure everything mixes as needed
Spray in the affected areas
Leave everything to soak for some time (about 15-20 minutes)
Scrub the mold off lightly using a piece of clothing or a soft brush. Take care not to damage the paint underneath.
How to prevent mold from re-occurring
Once you have gotten rid of mold from your bathroom, here’s how to prevent it from re-occurring;
Ventilation
Add proper ventilation inside the bathroom. Bathrooms with poor ventilation do not dry out well. Add windows to bring in natural light and help to prevent humidity build-up.
Add exhaust fans
Exhaust fans can work well where it is impossible to enhance the ventilation. They will get rid of the moisture and keep the bathroom dry.
Paint your walls with mold-resistant paint
If you can’t get rid of humidity in the bathroom paint the walls using mold-resistant paint to discourage the growth of mold spores.
Use ceiling cladding
Ceiling cladding panels are waterproof. This means that they prevent the surface from becoming mold and effectively control mold formation. Ceiling cladding may be expensive at first but it is maintenance-free after installation and rarely tampers with your decor.
With cleaning trends and DIYs becoming more popular online every day, I feel like I am in my element. Hi, my name is Adrienne Carrie Hubbard and I have been finding creative hacks and tricks for cleaning for over 15 years now.
I enjoy looking for tips on how to clean the overall home, with a special interest in the bathroom. It’s the most difficult room to clean, after all! Yet the most important.
I run a Facebook group called Cottagecore DIY and Decor with over 18,000 members called Cottagecore DIY and Decor. We were even nominated for a Facebook Community Award in 2021!
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