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Mold spores travel through the air around us every day. Once these spores settle, they can reproduce in 24-48 hours. All they need is moisture and oxygen. Bathrooms and showers provide the perfect breeding ground for mold to grow. Unlike mildew, which forms on surfaces, mold is a fungus that can penetrate porous materials. If you see black or green gunk in the corners of your tiles and caulking or dark spots along walls, you probably have mold.

Showers are notorious for their gunk and funk. Sure, there are some super sparkly perfect showers in this world but they are few and far between. Life happens and cleaning the shower ends up fairly low on most people’s list. Mold on showers is one thing you can\’t avoid; you can always remove and clean it whenever you see it. Since there is a constant flow of water in the shower, also expect molds in the shower.

What causes mold in the shower?

It’s very common for mold to be found in the shower. There is lots of water and humidity in the bathroom which mold just adores. Frequently running water in the shower creates wet surfaces and puddles of water. If you don’t dry this moisture out quickly it can easily lead to mold growth. On top of this, when the water in the bathroom does dry out it evaporates into the air and increases the humidity. Steam from the shower or a hot bath also makes the bathroom more humid.

Since bathrooms are often not well ventilated the humidity tends to hang around and wet surfaces take a long time to dry out. Enter mold. Another reason mold grows in the shower is because grime from body oils and soap scum which is washed off and onto the shower or tub create a food source for mold to feed on. Basically, if mold were to have a choice vacation destination it would be the shower.

Is shower mold toxic?

Due to the way bathrooms and showers are constructed today, the black mold you see in your shower is less likely to be a really hazardous type of mold. This is because your shower areas and surfaces don’t have cellulose (found in things like wood, fiberboard, lint, paper, and dust) which is required for most of the really hazardous types of mold to grow.

That is not to say that one of the more toxic molds can’t ever grow in your shower. They can. If you have a bigger issue in your bathroom or home and THOSE spores have infiltrated your shower then your shower can become a breeding ground for some really bad mold.

Where to find mold in your shower?

• Mold can grow in the grout. That is one of its favorite places.
• It can grow inside the window frame if your window is in the shower.
• It can grow around the drain and on the drain plug.
• Mold can grow on the shower caulking.
• It can grow in the door tracks if you have doors.

Mold can also grow behind shower tiles and on the wall but this is due to a leak behind the shower and not from water in the shower typically. The exception is if your grout is old and cracking. Then water can seep behind the shower tiles allowing mold to grow.

What are the ways to prevent shower mold?

1. Practice good ventilation. Open the bathroom window when showering. Turn on the exhaust fan when showering and leave it on for 30 minutes afterward. Keep the bathroom door open when showering if possible.
2. Shower drains contain biofilm and cellulose materials such as soap scum, body hairs, and oils, and lots of moisture so they can be a breeding ground for black mold. It is important to keep drains open and clear of cellulose materials. Remove any hair after showering and pour a little vinegar down the drain weekly to keep the drain clean and prevent mold spores from developing.
3. After showering wipe down the entire shower including your entire shampoo and soap bottle.
4. Once a week spray the shower with EC3 Mold Solution Spray to kill any new mold spores that may be trying to root.
5. Clean your shower from top to bottom every 14 days at a minimum. Weekly is better but no one has time for that! So shoot for every two weeks.
6. If possible, do not use one of those suction cup non-slip mats in the shower. Those are mold magnets.

How to remove black mold from a shower?

No matter how often you clean your shower, it is likely that at some point (especially during the colder months) you have noticed some mold growing. And once it starts growing, it doesn’t take long before it seems to be in every crack and crevice. If you find yourself in this situation, then there is no need to stress.

There are some relatively easy ways to remove black mold from your shower area.

You will need the following things below:

• Bleach
• Protective gloves
• A respirator mask
• Spray bottle
• A course brush

Instructions

1. Mix a solution of 1 part bleach to 2 parts water (it doesn’t have to be exactly measured).
2. Spray the mold-affected areas and let them sit for 5-10 minutes.
3. The mold may have started to fade away. Take a course brush and clean out the plughole as much as you can.
4. You may need to use a smaller brush such as an old toothbrush to get into all the small spots.
5. Rinse off the dirty water/bleach and there you have it nice and clean.

How to remove mold from shower grout?

1. Grab your bleach solution we mixed up earlier in the spray bottle (1 part bleach to 2 parts water).
2. Spray the bleach solution onto the mold-affected grout. If you have the time, then spray all the grout in the shower.
3. Take your nylon brush and scrub the mold from the shower grout.
4. Rinse off with clean water. Shower grout is particularly susceptible to mold due to the fact that it is porous and holds water for longer. For this reason, you will often see mold growth in grout before anywhere else.

How to remove these black molds from the shower caulk?

Mold on shower caulk can be a little more difficult to remove sometimes, so the procedure is slightly different.

1. Put some baking soda in your bowl and slowly add small amounts of bleach until you have a paste-like substance (make more than you need, you don’t want to run out and this is cheap stuff).
2. Grab the paintbrush and use it to apply the paste to the mold.
3. Use the plastic wrap to cover the paste on the mold – this may be a bit difficult depending on the location.
4. Leave it to sit for at least 1 – 2 hours
5. Remove the plastic covering and clean off the paste (which may have dried out). If your mold is gone then you are done. If the mold is still there then start again.