How to Clean Bathroom Black Mold? Read this First!

Black mold thrives in dark and humid places. Therefore, the bathroom is a perfect place for its infestation. Black mold in bathroom is not only an eyesore to look at. If left unaddressed, it might also lead to severe health complications in the future. So, a conscious homeowner should know how to clean bathroom black mold. 

You can clean black mold in bathrooms using natural agents like ammonia and baking soda, or household chemicals like bleach.

As we did in our bathroom for ceiling mold, grout mold, tiles mold, and bathroom mold on walls cleaning articles, we will break down the entire process into several steps. As a result, you can easily grasp the methodology and keep your bathroom free of black mold. 

At first, we will show you how to clean shower black mold in various stages. 

Things You Need

• Paper towel/washcloth
• Anti-fungal spray
• Gloves
• Cleaning mask
• Safety goggles
• Stepladder
• Electric scrubber
• Tupperware bowl
• Vinegar
• Baking soda
• Sponge scrubber
• Soft brush
• Power scrubber extension handle

How To Clean Bathroom Black Mold From Shower Caulking?

Step 1. Prepare The Cleaning Solution

Take a bowl and pour some baking soda into it. Add vinegar afterward. Continue adding vinegar to the point you get a cream-like mixture. Once it’s done, dip a brush into the mix and run it over the mold-affected area to apply the solution.

Step 2. Cover The Paste-Applied Region With Tape

After applying the paste, seal the region by placing a piece of tape over it. You can also use plastic wraps to cover the area. Exposure to humidity will compromise the effectiveness of the mixture. So, you have to cover it up for desired results. Keep the tape on for 120 minutes, at least.

Step 3. Remove The Tape

After the waiting period is over, take off the tape or the plastic covering. By now, the solution will dry out. Wipe off any leftover paste with a dry cloth or paper towel.

Step 4. Use Anti-Fungal Spray

Spray anti-fungal spray over the caulk and leave the area untouched. No need for coverings this time since the spray needs to come in contact with air for a faster effect. We recommend using the MOLD ARMOR FG502 Mold and Mildew Killer + Quick Stain Remover. Apart from eliminating the mold, it will take care of other grime and stains. 

NOTE: If you are too late to act, the mold spreads so deeply across the caulking that you won’t be able to do much other than removing the discoloration and the smell. The mold will be back in a few months again. In this case, you can consider replacing your entire caulking. It doesn’t take up much time, and it’s not expensive either.

That said, you can expect an effective deep clean using a high-quality anti-fungal product like the one we have suggested above.

How To Clean Black Mold From Shower Grout?

Step 1. Spray Vinegar

Take vinegar in an empty spray bottle. Then, spray it over the mold-covered grout. Don’t add water to dilute the vinegar. You would need the full effect of the vinegar for a proper clean. Don’t do anything else for the next 10 minutes.

Step 2. Scrub The Grout

Since grouts and tiles are tricky places, you will need something special to clean all the nooks and crannies. Get a power scrubber like the Rubbermaid Reveal Power Scrubber. It comes with an oscillating head that cleans the difficult spots. Run the scrubber across the grout for a few minutes. It will take care of two-thirds of the mold infestation. 

Step 3. Prepare A Baking Soda Paste

Take half a cup of baking soda in a bowl and add three or four tablespoons of water to it. As a result, you will get a baking soda paste that can remove odor, stains and sanitize your kitchen and bathroom. It’s cost-effective and has no health hazards involved.

Step 4. Spread The Paste

Now, take the scrubber and put its head into the pate. Roll it around a couple of times so that it grabs a spreadable portion of the paste. Take it out and run the scrubber across the grout again. Keep on doing this until the grout comes off completely. It should not take more than 5 minutes.

Step 5. Use Anti Fungal Spray

Rinse off the paste with water and let the area get dry. Afterward, spray the grout with anti-fungal spray. Leave it for 5/10 minutes so that the solution can take effect before drying off in the air.

How To Clean Bathroom Black Mold Behind Shower Tiles?

Step 1. Use Bleach Solution

Mix the same proportions of water and bleach to create a 1:1 bleach solution. Pour it over the tiles and leave it for a few minutes. Don’t forget to wear gloves while you are handling bleach.

Step 2. Use Vinegar

After the bleach dries off completely, apply vinegar to the tiles. This will address the tiniest fraction of mold that you had missed earlier. Alternatively, you can use borax or ammonia.

Step 3. Apply Primer

Now, apply a primer like the Rust-Oleum Mold Killing Primer. It will kill off all fungi, bacteria, mildew, and other detrimental entities. Therefore, you won’t have to worry about mold growing behind the new set of tiles you are installing.

How To Clean Bathroom Tiles Mold?

The first course of action is to apply vinegar to the tiles. Again, don’t dilute it. Otherwise, it will be unable to deliver the level of cleanliness you are looking for. Leave it for an hour and turn on the bathroom exhaust fan for ideal ventilation.

Take a bucket of warm water and pour it into the tiles. Scrub the floor afterward or wipe it dry with a washcloth. The mold will come off.

If the mold doesn’t get off completely after applying vinegar and warm water, use anti-mold spray. Do not use bleach on tiles because it might damage them.

How To Clean Black Mold From Shower Curtain?

Take off the shower curtain from the shower and locate the spots where black mold has made its presence known. Put one or two tablespoons of vinegar in the black mold spots and scrub them with a soft brush.

The vinegar will weaken the mold. To remove it completely, put it inside the washing machine with laundry detergent or color-safe bleach like Borateem.

You don’t have to wash the curtain in a washing machine if it is made of vinyl. All you have to do is, apply vinegar and then rinse off with water. Using anti-fungal spray could be an even more fruitful approach. Dry it well before putting it back into use.

How To Clean Bathroom Black Mold In Shower Ceiling?

Step 1. Prepare Cleaning Solution

Prepare a solution by mixing two tablespoons of borax, a quarter cup of vinegar, and two cups of hot water.

Step 2. Apply The Solution

Get a stepladder. If you don’t have one you can purchase the Rubbermaid RMA-3 we had recommended in our bathroom ceiling fan article. Dip a brush in the solution and spread it across the affected region.

Step 3. Scrub The Area

Scrub the entire area with a sponge brush. Soak the sponge in water and repeat scrubbing a few times. Soon, the mold will get removed.

Step 4. Apply Anti-Mold Spray

After scrubbing, wait 45/60 minutes for the ceiling to dry out. Then, apply an anti-fungal spray to ensure the prevention of future mold growth.

Step 5. Redo The Paint

The mold can leave some permanent marks, and the color can get further damaged while trying to clean it. So, you should redo the paint after getting rid of the mold. Apply primer before putting the final paint so that it lasts longer.

How To Clean Bathroom Black Mold From The Shower Drain?

Step 1. Pour Vinegar

Take off the drain cap and pour vinegar inside the drain. Pour around the edges so that the vinegar drips down the drain walls. Don’t pour it down the middle because the vinegar will not come into contact with the drain walls. So, it will be a futile effort.

Step 2. Use A Power Scrubber With Extension Handle

Grab a power scrubber that offers an extension handle. Dip the scrubber head in vinegar and send it down the drain. Scrub the upper drain walls and move on to the later parts by slowly lowering the scrubber. Scrub as far as the handle reaches.

Step 3. Flush With Warm Water

Drop a bucket of warm water down the drain. In doing so, the residual vinegar will wash away along with the black mold.

Step 4. Use Anti-Fungal Spray

Come back a few hours later to spray some anti-fungal substance inside the drain. Of course, you won’t reach far down the drain. So, just spray around the opening. 

Black mold that lies deep in the drainpipe will not do you as much harm as the ones that are nearer to the drain opening. Hence, the anti-fungal spray will keep that section of the drain safe from new mold infestation.

How To Clean Bathroom Tub Black Mold?

Step 1. Make The Tub Dry

Before attempting to remove black mold from the bathroom tub, you have to make sure that the tub is completely dry. The extra moisture will interfere with the cleaning process, and the results will be less than convincing. Wipe the entire tub with a paper towel or washcloth.

Step 2. Apply Vinegar

Apply vinegar to the area where you can notice black mold spots. Instead of vinegar, you can use bleach, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, or borax.

Step 3. Scrub The Tub

Scrub the black mold spots rigorously and keep on spraying vinegar. Use a sponge scrub while doing so.

Step 4. Rinse With Hot Water

After the black marks come off, rinse the tub several times with hot water.

Step 5. Apply Anti-Fungal Spray

Wait until the tub gets dry. Turn on the exhaust fan as it will help with the ventilation. Once the tub dries off, spray the anti-fungal spray on those parts of the tub which previously had black mold marks.

How To Clean Bathroom Black Mold In Toilet?

Step 1. Apply Vinegar

Find out the spots inside your toilet bowl where black mold has grown. Then, spray vinegar all over them. It will dry within a few minutes.

Step 2. Scrub The Spots

Scrub the black mold-covered spots with a soft scrubber. Continue scrubbing till the marks disappear. Spray more vinegar while scrubbing, if necessary.

Step 3. Flush The Toilet

Flush the toilet a couple of times so that the vinegar washes away.

Step 4. Pour Bleach Into The Toilet Tank

Remove the toilet tank lid and pour a cup of bleach into it. If you have a larger tank, you need to add more. As a rule of thumb, add a cup of bleach per gallon of water inside the tank. Wait for half an hour before taking the next step.

Step 5. Scrub The Inside Of The Tank

Scrub the inner side of the tank with a soft scrubber. Be careful not to knock into any in-tank components.

Step 6. Flush

Flush the toilet a couple of times so that the bleach solution gets out of your tank. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Natural Items Are The Best For Cleaning Black Mold In Bathrooms?

Dengarden.com lists hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, baking soda, tea tree oil, and grape seed extract as the most effective natural items for removing black mold. Among these, we prefer vinegar because we feel it is easier to apply and achieves faster results.

What Precautions Should I Take While Cleaning Black Mold?

Black mold is a fungus, so it distributes spores for the sake of its reproduction. While cleaning black mold, the spores might get into our skin and eyes. That’s why you should wear a cleaning mask, a pair of gloves, and goggles when cleaning black mold.

Final Say

The mere sight of black mold in bathrooms is enough to gross out anybody. On top of that, the presence of black mold in the house makes you vulnerable to a plethora of medical troubles. Knowing how to clean bathroom black mold, you can take proactive measures in keeping you and your family members safe from black mold threats.