Not only does bathroom mold look unsightly and give your bathroom an unpleasant musty odor, it can also make you sick. Exposure to mold in bathrooms is associated with respiratory disorders, trouble breathing, asthma attacks, allergic reactions, and other health problems.
Bathrooms provide an ideal environment for mold, since they tend to be warm and damp. There are many different types of mold commonly found in bathrooms, including the following.
Botrytis is commonly found in bathrooms with poor ventilation, and like alternaria, it can cause allergic reactions and asthma attacks.
Cladosporium is a type of mold sometimes found on carpet in bathrooms and also on wooden surfaces, like bathroom cabinets, that have gotten damp. It can cause respiratory disorders and difficulty breathing.
Stachybotrys chartarum, sometimes called black mold or toxic mold, is found in places that stay damp a lot, like poorly ventilated bathrooms. It can cause numerous respiratory problems, including pneumonia and bleeding in the lungs.
Trichoderma can sometimes be found on damp carpet and wallpaper in bathrooms. It can cause respiratory problems similar to those caused by stachybotrys chartarum. In addition, many people are allergic to trichoderma.
To prevent bathroom mold:
If you do find mold in your bathroom, take care of it as soon as possible to prevent it from getting worse or spreading to other areas of the home. Of course, cleaning it up promptly can save you and your family members from getting ill, as well.
Many bathroom cleansers are meant to kill mold and mildew. These usually work well on surfaces like tubs, sinks, toilets, and tile. You can also purchase antimicrobial products at home improvement stores that will kill all kinds of mold on many bathroom surfaces.
However, some surfaces are more difficult to clean than others. If you have mold on your bathroom carpet, you’ll probably have to rip up the carpet and replace it. Better yet, pull up the carpet and replace it with tile or linoleum that will be less likely to harbor mold in the future and that can be more easily cleaned if it does get moldy.
It can be very difficult or impossible to remove mold from drywall, too, and if there is mold on your bathroom walls, there may be mold inside the walls, as well. Often insulation and drywall must be removed and replaced.
If you have a significant amount of mold in your bathroom, you should consult with a mold remediation professional before beginning the cleanup process. You can schedule a free in-home consultation with a professional, so you have nothing to lose. Follow the link to find experienced mold remediation professionals in your area.