A bathtub has moisture, humidity, and heat, all of which are perfect conditions for mold growth. Mold has been known to cause damage to floors, walls, and ceilings. In addition to this, mold has negative health effects on anyone exposed to it. Since mold is quite dangerous, homeowners should do everything to avoid its growth. This article looks into five ways that you can prevent mold growth in your bathtub.
- Clean Your Bathtub Regularly
The cleanliness of your bathtub is crucial when you want to avoid future mold growth. You should at least clean your bathtub once a week. This is important because dirt and debris act as perfect food sources for mold spores. Therefore, if you have a dirty bathtub, it is very likely for mold spores in the air to settle there. It is thus crucial for you to clean your bathtub occasionally. A simple action such as using a slightly dampened cloth to wipe the tub can go a long way in preventing mold growth. However, this should not mean that you do not clean your tub thoroughly on a regular basis. In fact, giving your bathtub a good wash and drying it afterward should help eliminate any chances of mold growth.
- Get Rid of Excess Moisture
As aforementioned, bathtubs have a lot of moisture, a factor that makes it perfect for mold growth. To avoid taking any chances, you need to find and fix any leaks in your tub. Check the pipes and seals that serve your bathtub for any leaks. You should do this regularly, as taking a break can totally disrupt your mold prevention efforts. If you happen to notice any leakages, consider fixing them as soon as possible. If you are not able to do the task yourself, then reach out to a professional to repair them. Another thing that you should do on a daily basis is squeegee away excess water in your bathtub after taking a bath. Doing this occasionally contributes greatly to achieving low moisture levels in your tub and bathroom in general.
- Provide Ventilation to Your Bathroom
Ventilation is key when you want to avoid mold growth in your bathtub. The main reason behind this is that poorly ventilated bathrooms do not allow for enough air circulation, which prevents water from drying off faster. This increases the levels of moisture in your bathroom, leading to mold growth. If you have an exhaust fan in your bathroom, you should keep it on to help with air circulation, which minimizes steam and makes the bathtub to dry faster. You can also open your bathroom windows, use a dehumidifier, or turn on the air conditioner to offer ventilation to your bathroom.
- Remove any Objects on the Bathtub
Keeping many items on your bathtub such as beauty products, shampoo bottles, and old soap cans can cause mold growth. This is likely to happen if these items are getting wet frequently. Such items collect water on your bathtub, which creates a perfect condition for mold growth. You should ensure that these bottles and cans do not sit on your bathtub. Instead, store them somewhere higher, mostly on a shelf that remains dry when you are taking a bath. If you are not using some of these items, just throw them away.
- Get Rid of Visible Mold
If you happen to notice any mold growing around your bathroom, you need to eliminate it as quickly as possible before it spreads to other parts of your bathroom, including the tub. Scrub away any visible mold using a brush or cloth. Using a mold killing solution can go a long way in helping you get rid of the mold. However, you might not be able to remove all mold through this method. It is at this time that you will need to call in the professionals.
No matter how careful you are, your bathtub will always be a good heaven for mold to grow. This is mostly caused by high moisture and humidity levels. Therefore, the best ways to prevent mold growth in your tub is to control these two factors. You can do this by properly ventilating your bathroom, cleaning and drying your bathtub on a regular basis, and fixing any leaks in your bathtub’s water system. Taking these precautions should help you prevent mold issues. However, if mold still grows in your bathtub, even after taking the mentioned actions, then you need to get a professional to help with the situation.