Homeowners are often worried when they find mushrooms growing in their bathrooms. However, it’s not that much of a problem and can easily be solved. Bathrooms are suitable for mushrooms since they are hot and wet and often have low lighting.
You’ll need to do two things if you notice mushrooms in your bathroom.
The first is to clean and remove them. The second is to change the conditions in your bathroom or shower area that have become too humid and poorly lit.
Why are Mushrooms Growing In My Bathroom?
Mushrooms aren’t a problem, but they can be symptoms of other issues a homeowner may need to address. They grow when there’s a lot of mold and mildew. The environment must be humid and damp for mushroom growth.
None of these are pleasant if found in your bathroom. A lot of the time, the extra humidity comes from a leaky toilet bowl.
After a while, mold will form on the back side of the bowl, and mushrooms will start to grow.
In many cases, you’ll need to check your walls and floors since a mushroom making its way to the bathroom usually shows that there’s something wrong with these two. Pipes usually tend to burst inside the wall or beneath the floor, causing extra dampness in the bathroom.
Is Mushroom Mold Dangerous?
Yes, mushroom growth is a severe health risk, and you should treat it as soon as possible. The mushroom is rarely a problem, but the black mold found around it can be the real danger, and you shouldn’t inhale it for an extended time.
In rare cases, poisonous mushrooms can also grow on your bathroom surfaces.
They are significantly damaging to kids and pets. The symptoms caused by black mold can be mild such as sneezing, or they can cause coughing and wheezing for those with other respiratory illnesses. For some, it can even cause severe allergic reactions.
How to Clean Mushroom Mold?
There are two standard methods for cleaning up mushroom molds in the bathroom. Both are just for the cleanup and don’t address the underlying problems causing the mold.
Method 1:
It’s the least invasive method on our list, and it’s a temporary relief since the mushroom growth will continue if there are conditions for them to do so. If the mushrooms return after you’ve cleaned them out a few times, you’ll need to dry the bathroom to prevent future incidents.
Start by removing all the mushrooms you can see and take good note of where they are coming from. It’s best to have a good pair of rubber gloves on for this part of the job.
Use a fungicide or a bleach cleaner to spray the part of the bathroom where the mushrooms used to be. Leave it for about 30 minutes, so it has time to work and clean up afterward.
Mold particles can float around, so try cleaning a wider bathroom section.
Method 2:
Mold has usually formed because of the dampness problem in your bathroom that goes beyond the area you’ve seen the mushrooms in.
Remove moldy furnishings from your bathroom since it will get damp from hot water and generally damp conditions you commonly find in bathrooms.
Remove the shower curtain if it’s moldy as well.
If you notice any water damage on the walls or bathroom floors, or even the ceiling, you may need to call a professional plumber to get to the bottom.
What To Do To Prevent Mushrooms From Growing In Your Bathroom?
Mushrooms grow in bathrooms as they are humid and warm. Therefore, you should remove these conditions to prevent mushrooms from growing in your bathroom. It will also make the room more pleasant to use.
Ventilation
The most important thing you can do to make your bathroom less humid is to ventilate it more.
Sometimes it’s enough to crack open a window after you shower. In some smaller bathrooms, you’ll also need to install a small ventilation fan that will keep your bathroom dry.
Ensure There Are No Leaks
Leaks are a great place for mushrooms to grow and for mold to form since they add to the high humidity.
They are also a waste of water and can cause other damage in the long run. Check the usual places for leaks and if you notice any water, call a professional plumber to help you fix it.
Don’t Leave Damp Towels in the Bathroom
We all do it, and it’s best if we try not to make it a habit.
Don’t leave damp towels in the bathroom after you’re done using them. It will add to the room’s humidity, and it’s just a few seconds of your time. If you have a small bathroom, every little bit helps make it less humid.
Clean Your Bathroom Regularly
Cleaning your bathroom consistently will help make it less damp, cleaner, and better looking. It’s also an excellent opportunity to spot leaks and other water issues that may eventually lead to humidity and mold problems.
That way, you’ll be able to deal with them as soon as you notice that there’s a leak. A deep clean behind the toilet bowl can help you spot a mushroom growing behind it. Make sure you wear rubber gloves when doing so.
The goal is to clean all the sprouting mushrooms you can see and remove the fungal spores that will lead to more mushrooms growing in the bathroom in the future.
Those who have a significant moisture problem or live in especially warm conditions should clean the moisture-prone areas with additional care.
Which Cleaning Supplies to Use?
There are a few cleaning solutions out there that are made specifically to remove mushrooms. Spray some of these on your bathroom walls, and make sure to cover even the smallest mushroom sprout.
RM-86
RMR-86 is a fungicide remover you can find on Amazon. It comes in a spray, and it won’t deal with the dampness of the bathroom, but it can remove the bathroom fungus as an emergency solution. The cleaner will also remove the black spots on the wall caused by mildew.
Apulito Mold and Mildew Cleaner
Apulito Mold and Mildew Cleaner is a gel-like substance that removes the stains made by mold and mildew. You should apply it after you’ve ripped the mushrooms by hand. Leave the gel on the wall a bit and then rinse it off with water.
Home Made Solutions for Mold Mushrooms
Many homeowners also decide to make their own cleaning solution with bleach. The solution should be a mixture of one-part bleach and 3-part water.
Others use baking soda instead of bleach, and it gives similar results. Spray that on the spot you want to clean and leave it for a while to do its thing. Dry the floors carefully after you’re done.
Conclusion
Mushrooms often grow in humid bathrooms and don’t have good ventilation. It’s essential to clean them up right away since the mold and mildew they need to grow can cause health problems after a while.
There are cleaning solutions out there to help with it.
However, there will always be some remaining mushroom spores if the bathroom is a good breeding ground filled with excess moisture.
The key is to remove the source of the problem, and that’s humidity. Try to ventilate your bathroom more often and make sure that you clean it regularly as well.
Sometimes leaks can create an environment in which mushrooms tend to grow. If you find a leak, call a plumber to fix it as soon as possible.