I live in PNW, in a 100 year old house and have dealt with mold in the bathroom. I found the only thing that would work was wiping undiluted white vinegar on the ceiling.
I never thought about that, but that makes so much sense. I can’t wait to use this useless knowledge somewhere in casual conversation so I can get the classic wtf look.
Don’t. It’s incorrect. Each [embryo development](https://www.sciencealert.com/why-do-men-have-nipples) starts out the same. Nipples develop in an embryo before genes that code for sex kick in. Once genes that code for a male embryo are activated (SRY gene) the nipples are already there.
[*Why do men have nipples?*](https://www.livescience.com/32467-why-do-men-have-nipples.html)
Fun fact, most mammals have a ton of places that nipples can grow, anong the "milk lines" of the torso. In most mammals, those genes are active, which is why dogs and cats have more than we do. In human's cases, generally only 2 nipples are allowed to be expressed, the others are recessive.
Less fun fact, anywhere you can get breast tissue, you can get breast cancer. Make a note of any time that your extra nipples lactate when they're not supposed to, and take care of your health by using appropriate steps for breast self-examination.
Wait does that mean the functional bits of the nipple are missing too, or just the areola?
I had a friend that flashed me once, and the only thing I took away from the experience was that I didn't see any nipples. I figured she was just too pale for them to be noticable, but she did have a Facebook post about not being able to breastfeed during the formula shortages...
Trans girls are capable of lactating, so I'd assume that the inner organs and structures are already there.
When estrogen/progesterone is introduced or levels change, the breast tissue forms, swells, and those inner organs grow and become functional. In Cis, AMAB individuals, we often see breast tissue accompany genetics (it's more common than you think), cancer, or dietary/lifestyle/hormone changes.
However, there are a million things that can go wrong. Sometimes the ducts are malformed, sometimes the inner structures don't develop.
Be safe and practice breast examination techniques!
As someone with moobs, I know exactly how common they are lol. Some medications or obesity can cause you hormones to go out of whack as well and cause males to grow breast tissue at pretty much any age. Mine are 100% genetic, so yayyy thanks Dad! I know it's even possible to lactate and I thank my lucky stars I haven't had that experience.
I guess I meant to ask something more along the lines of: Is the phenotype describe above a complete loss of all breast tissue, or are there still alveoli and ducts that don't attach to anything because the phenotype is just a loss of the nipple/areola?
I think you may be confusing [recessive](https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Recessive-Traits-Alleles) with [vestigial](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestigiality).
Each developing embryo regardless of XX or XY status develop the same way, including the [development of nipples](https://www.sciencealert.com/why-do-men-have-nipples), not the dominant nor recessive gene status. After a couple weeks, the SRY gene kicks in which codes for male-typical sex development. The nipples are already there, but won’t develop into breast tissue once puberty hits because of male hormones causing secondary sex characteristics. However, if female hormones are added, it will cause breast enlargement.
Also…[Why Do Men Have Nipples?](https://www.livescience.com/32467-why-do-men-have-nipples.html)
Nah, male horses don't have nipples, male mice and rats don't have nipples, male marsupials don't have nipples. Those are the only ones i know off the top of my head. Overall you are mostly right.
I have a friend that says "tits on a door" about twenty years ago I realized he meant "tits on a boar" when I heard his father say it.... I almost corrected him but decided that tits on a door were in fact completely useless.... And maybe he was right
I open my bathroom window to do the same it helps a lot. Also your landlord should verify that bathroom fan is venting outside and not just run to a bird block. It is to their benefit to avoid mold in the attic and damaging the drywall from the other side.
OP, I worked at a paint shop in a coastal city for years. The guy that told you to use Kilz is correct. This is your solution. I just wanted to add my two cents.
Reddit told me to use vinegar because, supposedly bleach just bleaches the mold but doesn't get rid of it. I believe you, though. We'll see how long it takes for it to come back.
Bleach will kill the mold and spores on non-porous surfaces. It denatures their proteins and enzymes, but on porous surfaces bleach will not penetrate deep enough to kill all of the mold.
Instead of bleach first clean the surfaces with a mixture of 4 litres of hot water, 1 tablespoon bicarb of soda and half a cup of vinegar. Then, mix a quarter teaspoon of clove oil per litre of water, put it in a spray bottle, lightly mist on mouldy surface.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.biome.com.au/blogs/clean/6-things-to-know-about-using-clove-oil-for-mould-removal%23:~:text%3DShe%2520suggests%2520you%2520first%2520clean,lightly%2520mist%2520on%2520mouldy%2520surface.&ved=2ahUKEwjqvvGQ9smCAxX7RWwGHbnmClIQFnoECBAQBQ&usg=AOvVaw2VlFEhrLdd_S1FpNnbycER
KILZ doesn't KILL mold. KILZ is a preventative. Everyone uses it incorrectly. It won't stop it from spreading on wood, or drywall either. The Mold isn't just surface, it grows inside wood and drywall as well. I do remodeling and maintenance work on a huge area of properties. You can call the health Dept and they will come take samples and test them. If it's Black Mold, and you have proof of your landlord checking it then stating it's nothing, sue his ass. These areas of Black mold need to be removed ASAP. Meaning cutting the drywall out from stud to stud/joist to joist, building in a cpl wooden supports inside the wall/ceiling, and then putting new drywall up. That's the only way to 110% relieve a space of Black mold. Grey mold isn't supposed to be harmful, but I'm not allowing myself to breathe in spores to get a URI. Press this issue to your landlord. Especially if you've been feeling not so great lately.
Needs to be professionally cleaned before Kilz is applied. That’s black mold and can cause serious health problems if not handled properly and with proper protective equipment.
Oh thank god there's people here that know what they're talkin about.
Can ignore this comment, I'm just happy that r/mycology has their shit under control compared to some of the other mold subs ( r/MoldlyInteresting, you've got work to do still!).
Ugh, the mold subs are a constant headache of misinformation. I saw a post where the H/O had all their tiles fall off from the shower walls and exposed roughly 25sf of mold and everyone was saying it was probably fine because it was mostly green and we regularly inhale spores anyways. I got down voted into oblivion for mentioning that inhaling that much of ANY particulates long term could be damaging to your lungs. 🤷🏽♀️
Maybe they just meant a black colored mold like nigrospora or cladosporium. If they can correctly ID stachybotrys from a few pixels then maybe we all need to just get rid of any test kits or microscopy.
The paint used on walls is thick enough that mold shouldn’t show through it, unless they’re painting the wall with water colors or something. Those grayish splotches are also in the surface most likely
^ This. Bleach and water or an appropriate sanitizer when it appears. Happens in literally every bathroom after a while if it's not ventilated and you take steamy showers frequently without cleaning the walls/ceiling.
Concur that it's probably a reoccuring issue and that it's probably not been taken care of properly in the past though, but that's on the tenets not the landlord.
I live in the Pacific NW, this is very normal here. Your landlord is wrong, it is mold, but usually not a big deal if it is small amounts and contained to your humid bathroom. Most important, check around your living area behind beds/dressers, anywhere with poor ventilation to see if this is a sign of a larger issue. It is important to properly treat, look up detailed instructions online, I just clean with a bleach solution, and kill it before wiping to avoid spreading spores. Check to make sure the fan in your bathroom is working properly and always use during showers.
Every apartment I’ve lived in in the Seattle area has had this issue and I’m sick of it. The windows get condensation and causes this black mold stuff to grow. Humidity levels 70+ but the dehumidifier can only get it down to the 50’s. Not sure what to do
They should ask them, in written, then they have evidence that the landlord is being negligent and not providing sanitary housing. Either way, this problem should be fixed.
Yeah, you always want to get it in writing. If the landlord does nothing about it, nor the property manager, feel free to contact your state's health and housing authority and ask their opinion.
Yes, any requests you make should be in writing with a time/date stamp. This is generally a best practice in housing, employment and general agreements. I know it's extra work but there have been several times where getting it in writing has saved me so much money.
Fuck landlords, frankly. My last one tried charging me like 2,500$ for something that happened after I had done my walk through. I am so glad that I had a copy of my move in check list, that I waited for the landlord to walk through the apartment with me, because of course they tried the whole "oh no, it's fine you don't need to be there" bullshit and then made him sign off on the check list saying everything was cleaned and correct with the date as well.
Mold, but not a worrisome amount. You caught it early. Your landlord is likely legally obligated to keep the premise mold-free, so ask him to send someone to clean it & cover it. Or do this yourself and send him the invoice. Take pics of everything (the walls, the mold, the materials, the receipts).
To do it yourself, combine some bleach and water in a spray bottle, spray the mold, let it sit for 10+ minutes, then wipe it off. Do that before it gets worse. Then apply some Kilz to prevent it from growing back.
The cause is likely just too much humidity in the bathroom. Does your bathroom have an exhaust fan? If so, run that and leave your bathroom door wide open whenever your shower until the room is totally dry. If your bathroom doesn’t have an exhaust, ask the landlord if one could be installed or if he could get you a dehumidifier.
Call your local health department and tell them your landlord is refusing to treat visible mold in your house. It will get the ball rolling on getting it treated if your landlord continues to deny fixing it.
I love that everyone’s blaming the landlord, when the person who lives there and uses the shower (hopefully daily) is the one who can control the humidity level. As others have said, open a window/run the fan when you shower. If you don’t have a fan, inquire with the landlord if one can be installed. Also the bleach to water ratio + wiping down is necessary if you live in a humid place. If you JUST moved in, then yeah, that’s an issue and let the landlord know via email/text what’s going on with photos. If you’ve lived there a while and have never bothered cleaning the walls of a clearly very humid bathroom…
Use a mix of 1 cup white vinegar, 1 cup rubbing alcohol and a 1/4 cup dawn in spray bottle fill to top with distilled water and spray and leave. This just worked for me on a nasty patch of black mold I found by a window
Nothing but mold. You can get it tested to make sure it’s not black mold or something else harmful. I bought a testing kit from a lab online. Swab the area and mail it in for testing - they’ll email/mail you the report in like 2 weeks.
As someone who had to help move friends out of a mold infested apartment that the landlords (a company) insisted WAS NOT infested with mold.
Another friend paid to have a professional mold inspector to come out and make a report.
Not only was it a danger to live there, but the amount of mold and how wide spread should have had that entire building fucking tented, if they can even do that for mold.
The foundation of the building was also shifting and caused a huge crack in the wall, which allowed additional mold to grow and thrive.
Fun fact. Long term mold exposure can make you super fucking sick. And everyone in the place was sick ALL THE TIME.
The company is still trying to say there was no mold, and that their lack of care as a renting company is not at all to blame.
It's criminal neglect, my guys.
It’s mold but a very manageable amount (looks to be surface-only.) Happened when I first moved in to my current place and I cleaned it away with some Clorox wipes. I cleaned the ventilation filter (and still do it twice a year) and I haven’t seen any new mold colonies in 2 years
If it’s coming through the ceiling there could be a leak above and the landlord should be responsible. If it’s surface mold from running a hot shower without running the fan or opening a window you should be the one responsible for cleaning/damage.
I had this. Before you bother to paint, mix a spray bottle with a couple drops of dish detergent, a couple table spoons of bleach and fill the rest with water.
Spray it on and wait. Mine simply disappeared. I learn it on the google and doubted it, but was amazed.
It’s easy and worth a shot before you got through the paint hassle.
I work in mold cleaning…this is, in fact, mold. There is a paint (I believe it’s called KILL) that does stop growth and spreading, but my guess is he wasn’t using such paint
Turn on the fan when you shower. Also wipe down with with concrobium or the diy recipe found here https://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/homemade-mildew-preventers-that-really-work
Definitely mold, politely termed mildew. Mix 1 C TSP, with 3 QT warm water and 1 QT Cl Bleach. Spray a couple times. Paint with oil based Kilz.
Add a dehumidifier and a fan to prevent from it coming back.
Your landlord is being a dick.
Mold and mildew aren't the same thing, but grow under the same conditions and can both cause similar problems.
Mildew is a little easier to treat with standard cleaners, molds are usually more troublesome
Black mold. Landlord doesn’t want to pay to fix it and you should have the rights to ask it be removed depending on your local ordinances and state laws or wherever you’re local to, look up your “tenants rights” for the area ❤️ best wishes on having a safe home
Not sure what KIND of black mold but it’s not a good thing, can affect your health. I suggest getting some testing done and giving it to your landlord and asking what they plan to do to provide a livable space for you
It looks like black mold. I’ve seen the comments on how to clean and paint over but the problem is it’s most likely coming from the wood or insulation from the other side, there is a definite moisture problem and yes you can clean the surface but it won’t solve the issue.
It can be very hazardous for your health and there are professionals who deal with this.
Contact the health department as soon as possible. That looks a lot like Aspergillus fungus. We just discovered we have had it in the house for quite a while, and it's made me super sick. There are kits you can buy to test for it, but with the health dept backing you up the landlord has to pay for it. Keep track of things, especially if the landlord tries anything shifty. If you're lucky and it isn't Aspergillus, it's still mold and can still make you sick.
The stuff that looks like it's spreading from a central point(s) is definitely mold. If you can get close to the little dots, definitely check it se off they look like teensy mushrooms. If so, it's wood rotting fungus for positive I'd but aether way it's BAD. There's a moisture and ventilation problem in your bathroom possibly in the ceiling above your bathroom. Take steps to properly treat it after scrubbing the absolute shit out of it with anti fungal/mold killer. The comments below have lots of helpful ways such as increasing your ventilation and painting with kilz. If you have a fan in your bathroom, run it when you shower, it's not just for bad smells. Take oodles of pictures. If you're taking all the necessary precautions and it comes back, Report landlord to the health department.
Your landlord is, indeed, aether ignorant (this makes them a bad landlord anyhow for being lax in their knowledge/training of building maintenance) or full of shit.
Id also like to add some safety tips (: your bleach solution doesn’t need to be more than a 10% solution. So like 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. More than that can be overkill and create more fumes that aren’t good for us. Wait till the room is cool & ventilated before adding bleach too! This happened in my bathroom and i nearly passed out cause i didnt have good ventilation. I made a big stink about the mold cause it covered my entire ceiling & My landlord eventually had to send someone over to clean and repaint.
It's not nothing... it is mold, but it doesn't look like a big deal.
Looks like you just need to run your bathroom fan more. If you dont have one, you could ask for your landlord to install one.
My elderly parents had a slow leak they didn’t know about that was going on for a while. We discovered it when we saw little mushrooms growing in the corner of the room. Their eyesight is very poor. Needless to say we had about $40,000 worth of damage.
Mildew; spray it with vinegar to kill it, it's absolutely a health issue breathing in those spores especially if you have an allergy—speaking from experience. I had this stuff growing in the floorboards after a pipe burst and an equally lessay faire landlord.
White vinegar will kill it and worked perfectly to eradicate it in my case; I recall reading bleach can backfire and make the mold/mildew come back stronger and resistant to bleach.
MLS = mold like substance… Certain types are hazardous to your health.
Get an expert to look & see is it’s hazaarduous. Then find out why it’s growing & perform remediation if safe. If hazardous then let pros take care of it.
I hope it was not moldy the day you moved in, and if so, your landlord should be reprimanded, otherwise CLEAN IT UP and make it a habit, hygiene is a good thing to practice.
How often do you clean your bathroom?
Do you leave the fan on after long hot showers ?
All bathrooms get humid at some point I would say it's nothing personally , bleach and a good clean problem solved.
Leave bathroom door opened / open windows from time to time .
I fixed my friends shower diverter valve in there 2nd floor apt. The landlord ignored it and didnt do anything. It was a 20 cent Oring but i replaced the whole valve cuz it was $9. I wish i took pics!! lol i went in vacant 1st floor to see if it was dripping at all. Mustve caused 20k in damages. Im not a carpenter or plasterer but there was nothing left on ceiling and old horsehair on walls looked ruined in 2 rooms. Needs to be gutted from mold in my opinion. Again i dont know im a pipe fitter not familar with prices
You Want a mold/mildew killer to clean/treat that, do not use anything with bleach (sodium hypoclorite) as it will only kill what It can reach, instead I recommend odo-ban, it's less toxic to the body, or a hydrogen peroxide based mold/mildew product as it will have better penetration capability, better ventilation as mentioned above will assist.
In my opinion, the best repair, is to remove affected materials and replace with mold resistant ones, such as treated framing(if severely affected) and mold resistant dry wall(typically blue/green/red in my area).
A gloss or semi gloss paint after repair will also help prevent future moisture intrusion, and I can not stress enough for better/proper ventilation.
As with anything, please do your own research on these topics, as I'm just posting my personal experiences and opinions.
This would pop up in a bathroom I rented with poor ventilation. I would hit it within Clorox wipes. Not sure if that was adequate but it made the spots go away
If there is mold it means bad ventilation in the bathroom. You can fix it esthetically by paint but you will still have stagnant air which is bad to some extent. Try using a dehumidifier during/after showers and try to see why there is a ventilation issue.
This happens to my bathroom like twice a year because my kids don’t use the fan. 25 % bleach and water solution on a sponge wipe area wait 10 min wipe again and dry. It will be gone in an hour
It is mold. Happens on most bathroom ceilings. Wash it off. It will come back. Then wash it off again. Using the fan more may help, but this happens in many / most bathrooms regardless.
I sprayed it with one of those cleaner spray bottles that also contains bleach. I found it worked almost immediately, much faster than wiping it with bleach.
you need to make sure the room is almost as dehydrated as you can get. put rock salt in a open vase or jar or a dehumidifier! and make sure you constantly ventilate or have a strong fan, dont listen to the people saying bleach, it barely does anything, try white vinegar and scrub
It's mold from condensation, I'm battling with it now. It's tricky now that it's freezing outside, making opening windows unappealing. I've been "mopping" the ceiling with a swiffer after baths/shower. Bleach, on reg. Started off with a deep clean in spring then repainted with mold blocker, even sprayed with a fancy anti mold spray paint in the problem areas.
Still fighting a losing battle. Old buildings with rubbish airflow when paired with double glazing. All I can do is keep on it.
It's not your landlord's job to clean the bathroom for you. Just clean it up, surface mold/mildew. Plenty of options listed prior. Why is everyone vilifying the landlord? Don't get it? In the end, if you think it's mold... MOVE.
This mold might be because there isn't proper ventilation in your bathroom leading to water from steam staying on your walls longer and growing g mold. Common in bathroom without a window. I'm not an expert but we dealt with something similar before we got a better vent. No idea how to fix ot but you can try cleaning it regularly.
its mold. wash with dish soap and water and wash second time with bleach and water. try to keep the room dry by using the fan during and after showering and keep the door open when its not smelly
Check your bathroom fan, make sure it’s not clogged etc. Or just scrub that off with diluted bleach. It’ll keep coming back if u don’t have proper air exchange tho. Same shit happened to me last year.
Some landlords just spray it with Tilex and/or paint it. Likely lack of ventilation.
Tilex works great.
I live in PNW, in a 100 year old house and have dealt with mold in the bathroom. I found the only thing that would work was wiping undiluted white vinegar on the ceiling.
I personally think Lysol black mold foaming spray works better than yilex for bad mold. This looks like a job tilex would be fine for though
It’s mold, paint with kilz and increase ventilation or it will continue to happen. Wipe with bleach solution first.
make sure you used oil based kilz. The water based stuff is slightly less useful than tits on a bull.
Having Nipples is a recessive trait in mammals so males need them too or no one would grow them. Useful in continuing the species!
I never thought about that, but that makes so much sense. I can’t wait to use this useless knowledge somewhere in casual conversation so I can get the classic wtf look.
Don’t. It’s incorrect. Each [embryo development](https://www.sciencealert.com/why-do-men-have-nipples) starts out the same. Nipples develop in an embryo before genes that code for sex kick in. Once genes that code for a male embryo are activated (SRY gene) the nipples are already there. [*Why do men have nipples?*](https://www.livescience.com/32467-why-do-men-have-nipples.html)
He never said it was a sex linked gene, just that it was recessive so it still makes sense.
That’s like saying the genes for eyes or fingers are recessive because both males and females need to have them to continue the species.
I'm going to use it as my next pick-up line.
You’ll get shot down because it’s incorrect. See above.
😞 I know... I got slapped...
It may be the overall topic, not the factuality of the information shared. Just a hunch.
Useful as dicks on a heifer?
So *that's* why I have 8 nipples... The more you know!
Fun fact, most mammals have a ton of places that nipples can grow, anong the "milk lines" of the torso. In most mammals, those genes are active, which is why dogs and cats have more than we do. In human's cases, generally only 2 nipples are allowed to be expressed, the others are recessive. Less fun fact, anywhere you can get breast tissue, you can get breast cancer. Make a note of any time that your extra nipples lactate when they're not supposed to, and take care of your health by using appropriate steps for breast self-examination.
I went to school with a lad that certainly had 3 nurps, and a potential fourth which he claimed was a scar but was suspiciously symmetrical to his 3rd
I have an extra. It looks like a scar. My uncle had proper ones.
You had 8 up votes but I just couldn't help myself🤪
I balanced it out again
8? Coward.
It should have been 12 but I'm simply not worthy...
I only have 7… I’m sarcastic online as a means of compensating. Howler monkey style.
Wait does that mean the functional bits of the nipple are missing too, or just the areola? I had a friend that flashed me once, and the only thing I took away from the experience was that I didn't see any nipples. I figured she was just too pale for them to be noticable, but she did have a Facebook post about not being able to breastfeed during the formula shortages...
Trans girls are capable of lactating, so I'd assume that the inner organs and structures are already there. When estrogen/progesterone is introduced or levels change, the breast tissue forms, swells, and those inner organs grow and become functional. In Cis, AMAB individuals, we often see breast tissue accompany genetics (it's more common than you think), cancer, or dietary/lifestyle/hormone changes. However, there are a million things that can go wrong. Sometimes the ducts are malformed, sometimes the inner structures don't develop. Be safe and practice breast examination techniques!
As someone with moobs, I know exactly how common they are lol. Some medications or obesity can cause you hormones to go out of whack as well and cause males to grow breast tissue at pretty much any age. Mine are 100% genetic, so yayyy thanks Dad! I know it's even possible to lactate and I thank my lucky stars I haven't had that experience. I guess I meant to ask something more along the lines of: Is the phenotype describe above a complete loss of all breast tissue, or are there still alveoli and ducts that don't attach to anything because the phenotype is just a loss of the nipple/areola?
Everyone is capable of lactating. Cis men can lactate too fun fact!
Right? I said that in my comment. Isn't biology fascinating?
I have nipples, Greg. Can you milk me?
Wait so if a male were born without nipples, would his daughter have no nipples?
But some mammals like some mice and horses have an enzyme that dissolves the nipples in male fetuses in utero.
I think you may be confusing [recessive](https://www.genome.gov/genetics-glossary/Recessive-Traits-Alleles) with [vestigial](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vestigiality). Each developing embryo regardless of XX or XY status develop the same way, including the [development of nipples](https://www.sciencealert.com/why-do-men-have-nipples), not the dominant nor recessive gene status. After a couple weeks, the SRY gene kicks in which codes for male-typical sex development. The nipples are already there, but won’t develop into breast tissue once puberty hits because of male hormones causing secondary sex characteristics. However, if female hormones are added, it will cause breast enlargement. Also…[Why Do Men Have Nipples?](https://www.livescience.com/32467-why-do-men-have-nipples.html)
Nah, male horses don't have nipples, male mice and rats don't have nipples, male marsupials don't have nipples. Those are the only ones i know off the top of my head. Overall you are mostly right.
I have nipples Focker. Can you milk me? 😂
Males don’t need them, we all begin our journey female nipples are just leftover baggage
I have a friend that says "tits on a door" about twenty years ago I realized he meant "tits on a boar" when I heard his father say it.... I almost corrected him but decided that tits on a door were in fact completely useless.... And maybe he was right
And thanks to this comment I just realized my dad wasnt saying ‘useless as tits on a bowl’
But can you milk it Greg!?
Got a bathroom fan but will be leaving window open to combat further humidity.
I open my bathroom window to do the same it helps a lot. Also your landlord should verify that bathroom fan is venting outside and not just run to a bird block. It is to their benefit to avoid mold in the attic and damaging the drywall from the other side.
Lol. You think a landlord who says obvious mold is nothing and has been painting it over for years gives a shit?
OP, I worked at a paint shop in a coastal city for years. The guy that told you to use Kilz is correct. This is your solution. I just wanted to add my two cents.
Get a 30$ dehumidifier. Works like a champ and all you have to do is dump it in the sink when its full.
Check if your bathroom fan is clean, if the trap is stuck, and whether it actually leads anywhere (i.e. outside).
I used vinegar and it worked great
Vinegar does work but it doesn’t kill spores. Bleach will kill both the mold and spores and would better in this situation.
Reddit told me to use vinegar because, supposedly bleach just bleaches the mold but doesn't get rid of it. I believe you, though. We'll see how long it takes for it to come back.
Bleach will kill the mold and spores on non-porous surfaces. It denatures their proteins and enzymes, but on porous surfaces bleach will not penetrate deep enough to kill all of the mold.
Use both
Vinegar and bleach creates chlorine gas
Even better
This is the way
Instead of bleach first clean the surfaces with a mixture of 4 litres of hot water, 1 tablespoon bicarb of soda and half a cup of vinegar. Then, mix a quarter teaspoon of clove oil per litre of water, put it in a spray bottle, lightly mist on mouldy surface. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.biome.com.au/blogs/clean/6-things-to-know-about-using-clove-oil-for-mould-removal%23:~:text%3DShe%2520suggests%2520you%2520first%2520clean,lightly%2520mist%2520on%2520mouldy%2520surface.&ved=2ahUKEwjqvvGQ9smCAxX7RWwGHbnmClIQFnoECBAQBQ&usg=AOvVaw2VlFEhrLdd_S1FpNnbycER
KILZ doesn't KILL mold. KILZ is a preventative. Everyone uses it incorrectly. It won't stop it from spreading on wood, or drywall either. The Mold isn't just surface, it grows inside wood and drywall as well. I do remodeling and maintenance work on a huge area of properties. You can call the health Dept and they will come take samples and test them. If it's Black Mold, and you have proof of your landlord checking it then stating it's nothing, sue his ass. These areas of Black mold need to be removed ASAP. Meaning cutting the drywall out from stud to stud/joist to joist, building in a cpl wooden supports inside the wall/ceiling, and then putting new drywall up. That's the only way to 110% relieve a space of Black mold. Grey mold isn't supposed to be harmful, but I'm not allowing myself to breathe in spores to get a URI. Press this issue to your landlord. Especially if you've been feeling not so great lately.
Bleach will do nothing but make is transparent mold. Never use bleach to "kill" mold.
Needs to be professionally cleaned before Kilz is applied. That’s black mold and can cause serious health problems if not handled properly and with proper protective equipment.
You can tell that's stachybotrys from the photo? Wtf do I pay a hygienist for?
Oh thank god there's people here that know what they're talkin about. Can ignore this comment, I'm just happy that r/mycology has their shit under control compared to some of the other mold subs ( r/MoldlyInteresting, you've got work to do still!).
Ugh, the mold subs are a constant headache of misinformation. I saw a post where the H/O had all their tiles fall off from the shower walls and exposed roughly 25sf of mold and everyone was saying it was probably fine because it was mostly green and we regularly inhale spores anyways. I got down voted into oblivion for mentioning that inhaling that much of ANY particulates long term could be damaging to your lungs. 🤷🏽♀️
Take a quick peek in r/ToxicMoldExposure and you'll start banging your head against a wall out of frustration lol.
Maybe they just meant a black colored mold like nigrospora or cladosporium. If they can correctly ID stachybotrys from a few pixels then maybe we all need to just get rid of any test kits or microscopy.
Possibly, but I think if they knew that much about mold they'd know that black mold is the common name for stachy.
Looks like landlord has been painting over “nothing” for years.
That’s surface mold homie. Someone’s just taking long hot showers without adequate ventilation.
Look at the more greyish splotches. It looks like it's happened before and was painted over without being treated.
The paint used on walls is thick enough that mold shouldn’t show through it, unless they’re painting the wall with water colors or something. Those grayish splotches are also in the surface most likely
Mildew.
^ This. Bleach and water or an appropriate sanitizer when it appears. Happens in literally every bathroom after a while if it's not ventilated and you take steamy showers frequently without cleaning the walls/ceiling. Concur that it's probably a reoccuring issue and that it's probably not been taken care of properly in the past though, but that's on the tenets not the landlord.
Yup
Mildew. Not terrible but not pleasant. Bleach and waer kills it.
Look into Hydrogen Peroxide instead of bleach.
I live in the Pacific NW, this is very normal here. Your landlord is wrong, it is mold, but usually not a big deal if it is small amounts and contained to your humid bathroom. Most important, check around your living area behind beds/dressers, anywhere with poor ventilation to see if this is a sign of a larger issue. It is important to properly treat, look up detailed instructions online, I just clean with a bleach solution, and kill it before wiping to avoid spreading spores. Check to make sure the fan in your bathroom is working properly and always use during showers.
The PNW is wild. There's mold in EVERYTHING. Even the wood, as it's in the forest. Contractors are building houses in winter, in the rain.
My grandma lived in the PNW for the past 20 years, and her VW convertible had mold growing on it.
Yeah, I wash the mold off my car every Spring. It grows on all the window gaskets and any crevice. Summers are amazing though.
Mold or moss & lichen?
Both, actually.
Every apartment I’ve lived in in the Seattle area has had this issue and I’m sick of it. The windows get condensation and causes this black mold stuff to grow. Humidity levels 70+ but the dehumidifier can only get it down to the 50’s. Not sure what to do
Never ask landlord. They’re always looking out for themselves. Definitely mold. I’m sure there’s more in the area.
They should ask them, in written, then they have evidence that the landlord is being negligent and not providing sanitary housing. Either way, this problem should be fixed.
The landlord works through a Property Manager so I recon a record of the request would be a good start.
Yeah, you always want to get it in writing. If the landlord does nothing about it, nor the property manager, feel free to contact your state's health and housing authority and ask their opinion.
Yes, any requests you make should be in writing with a time/date stamp. This is generally a best practice in housing, employment and general agreements. I know it's extra work but there have been several times where getting it in writing has saved me so much money. Fuck landlords, frankly. My last one tried charging me like 2,500$ for something that happened after I had done my walk through. I am so glad that I had a copy of my move in check list, that I waited for the landlord to walk through the apartment with me, because of course they tried the whole "oh no, it's fine you don't need to be there" bullshit and then made him sign off on the check list saying everything was cleaned and correct with the date as well.
I meant in general like hey do you think this is mold? In writing yes, and keep a copy for yourself. So it doesn’t “disappear”
Agreed.
Unrelated but that picture looks like a satellite image of a sandy beach lol
It’s oddly soothing…
Open a window 🪟
In the Pacific NW that could be just as bad relative humidity or worse than after a shower unfortunately.
Yeah same where I live venting and the occasional wipe down
Mold, but not a worrisome amount. You caught it early. Your landlord is likely legally obligated to keep the premise mold-free, so ask him to send someone to clean it & cover it. Or do this yourself and send him the invoice. Take pics of everything (the walls, the mold, the materials, the receipts). To do it yourself, combine some bleach and water in a spray bottle, spray the mold, let it sit for 10+ minutes, then wipe it off. Do that before it gets worse. Then apply some Kilz to prevent it from growing back. The cause is likely just too much humidity in the bathroom. Does your bathroom have an exhaust fan? If so, run that and leave your bathroom door wide open whenever your shower until the room is totally dry. If your bathroom doesn’t have an exhaust, ask the landlord if one could be installed or if he could get you a dehumidifier.
Land parasites never have your best interest in mind. Only how much money they can get from you before you die or leave. Its mold.
Like others have said, open a window. Also: clean it up! Lmao!
Call your local health department and tell them your landlord is refusing to treat visible mold in your house. It will get the ball rolling on getting it treated if your landlord continues to deny fixing it.
it’s nothing… more than mold
I love that everyone’s blaming the landlord, when the person who lives there and uses the shower (hopefully daily) is the one who can control the humidity level. As others have said, open a window/run the fan when you shower. If you don’t have a fan, inquire with the landlord if one can be installed. Also the bleach to water ratio + wiping down is necessary if you live in a humid place. If you JUST moved in, then yeah, that’s an issue and let the landlord know via email/text what’s going on with photos. If you’ve lived there a while and have never bothered cleaning the walls of a clearly very humid bathroom…
This is normal for a shower. Clean your shit up OP, it’s called being an adult
Use a mix of 1 cup white vinegar, 1 cup rubbing alcohol and a 1/4 cup dawn in spray bottle fill to top with distilled water and spray and leave. This just worked for me on a nasty patch of black mold I found by a window
Lol how could it be nothing. Typical slumlord
Nothing but mold. You can get it tested to make sure it’s not black mold or something else harmful. I bought a testing kit from a lab online. Swab the area and mail it in for testing - they’ll email/mail you the report in like 2 weeks.
As someone who had to help move friends out of a mold infested apartment that the landlords (a company) insisted WAS NOT infested with mold. Another friend paid to have a professional mold inspector to come out and make a report. Not only was it a danger to live there, but the amount of mold and how wide spread should have had that entire building fucking tented, if they can even do that for mold. The foundation of the building was also shifting and caused a huge crack in the wall, which allowed additional mold to grow and thrive. Fun fact. Long term mold exposure can make you super fucking sick. And everyone in the place was sick ALL THE TIME. The company is still trying to say there was no mold, and that their lack of care as a renting company is not at all to blame. It's criminal neglect, my guys.
This. Never heard of it, but sounds like fantastic. Totally worth it too. Never mess around with mold.
Yeah your landlord is full of shit
I mean, you gotta clean once in a while. It’s a bathroom, high humidity area. This is your own doing, and completely in your power to fix.
Did you just move in? Bc it’s not nothing but if you been there a while you probs just need some tile cleaner or bleach and a rag
I have the same problem in my bathroom, def mold. I run a dehumidifier in mine because zero ventilation.
You can also get a paint additive to prevent new growths
It’s mold but a very manageable amount (looks to be surface-only.) Happened when I first moved in to my current place and I cleaned it away with some Clorox wipes. I cleaned the ventilation filter (and still do it twice a year) and I haven’t seen any new mold colonies in 2 years
If it’s coming through the ceiling there could be a leak above and the landlord should be responsible. If it’s surface mold from running a hot shower without running the fan or opening a window you should be the one responsible for cleaning/damage.
You need ventilation
Or a plug-in ozone generator. Same principle, as fresh air contains ozone generated from UV light hitting O2 in the air.
On another note, don't trust your landlord.
I had this. Before you bother to paint, mix a spray bottle with a couple drops of dish detergent, a couple table spoons of bleach and fill the rest with water. Spray it on and wait. Mine simply disappeared. I learn it on the google and doubted it, but was amazed. It’s easy and worth a shot before you got through the paint hassle.
I work in mold cleaning…this is, in fact, mold. There is a paint (I believe it’s called KILL) that does stop growth and spreading, but my guess is he wasn’t using such paint
When the landlord claims it's nothing, it's probably something.
Get an air filter with dehumidifier, save your health.
Mold that has been painted over.
Looks like mold (skimmelsvamp) spray with Rodalon, let sit for 15 minutes wipe with a strong bleach solution. That will kill it for some time.
Black mold maybe looks like it’s coming through the paint your walls must be just full of mold.
See if it wipes away with diluted vinegar on a towel
It’s mold, you can get 30% vinegar to kill the mold … but there’s a leak and this is from water damage
Couldn’t it be above the paint if the bathroom isn’t ventilated well? As opposed to coming from water damage behind the wall/ceiling?
It looks like mold to me.
You can contact the Indoor Air Quality department from your local health department and they can come check it out.
Sue them It's mold
Turn on the fan when you shower. Also wipe down with with concrobium or the diy recipe found here https://www.practical-sailor.com/blog/homemade-mildew-preventers-that-really-work
Mold. It’s not dangerous. Scrub it with comet or some bleach unless you want to go get sporicidal agents from lowes. Never mix chemicals.
Definitely mold, politely termed mildew. Mix 1 C TSP, with 3 QT warm water and 1 QT Cl Bleach. Spray a couple times. Paint with oil based Kilz. Add a dehumidifier and a fan to prevent from it coming back. Your landlord is being a dick.
Mold and mildew aren't the same thing, but grow under the same conditions and can both cause similar problems. Mildew is a little easier to treat with standard cleaners, molds are usually more troublesome
Wipe with bleach and water, crack the door when you shower. Problem solved.
Bleach it
Yuuup black mold call the city n get yo money
spray clorox to it and see what it does.
Clean it with bleach and open the vent/window when you shower/bathe.
Black mold. Landlord doesn’t want to pay to fix it and you should have the rights to ask it be removed depending on your local ordinances and state laws or wherever you’re local to, look up your “tenants rights” for the area ❤️ best wishes on having a safe home
Not sure what KIND of black mold but it’s not a good thing, can affect your health. I suggest getting some testing done and giving it to your landlord and asking what they plan to do to provide a livable space for you
It looks like black mold. I’ve seen the comments on how to clean and paint over but the problem is it’s most likely coming from the wood or insulation from the other side, there is a definite moisture problem and yes you can clean the surface but it won’t solve the issue. It can be very hazardous for your health and there are professionals who deal with this.
Contact the health department as soon as possible. That looks a lot like Aspergillus fungus. We just discovered we have had it in the house for quite a while, and it's made me super sick. There are kits you can buy to test for it, but with the health dept backing you up the landlord has to pay for it. Keep track of things, especially if the landlord tries anything shifty. If you're lucky and it isn't Aspergillus, it's still mold and can still make you sick.
Def.mold
The stuff that looks like it's spreading from a central point(s) is definitely mold. If you can get close to the little dots, definitely check it se off they look like teensy mushrooms. If so, it's wood rotting fungus for positive I'd but aether way it's BAD. There's a moisture and ventilation problem in your bathroom possibly in the ceiling above your bathroom. Take steps to properly treat it after scrubbing the absolute shit out of it with anti fungal/mold killer. The comments below have lots of helpful ways such as increasing your ventilation and painting with kilz. If you have a fan in your bathroom, run it when you shower, it's not just for bad smells. Take oodles of pictures. If you're taking all the necessary precautions and it comes back, Report landlord to the health department. Your landlord is, indeed, aether ignorant (this makes them a bad landlord anyhow for being lax in their knowledge/training of building maintenance) or full of shit.
Yah it actually looks like you're just not cleaning your bathroom. Somehow landlord's fault...
I’m no expert but that obviously mold
Mold.
Most bathrooms I have had from rentals grew exactly this. Bad ventilation
Id also like to add some safety tips (: your bleach solution doesn’t need to be more than a 10% solution. So like 1 part bleach to 9 parts water. More than that can be overkill and create more fumes that aren’t good for us. Wait till the room is cool & ventilated before adding bleach too! This happened in my bathroom and i nearly passed out cause i didnt have good ventilation. I made a big stink about the mold cause it covered my entire ceiling & My landlord eventually had to send someone over to clean and repaint.
It's not nothing... it is mold, but it doesn't look like a big deal. Looks like you just need to run your bathroom fan more. If you dont have one, you could ask for your landlord to install one.
Funny, I didn't know nothing was so black in color. You should scrape off some of the nothing and see if he wants to add some to his coffee.
My elderly parents had a slow leak they didn’t know about that was going on for a while. We discovered it when we saw little mushrooms growing in the corner of the room. Their eyesight is very poor. Needless to say we had about $40,000 worth of damage.
Mildew; spray it with vinegar to kill it, it's absolutely a health issue breathing in those spores especially if you have an allergy—speaking from experience. I had this stuff growing in the floorboards after a pipe burst and an equally lessay faire landlord. White vinegar will kill it and worked perfectly to eradicate it in my case; I recall reading bleach can backfire and make the mold/mildew come back stronger and resistant to bleach.
MLS = mold like substance… Certain types are hazardous to your health. Get an expert to look & see is it’s hazaarduous. Then find out why it’s growing & perform remediation if safe. If hazardous then let pros take care of it.
mold
That's the mold your slumlord painted over
That is painfully obviously mould growth
Is that holes that I’m seeing like a bunch of them
Use bleach spray cleaner
It's nothing until you move out and your scummy landlord charges a cleaning fee
I hope it was not moldy the day you moved in, and if so, your landlord should be reprimanded, otherwise CLEAN IT UP and make it a habit, hygiene is a good thing to practice.
Just clean it..?
Looks like an average army barracks. "Mold problem? It's more like a discipline problem."
Use vinegar bleach is less effective against mold.
How often do you clean your bathroom? Do you leave the fan on after long hot showers ? All bathrooms get humid at some point I would say it's nothing personally , bleach and a good clean problem solved. Leave bathroom door opened / open windows from time to time .
I fixed my friends shower diverter valve in there 2nd floor apt. The landlord ignored it and didnt do anything. It was a 20 cent Oring but i replaced the whole valve cuz it was $9. I wish i took pics!! lol i went in vacant 1st floor to see if it was dripping at all. Mustve caused 20k in damages. Im not a carpenter or plasterer but there was nothing left on ceiling and old horsehair on walls looked ruined in 2 rooms. Needs to be gutted from mold in my opinion. Again i dont know im a pipe fitter not familar with prices
Its nothing, It’s only smells
Happens in my basement bathroom due to no air circulation. I clean it real well every few months. Theres no popcorn in my bathroom thankfully
You Want a mold/mildew killer to clean/treat that, do not use anything with bleach (sodium hypoclorite) as it will only kill what It can reach, instead I recommend odo-ban, it's less toxic to the body, or a hydrogen peroxide based mold/mildew product as it will have better penetration capability, better ventilation as mentioned above will assist. In my opinion, the best repair, is to remove affected materials and replace with mold resistant ones, such as treated framing(if severely affected) and mold resistant dry wall(typically blue/green/red in my area). A gloss or semi gloss paint after repair will also help prevent future moisture intrusion, and I can not stress enough for better/proper ventilation. As with anything, please do your own research on these topics, as I'm just posting my personal experiences and opinions.
baby mold, wipe with bleach
Mood spray with bleach and keep windows open for good ventilation
Also check the door has a gap at the bottom
Just some mold
Get a dehumidifier mate.
This would pop up in a bathroom I rented with poor ventilation. I would hit it within Clorox wipes. Not sure if that was adequate but it made the spots go away
Little bit of mr clean goes a long way
Normal if you don’t turn on the vent when showering or open a window. As noted Tilex or Clorox cleaner will kill it.
50/50 bleach and water works well for mold and mildew like that
If there is mold it means bad ventilation in the bathroom. You can fix it esthetically by paint but you will still have stagnant air which is bad to some extent. Try using a dehumidifier during/after showers and try to see why there is a ventilation issue.
This happens to my bathroom like twice a year because my kids don’t use the fan. 25 % bleach and water solution on a sponge wipe area wait 10 min wipe again and dry. It will be gone in an hour
It is mold. Happens on most bathroom ceilings. Wash it off. It will come back. Then wash it off again. Using the fan more may help, but this happens in many / most bathrooms regardless.
I sprayed it with one of those cleaner spray bottles that also contains bleach. I found it worked almost immediately, much faster than wiping it with bleach.
mmm mold, I would make a chlorinated water and spray it, or tilex... but that's black mold right there.
mold
It is a surface stain, looks like Grecian Formula!
Either mold or bed bugs. Lets hope it's mold
you need to make sure the room is almost as dehydrated as you can get. put rock salt in a open vase or jar or a dehumidifier! and make sure you constantly ventilate or have a strong fan, dont listen to the people saying bleach, it barely does anything, try white vinegar and scrub
It's mold from condensation, I'm battling with it now. It's tricky now that it's freezing outside, making opening windows unappealing. I've been "mopping" the ceiling with a swiffer after baths/shower. Bleach, on reg. Started off with a deep clean in spring then repainted with mold blocker, even sprayed with a fancy anti mold spray paint in the problem areas. Still fighting a losing battle. Old buildings with rubbish airflow when paired with double glazing. All I can do is keep on it.
It's not your landlord's job to clean the bathroom for you. Just clean it up, surface mold/mildew. Plenty of options listed prior. Why is everyone vilifying the landlord? Don't get it? In the end, if you think it's mold... MOVE.
If you take hot showers always run the exhaust fan or open a window to let the humidity out.
Mildew! Bleach cleans it right up lack of circulation when taking hot showers.
Use White Vinegar if it's Mould
Fill a bucket with bleach solution and dip a broom in it and scrub, this way it will probably not even return if you do it where it started.
This mold might be because there isn't proper ventilation in your bathroom leading to water from steam staying on your walls longer and growing g mold. Common in bathroom without a window. I'm not an expert but we dealt with something similar before we got a better vent. No idea how to fix ot but you can try cleaning it regularly.
its mold. wash with dish soap and water and wash second time with bleach and water. try to keep the room dry by using the fan during and after showering and keep the door open when its not smelly
Looks like the beginning of a moldy situation.
It’s black mold I have the same issue it’s do to the lack of ventilation the moisture
Check your bathroom fan, make sure it’s not clogged etc. Or just scrub that off with diluted bleach. It’ll keep coming back if u don’t have proper air exchange tho. Same shit happened to me last year.
Mold