Photo: FotoDuets (Shutterstock)
In a recent post, we offered a few options for removing mold from hard-to-clean surfaces like wood and upholstery, but what about the wettest room in the house? It might seem straightforward to clean your bathroom’s tub and tile, but areas like grout and caulking are a little trickier. Not to worry, there are ways of removing stubborn bathroom mold without heavy scrubbing or needing to re-caulk anything.
Is mold really dangerous?
Mold in your bathroom actually isn’t as dangerous as it sounds. In spaces where moisture makes frequent contact with surfaces, mold is bound to form, and while it can be harmful to those with allergies or respiratory issues, it won’t cause immediate harm in small doses. But with any bacteria or fungi in your home, you’ll just want to take care of it before it becomes a bigger problem.
Removing mold from grout and caulking
Removing small amounts of mold and mildew from grout or caulking is easy as long as you have water, a scrubbing sponge (or old toothbrush), water, and some bleach. Make sure you wear gloves and a mask, if you’d like, and if you have a bathroom window you should keep it open to keep the room ventilated.
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First, you’ll want to clean the area of any debris. Molly Maid suggests using a broom or vacuum to get up any dirt and washing with soap and water to get as much buildup as possible before addressing the mold.
Next, mix one-part bleach and ten parts water into a spray bottle and soak the molded area. Let the solution sit for at least five minutes, then scrub with your sponge or old toothbrush to get in the nooks and crannies of the tub.
Finally, rinse and wipe with a clean cloth to reveal your now-pristine tile grout and caulking. If bleach is too much, you can use alternatives like vinegar or hydrogen peroxide.
How to remove stubborn mold from bathroom corners
The tub corners are the hardest to reach and often have the most mold and mildew. An easy way to remove this caked-on mold is with bleach and toilet paper or cotton balls. TikToker Lilstepha_ demonstrates just how well toilet paper and a generous amount of cleaning solution gets rid of mold in the hard-to-scrub area of your tub.
First, you want to get a piece of toilet paper. A strip long enough to cover the affected area. Twirl the strip so that it is in a long twist. Put the strip of toilet paper on the corner and soak in bleach or a bleach-based bathroom cleaner. You’ll need to let the solution sit for 12 hours to strip the mold away (so make sure the bathroom is well ventilated).
Leaving the solution for 12 hours may seem like a long time, but if you start your house cleaning early in the morning, it’ll be set by nightfall, or just let it sit overnight. Then, remove the soiled toilet paper (make sure you are wearing gloves) and wipe the area as you remove the paper. The mold will come right off with the paper. Give it a good rinse, and you’re done.
