If your shower or walls are starting to look a little funky, here's how to safely remove that surface mold.
Time Under 10 minutes
ComplexityBeginner
CostUnder $10
Introduction
If your shower or walls are starting to look a little funky, here's how to safely remove that surface mold.
We recently started using a teak shower mat, which we adore, but when I pulled it up to clean the shower yesterday, I was shocked and disgusted by a layer of orange mold underneath. Luckily, surface mold like mine is pretty easy to clean off of hard surfaces like plastic.
However, “If the surface isn’t non-porous, like tile or granite, it is safe to assume it isn’t just surface mold,” says Russell Vent, vice president of Paul Davis Restoration of Greater Rochester. “With materials like drywall, removal and replacement of the material is the only sure way.”
Here’s how to clean surface mold, when you find it lurking in your home — with photos, thanks to my icky shower.
What Is Surface Mold?
Surface mold is mold or mildew that can be easily removed from a surface because it hasn’t penetrated into the material it’s growing on. It is often found in areas with high humidity, like on the shower wall. A direct water event, however, such as a flood, is more likely to produce mold that has grown beyond the surface.
What’s the difference between mold and black mold?
The term black mold is commonly used in the media in reference to toxic molds such as stachybotrys chartarum, but in reality “all molds should be treated the same with respect to potential health risks and removal,” according to the CDC.
“Black mold is simply a buzz word,” says Vent. “There are hundreds of types of molds that may grow in a damp environment, many of which may appear to be black. The color of mold does very little if not anything for how we address it as remediators, surface or not.”
Tools Required
- Eye protection
- Microfiber cloth or towel
- N-95 mask
- Protective gloves
- Sponge or scrub brush
- Spray Bottle
Materials Required
- Water
- White vinegar or hydrogen peroxide or an alkaline-based cleaner
Project step-by-step (4)
Step 1
Determine the cause of the mold
Before cleaning the surface mold, it’s a good idea to address the root cause. Mold needs moisture and warmth to grow. So, if it’s in your shower, it’s probably just feeding off of the conditions created by people showering. But, if it’s elsewhere, cleaning it will only be a temporary solution.
Step 2
Wipe the surface
- If you have loose debris or larger mold particles, wipe them off with a microfiber cloth or towel. (If it’s just a thin coating of surface mold on a smooth surface, you can skip this step.)
- Immediately wrap the towel in plastic and throw it away, so it doesn’t spread spores to other places in your home.
Step 3
Scrub surfaces with cleaner
- Mix a 50/50 solution of water and white vinegar to clean the surface mold, or use water with roughly 3% hydrogen peroxide, or an alkaline-based cleaner (which most household cleaners and detergents are).
Pro-tip: Vent recommends against bleach-based cleaners since they can visibly mask a more serious problem.
- Using your scrub brush or sponge, clean the area with water and a cleaning solution.
- Clean surrounding areas, too, to get rid of spores that have spread but you can’t yet see.
- If the mold is stubborn, first soak the area with cleaner and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
It should wipe off with ease. But if it doesn’t, that’s an indication of a more serious problem. “Often times we need to remove affected building materials or use more abrasive methods to remove mold and its roots before we even consider cleaning,” says Vent.
Step 4
Rinse and dry the surface
- Rinse the surface with clean water.
- Wipe it down again with a clean cloth or sponge to ensure there’s no more moldy residue.
- Dry the surface after cleaning, to prevent new mold growth.
- Let the area air out. It can help to use fans or open the window. If it’s in the shower, make sure to keep the curtain or shower door open, too.
FAQ
Can surface mold grow on dry surfaces?
No, a truly dry surface will not grow mold because mold needs moisture to thrive. “And generally mold won’t grow with just a one-time wetting, but rather with prolonged moisture,” says Vent.
About the Expert
- Russell Vent is vice president of Paul Davis Restoration of Greater Rochester, New York. The Paul Davis Restoration company has with a network of 350 locations in North America, specializing in mitigation and restoration post floods, fires, hurricanes, wildfires and all natural disaster damage.
