Shower mold is common, but is shower mold dangerous? It certainly looks gross and it could be a cause for concern. Most shower mold is just gross looking, but for people with allergies and respiratory issues, it could pose a threat.
Mold spores can become airborne and when inhaled can be dangerous for human health. Shower mold probably will not kill you, but exposure can cause you to have a runny nose, cough, and headaches.
It is best to minimize the amount of mold in your living space. Keep reading for more information on why shower mold is bad for your health and how you can avoid shower mold in your home.
Why Is Shower Mold Bad For You?
A lot of people will not have any noticeable symptoms from mold, but for individuals with asthma or respiratory illness, there is an increased chance of inflammation that could lead to an attack. If you have asthma or other respiratory problems then you should try to minimize the amount of mold in your shower because it can be an irritant for certain conditions.
Allergic reactions to mold can also have a slew of nasty symptoms such as runny nose, cough, and sore throats. Getting an allergy test performed by your doctor can help you determine whether or not shower mold is causing your allergies. Over-the-counter allergy medications can help treat the symptoms of shower mold.
What Are the Different Kinds of Shower Mold?
Not all kinds of mold are the same. There are different kinds of molds that can be found in bathrooms. The most common strains of mold found in bathrooms are aspergillus, Cladosporium, Penicillium, and Stachybotrys.
Stachybotrys is also called black mold and is regarded as one of the more hazardous forms of household molds. Black mold is green and black in color and can cause serious symptoms in sensitive individuals. Signs of black mold poisoning can include memory loss, headaches, nausea, skin irritation, asthma, and more.
How to Prevent Shower Mold
Now that we have established that shower mold is at best, not great for our health, let’s discuss ways to prevent it. To prevent mold in your shower, make sure to keep the area clean. Wipe down tiling and grout to ensure that mold does not grow in the cracks. Keep the floor clear of dirty clothes and towels. Having damp towels lying around can be the cause of the moldy smell.
Wash the shower curtain, window curtains, towels, and shower mat regularly. If you need extra help keeping the area clean of mold then try some of the mold-prevention products available at home stores. Ventilation is probably the most effective way to prevent mold, so remember to cut on the fan and open a window before you take a hot shower.
Ventilation
Keeping the bathroom well ventilated is key for preventing mold. Having a good shower fan installed and running during showers and baths can help to improve the humidity in the space. Ventilation can be more effective than any other mold prevention method. Opening the window is another way to ventilate the space. You can turn on the fan and open a window for maximum ventilation.
Upgrading the shower fan, adding standing fans to the room, opening the window, remembering to use the shower fan, and adding a dehumidifier to the room are all good ways to improve ventilation.
Cleaning
Keeping the shower clean is also a good idea for preventing mold. Grime and moisture combined lead to mold, so keeping the area bacteria-free can help to prevent mold from forming. Wipe down the tiles and grout with a specialized bathroom tile cleaner to keep mold from growing in the cracks.
There are cleaners made especially for bathroom mold which can not only remove mold but also keep mold from growing back. There are a variety of mold-prevention products that are available on the market for bathrooms.
Fabrics
The shower curtain can grow mold. To prevent this, use a mold-resistant shower curtain and wash your shower curtain regularly. Your window curtains, bathroom mat, towels, and other fabrics are also susceptible to mold growth.
Hanging up your wet towels and keeping the bathroom clean in general will go a long way in keeping your bathroom mold-free.
Your dirty laundry and towels can actually be a source of the moldy smell in your bathroom, so keeping the area clean overall can go a long way in preventing mold.
Repairs
If there are broken pipes or fixtures in the bathroom, this can cause water damage and be an accelerant in the growth of mold. If the showerhead is leaking or broken this could be the source of the shower mold. It is an easy fix that can protect your health and your bathroom interior.
Painting over Mold
We do not recommend painting over shower mold.
Conclusion
For most people shower mold will not cause any serious health effects, but for sensitive individuals, the symptoms can include headaches, memory loss, throat irritation, coughing, and more. If you have an allergy to mold then you could have serious side effects as well. Mold is ugly, gross, and can be bad for your health so keeping your shower clean of it is the best idea.
