What Causes Mold in the Bathroom? Signs and Causes
The last thing you want to find in your bathroom is mold, but unfortunately, mold loves bathrooms. Bathrooms provide the perfect environment for mold to grow in. They’re wet and humid and often have poor ventilation. Bathrooms are built in a way that makes it hard for fresh air to come in to dry out all the cracks and crevices where water and soap can build up. Because bathrooms are naturally damp and dark at times, mold can grow on walls, floors, rugs, wallpaper, grout, and in baths, showers, toilets, and sinks. No place in your bathroom is safe.
If left unchecked, mold can produce dangerous allergens and toxic fumes that can harm your health. Long-term mold exposure can prove to be a serious risk to your well-being. That’s why it’s very important to educate yourself about how to prevent mold from day to day and when to enlist the help of a professional to eliminate mold.
You can trust us when it comes to mold. In this post, we’ll draw from our experience and expertise to teach you the top signs and causes of mold and what you should do when it appears.
So What Exactly Causes Bathroom Mold?
The causes of mold in the bathroom are quite straightforward, but it’s also important to note that these causes often feed off one another. A moldy bathroom is usually caused by several contributing factors. This is important to understand when tackling a mold infestation so you get to the root of the problem. Bathroom mold can be caused by a variety of factors including:
- Lingering moisture caused by lack of ventilation
- Leaky toilets, sinks, and plumbing pipes
- Damp rugs, wood, wallpaper, grout, or drywall
- Wet clothes or towels left in the bathroom
- Flooding
- Condensation
- Humidity
Signs of Mold in the Bathroom
Bathroom mold can be hard to miss. You may see it growing on your shower grout or in your toilet and immediately tackle it with home cleaning supplies. However, if you notice mold recurring in these spaces, it may be a sign of a bigger, unseen issue. Here are some warning signs of a serious mold problem in your bathroom:
- Green, black, brown, or orange spots on surfaces in your bathroom
- Wall discoloration
- Crumbling plaster or drywall
- Peeling wallpaper
- Musty smell – if you can smell mold, but can’t see it, it’s time to check out the hidden areas of your bathroom like under the sink, behind the toilet, in the exhaust fans, and any small and inaccessible areas
- Increased allergies and asthma symptoms
When to Call a Mold Professional?
If mold is present in your bathroom, it can easily spread to the rest of your home. Oftentimes the bathroom is just the starting point for a mold outbreak. While DIY tactics can be effective for containing a minor mold issue, sometimes it’s best to call a professional. Here are some signs your mold problem may warrant the help of a professional:
- The moldy area is larger than ten square feet
- There’s a persistent musty smell that doesn’t go away, even after thorough cleaning
- Your bathroom has recently experienced a leak, flood, or backed-up sewer
- The mold keeps coming back even after several rounds of aggressive cleaning
Related Article: Mold Exposure: Symptom and Health Side Effects
Call Power Dry for Mold Remediation
If you are experiencing the signs of a mold outbreak listed above, it’s time to hire a professional. Leaving a mold problem unresolved poses a severe threat to the health of you, your home, and anyone who lives there.
At Power Dry, mold is our specialty, so you can trust us to eradicate mold from your home. Our certified professionals will remove all visible signs of mold and any hidden growth. Then we will remediate your property so the mold is gone for good.
Call us at any time to schedule a free on-site inspection. Our mold team is available Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm to provide mold remediation when you need it most.
