Real Estate Community Forum

I have mold growing on my bathroom ceiling and on the walls close to the ceiling. This mold is black in color and seems to be growing more every week. I have painted over the mold several times, but it keeps coming back. Unfortunately, I have no fan in the bathroom to reduce the humidity that occurs when someone is taking a shower. For now, I just open the bathroom window after a shower. This seemed to help for awhile, but eventually the mold came back. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to get rid of this mold problem. Is there anythig I can do to prevent more mold to spreading?

I would highly recommend contacting some local mold remediation companies in your area. They will likely perform a visual inspection and take some "spore trap" air samples. Mold can start as an annoyance and become the largest problem you will ever deal with in your home if not handled properly. I know from experience that "the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) suggests that indoor mold spore counts be 10 fold higher than those found outdoors to be of concern." A certified remediator will be able to test and suggest solutions to your problem.

When a place is damp, it gets moldy. I'm not sure if there is anything you could do to stop that. I have an extractor fan in my bathroom (in many places I've rented) and sooner or later, it will still get moldy. Same with opening windows. Is mold preventable?

Cleaning Solutions

BORAX POWDER can be used in mold-prone areas, like the bottom of the garbage can. Borax is a natural, effective anti-mold agent. Add to water (1 tbsp to 2 cups warm water) to clean moldy areas. Also add 1/2 cup to your wash load in addition to your laundry detergent.

WHITE VINEGAR can be used in shallow containers inside your cabinets to discourage musty odors. Apply to moldy areas with a sponge or sprayer. Let stand a few minutes then rinse off. Also add vinegar (1/2 cup) to your wash load.

ZEPHIRAN CONCENTRATE acts as a fungicide and germicide. Use 1 part Zephiran to 10 parts water.

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE is a highly effective mold killer. Pour into a spray bottle and thoroughly spritz the affected areas. Avoid spraying on colored fabric.

ACTIVATED CHARCOAL can be used to absorb odors.

Actions you can take:

TURN ON THE LIGHTS - Light discourages mold growth. Use night lights, even in the bathroom.

CIRCULATE THE AIR - Use small electric fans or ceiling fans to discourage mold growth.

GET RID OF DAMPNESS - Use dehumidifier in rooms, keeping drain pan meticulously clean. The ground under the house should be dry. Use fans or lights under the house to discourage mold, or have the ground under the house lined with plastic.

KEEP THINGS CLEAN - Never hang clothes in the closet after they have been worn. Mold grows on them. Keep closets, dresser drawers, bathrooms, and refrigerator as clean and dry as possible.

CLEAN REFRIGERATOR DRIP TRAY - and the rubber door gasket.

WET TOWELS AND WASHCLOTHS - Take wet items immediately to the laundry area. Hang them outside to dry if you have to postpone laundering.

PET LITTER - Change pet litter daily to reduce mold growth.

DISCARD DAMP PILES OF ODDS AND ENDS - Throw away old newspapers, magazines, old carpets, cast off furniture, dingy pillows, etc.

CARPETING - Remove heavy carpeting. Use light, washable throw rugs instead. Carpet is a lush haven for mold growth.

BATHROOM / SHOWER AREA -

* Squeegee the shower walls after showering or wipe down the walls with a towel or sponge.
* Spread out the shower curtain. Use a small fan to quickly dry the shower or tub area.
* Leave a light on in the shower to discourage mold.

WALLPAPER - It is a haven for mold, especially in the bathroom. It also contains insecticides.

OLD MATTRESSES - should be replaced as they are a source of mold. Regularly air newer mattresses to discourage musty odors.

RAINSPOUTS - Extend the down-spouting to carry the rainwater further away from the house.

HOUSEPLANTS - Do not over-water. Soil and plant may be sprayed with a solution of 3 teaspoons baking soda, mixed at the rate of 3 teaspoons per gallon of water, as an effective fungicide on flowers and shrubbery.

Free information about mold cleanup and additional resources are available from the EPA Indoor Air Information Clearinghouse online at http://www.epa.gov/iaq or by phone at 1-800-438-4318.

I recently saw a show about mold growing in a bathroom. One of the major problems was the bathroom did not have a good ceiling fan. One of the best ways to test a ceiling fan, is to hold a tissue up against it. If it's a good ceiling fan for the size of your bathroom, the tissue will be pulled towards the fan. If there is no resistance, then the fan is not good for the bathroom, hence its not doing the job that it was intended to do.

The bottom line with mold is keeping moisture out of a bathroom. This is the job of a ceiling fan with the proper amps for a particular size bathroom. If the fan is too weak, moisture will remain and mold will form.

I would awful acclaim contacting some bounded cast remediation companies in your area. They will acceptable accomplish a beheld analysis and yield some "spore trap" air samples. Cast can alpha as an acrimony and become the better botheration you will anytime accord with in your home if not handled properly. I apperceive from acquaintance that "the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) suggests that calm cast corpuscle counts be 10 bend college than those begin outdoors to be of concern." A certified remediator will be able to analysis and advance solutions to your problem
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Fanimation fans

You have to get a speciallty cleaner which costs big Buck$ or just keep using the bleach.

I have an exhaust fan in my bathroom not just to remove the bad odor away but of course to prevent moist so that molds will also be prevented in spreading or growing. Hence, the mold can not grow in a dry place. There are three tricks for killing mold: tea tree oil (an essential oil found in most health food stores), grapefruit seed extract and vinegar. Of all of these, vinegar is the cheapest remedy.

See, there are so many remedies and so many ways in which you can get rid of molds but the best way as I think is to get cautious about any moisture coming inside your house. First of all, know the reason why and from where this moisture is coming then only you will be able to remove molds.
So points to keep in mind:
1. Don't let moisture come inside.
2. Give it a ventilation to make it dry.
3. Don't let it live for too long, it may cause serious health problems.

First, you need to think about why you are getting this mold. If you have no other means for ventilation, you can get a dehumidifier which will pull the moisture out. If it is growing that fast and is a fairly new development, I would be concerned about some sort of larger issue. I could be wrong though. Start running the dehumidifier, and dilute 1 part bleach into 3 parts water. Take a soft sponge, dip it into the mix and wipe away the mold. Painting over mold doesn't get rid of it. However, after a few weeks of it not coming back. Paint over it with a good primer before putting on your finish coat. This primer acts as a sealer from the previous growth, but paint will not do this. Good luck!

We use vinegar. It's good stuff. You'll want to spray vinegar in all the places where mold grows most easily.

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