If you forget a tomato in the fridge, it will eventually start to grow mold. It's not just our forgotten food that can grow mold, mold can also form in our apartment or house. The bathroom in particular is affected in most cases. I'll explain why that is the case right away. First of all, let's ask ourselves what mold actually is.
What is mold anyway?
Mold is a microorganism , meaning it is a tiny living creature that cannot be seen with the naked eye. There are 120,000 different types of mold in the world. Even if the word "mold" immediately makes us think of something negative, something green and fluffy, there is definitely "good" mold. This so-called noble mold is found in cheese or fine salami, and the mold is what makes the cheese or salami so special. Unfortunately, we are dealing with bad mold here. This is very harmful to health in the long term . It can cause allergies, shortness of breath or eye irritation, for example, so it should be removed as quickly as possible.
The breeding ground for mold
Mold can form and spread very quickly, and it only needs three components: heat, oxygen and moisture . We find these three factors most often in the bathroom. Showering or bathing creates high humidity because water is released into the air. When you shower, it is around 2.5 liters. If the air no longer absorbs water, it condenses in the cool places in the bathroom and condensation forms, which in the long term leads to mold formation.
What to do if mold forms?
As soon as you discover mold in your bathroom, you should remove it as quickly as possible . On the one hand, as mentioned above, it is harmful to your health in the long term, but on the other hand, it can prevent enormous costs. If the mold is removed promptly, it will not have the opportunity to penetrate the walls or ceilings and no renovation work will be necessary.
This helps against mold
Anti-mold removers are suitable for removal. The most effective cleaners are those that contain chlorine . The chlorine removes the spores within a few seconds because it destroys the cell wall of the mold and prevents it from growing. This process is also called oxidation. If you use a cleaner that contains chlorine, you must handle it very carefully . You should observe a few protective measures, such as avoiding direct skin contact and ensuring there is sufficient ventilation. If the mold infestation persists for a long time, you should get professional help, because then the mold is not only on the surface, but also inside the walls.
Rules for removing mold
- Wear a face mask and gloves , and possibly safety goggles, to avoid direct contact, protect your eyes from irritation and your respiratory tract from toxic gases.
- Direct contact with both the cleaning agent and the mold should also be avoided, as the spores can multiply and the chlorine-containing cleaner irritates the skin.
- Dispose of rags or brushes after cleaning.
- Immediately wash the clothing that was worn or use a disposable coverall.
How to prevent mold
Of course it is possible to prevent mold. Make sure that you ventilate regularly . If there is no window in the bathroom, the ventilation should be left on long enough. The humidity in the bathroom should never be more than 60% for a long period of time and the room temperature should be between 21°C and 23°C. Other tips would be to leave the shower curtain open, remove the tiles after showering or dry the towels outside instead of in the bathroom.
All in all, it is very important to find out the cause of the mold formation , otherwise you will get into a vicious circle and the mold will keep forming.
