Mold in bathroom
Tools: spray bottle, stiff brush, microfibre cloths, rubber gloves and a mask · Materials: white vinegar or a 1:10 bleach solution (never both), mould-resistant silicone, mould-inhibiting bathroom paint
Steps
- Open the window or run the extractor fan and wear gloves and a mask; keep the door closed to the rest of the house.
- Spray the affected grout, silicone and ceiling with vinegar (or bleach solution), leave it for an hour, then scrub and rinse.
- Dry the surfaces completely; mould only grows where surfaces stay wet.
- If black spots are inside the silicone bead, cut it out and re-seal with mould-resistant silicone after the joint has dried for a day.
- Fix the cause: run the fan for 20 minutes after every shower, squeegee the tiles, and repaint ceilings with a mould-inhibiting paint.
Stop and call a pro if
- the patch is larger than about a square metre, or it comes back within weeks despite ventilation
- the mould is on the back of drywall or behind tiles that sound hollow
- someone in the household has asthma or a weakened immune system
- there is no extractor fan and no window — a ventilation installation, not a cleaning job
What a pro does that you can't
A cleaning service deep-cleans and re-seals; a handyman or electrician fits an extractor fan; a remediation contractor removes mould that has got into the wall or ceiling itself.
DIY cost: $10–40 for cleaner, silicone or paint