Mold growing in bathroom

Kimia

Hi everyone. We have a lovely 2 bed apartment with 2 bathrooms, but one of the bathrooms has black spots of mold growing on the wall. I don't use this bathroom usually so I didn't notice until now.

This particular bathroom does get very warm and steamy from the shower so could this be because of a problem with a vent? Obviously there wouldn't be windows in the bathroom.

Also, is the landlord responsible for sorting this out?

convert

This seems to be quite a common problem with bathrooms which don't have windows as the air circulation can't be increased after a shower like you would if you could open a window (unless there's a really good fan/vent).

Is there a heater in the bathroom? If so, you could turn it on for a few minutes before you shower and leave it running during your shower so it would help reduce the condensation, but obviously it isn't a long term solution (and could prove quite costly to run).

You could mention it to the landlord, but I'm not sure what he'd be able to do without replacing/installing a vent/fan, which could take a while, not to mention causing disturbance to you, depending on how long it takes.

In the meantime, you could use a mould spray to get rid of the mould and try leaving the fan/vent on in the bathroom for a while after you shower to try and get rid of the steam which is probably causing the mould.

LevelSpirit

Bleach it off, then leave the extractor on for a good while after you use the shower.
Ventilate and Heat.

Kimia

Thanks guys. Sorry for my ignorance, but bleach it off? What does that involve?

MysticalSoul

I have a portable dehumidifier in my bathroom, which helps to minimise this, doesn't prevent it completely thought, and am due to repaint the bathroom shortly.

markpb

Kimia wrote: »

Thanks guys. Sorry for my ignorance, but bleach it off? What does that involve?

Damn cloth, tiny bit of regular household bleach and lots of elbow grease

You'll have to do it but it's not a solution, it just removes the mold temporarily. Like the other say - heat and ventilation are the way forward. If you've no window, you could try propping the door open and leaving another window in the apartment open for a while.

guinnessfan

Kimia wrote: »

Thanks guys. Sorry for my ignorance, but bleach it off? What does that involve?

Dettol have a product called Mould & Mildew Remover (in a green bottle) - it costs approx €3.50 and available from any main store such as Dunnes/Tescos.

You spray this on the area of the mould and just leave it to dry. It will kill and remove the black spots. It works great on paint, tiles and silicone.

oceanclub

So is there no vent or window in the bathroom? That's very odd. Yes, the landlord should definitely sort this out, even if a portable dehumidifer is the only solution.

P.

LevelSpirit

oceanclub wrote: »

So is there no vent or window in the bathroom? That's very odd. Yes, the landlord should definitely sort this out, even if a portable dehumidifer is the only solution.

P.

He should definitely vent it with an extractor. A dehumidifier is overkill.

LevelSpirit

Kimia wrote: »

Thanks guys. Sorry for my ignorance, but bleach it off? What does that involve?

Get a paint roller and tray.
Put a good strong solution of bleach and water into the tray and roll it all over the walls and ceilings like you would paint. You'll have it done in no time.

I wouldnt do it til you had a vent though or you'll choke.

convert

LevelSpirit wrote: »

He should definitely vent it with an extractor. A dehumidifier is overkill.

While a vent and extractor would be prefereable, a dehumidifier would be a good short term solution. Granted I've never used one in/for a bathroom, but I've found them fantastic, especially in rooms which aren't been used very frequently.

Kimia

Thanks all. I have no problem cleaning off the wall with bleach, but I'd be afraid of damaging the wall etc.. Maybe the best thing to do is to ring the landlord/agency and see what they think. The last thing I want to happen is for me to unknowingly cause some damage to the walls (for some reason I keep thinking it'll strip the paint?) and have them down on top of me like a ton of bricks!