How To Get Rid Of Black Mold In Toilet Tank, Bowl & Seat

In this article, we’ll be giving you tips on how to remove mold in the toilet bowl, tank, and seat. Keep reading!

Have you ever come across mold grows in a toilet bowl?

If mold is ever going to grow anywhere in your home, then the toilet is a prime candidate. This is because there is a lot of water activity around that area, thanks to all the flushing and water storage in the tank.

This, however, should not be an excuse for mold to grow in your toilet. Imagine if you had a visitor over and they find mold growing in your toilet bowl, that’ll be embarrassing, to say the least!

Black Mold In Toilet Bowl Below Water Line, In-Tank & On Seat

Besides giving your toilet a bad look, mold can also cause allergies and compound existing respiratory issues like asthma and other lung infections.

Since you visit your toilet at least 3 times a day, it means will be exposed to mold more times than you would care for. But it doesn’t have to be this way, there are things you can do to solve this problem.

That being said.  How do you get rid of black mold in your toilet?

Let’s get right into it.

How Did Mold Get In My Toilet Bowl?

Toilet bowl mold can appear as a result of steady moisture, darkness under the rim, and poor cleaning habits.

As we all know, the toilet bowl stores water at the base, it also drags in water during the flushing process. The water coming into the bowl does so from beneath the rim, and some dampness will be left behind after each flush.

Being that the area is moist and dark (two conditions that mold love), then you can expect the build-up of mold there.

It gets worse if your toilet doesn’t receive enough air. When the bathroom is poorly ventilated, the chances of mold growth will be greatly increased.

The same reason you find mold in your toilet bowl is pretty much the same reason you will find mold growing in the rim (seat).

As for mold growth in the tank, well that’s bound to happen with all toilet tanks. Unless preventive measures are taken of course.

After every flush, the tank is automatically filled back up with water. This means that part of the toilet is always wet. Let’s not forget that the tank has a cover, which means the insides are always dark too.

Mold can thrive easily in these conditions, but only if you let them.

Let us take a look at how you can remove mold from the different parts of your toilet.

Things You Will Need

Mold cleaning is a tedious and sometimes dirty job. This is why you would need some items in hand before you begin cleaning mod from your toilet.

Here’s what you’ll need.

Protective gear: Mold itself can be dangerous when close contact is made. For this reason, you will need to protect yourself when cleaning the mold.

A pair of rubber gloves will keep your fingers from touching the mold and the cleaning solution, while goggles will protect your eyes from splashes and flying mold particles.

You should also wear a face mask to keep your nose and mouth safe.

Bleach, vinegar, or commercial mold cleaner: Bleach is a powerful substance that is used for cleaning the most stubborn stains, including mold. The good thing is, it kills the mold too.

You can also buy a commercial mold cleaner from a store near you. That’s if you’re not interested in making a bleach or vinegar solution.

Whichever you choose, they are all great for removing surface mold and mold in the toilet bowl below the waterline.

A mixing bowl: If you’re going to be making a bleach or vinegar solution, then you’ll need a bowl to mix your preferred cleaner with water.

A spray bottle: You will need a spray bottle to store the solution of your bleach or vinegar solution. With this, you can spray into the tightest corners of the toilet, including under the toilet bowl rim.

A hard brush: To remove mold growing in a toilet bowl, having a hard-bristled brush in hand would be excellent!

A hard brush can easily get rid of the black stuff under the toilet rim after the cleaning solution has broken it down.

Don’t attempt to remove toilet bowl mold without it.

An extra tip here is to keep an old toothbrush in hand. This will help you scrub the tight areas where a regular brush cannot reach (under the toilet bowl rim).

Now that you’ve got your items in hand, let us discuss how to clean the different areas of your toilet one by one.

Here is how to clean the black ring under your toilet rim and at the waterline.

How To Clean Mold In Toilet Bowl At Water Line & Rim

Follow these steps to remove mold in your toilet bowl under the water line and rim.

Step 1: Put on protective gear

You wouldn’t want to begin cleaning if you haven’t put your protective gear on. Wear your goggles, gloves, and facemask before you start anything.

Step 2: Prepare a toilet mold remover solution

There are several parts in which you can mix bleach with water.

However, the recommended mix is one cup of bleach to a gallon of water. You can read the mixing instructions on the package of the bleach just to be sure.

You can also use white vinegar if you wish, but never mix it with bleach. The combination of the two will produce toxic fumes that are far more dangerous than the mold you are trying to get rid of.

The good thing about vinegar is that it can absorb the terrible smell that mold carries.

Add a little water to the vinegar to dilute it. This will reduce its harshness.

After your solution has been thoroughly stirred, you can add it to the spray bottle then proceed to the next step.

If you’re using a ready-made household mold cleaner, you wouldn’t need to mix a solution.

Step 3: Apply the cleaner

Spray the cleaner across the sides of the bowl and leave it to sit for some time. If you’re using a homemade bleach or vinegar solution, then 5 to 10 minutes will do just fine.

But if you’re using a commercial mold cleaner, then read the instructions in the pack and wait for the time recommended by the manufacturer.

For mold growing below the water line in the bowl, you can just pour a cup of powdered bleach directly into it. Leave it to sit for some time then proceed to the next step.

Step 4: Scrub the inner walls of the bowl

After 10 minutes or so, the cleaning spray which you applied on the inner walls of the toilet bowl must have done its job. It is now time for you to get your hard brush and scrub away!

Be sure to get the mold under the rim of the bowl too. If a regular brush can’t fit in, then use an old toothbrush to scrub those tight areas.

After doing this, take your toilet bowl scrubber and clean the area below the waterline where you previously applied the bleach or cleaning solution. The scrubber is a long, plastic-handled tool with ball-like bristles at the top.

When you’re done scrubbing all interior areas of the toilet bowl, you can flush all the debris away.

Easy as ABC!

How To Clean Toilet Tank Mold

The toilet tank is always filled with water, but that doesn’t mean mold should live in it.

Follow these tips to the mold in your toilet tank.

Step 1: Pour a cup of bleach into the tank

Add a cup of powdered bleach into the tank and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

During this time, the bleach will spread to all the areas of the tank walls and begin breaking down the mold. The bleach will also hit the base of the tank and tackle the mold down there.

Step 2: Flush

Flush the tank to give it its first rinse, then cut off the water flowing into the tank by turning off the lever or switch located near the tank.

Doing this will stop the tank from filling up again, and allow you space to clean.

Step 3: Apply a cleaning solution

Make another bleach solution and apply it to the tank walls to get what’s left of the mold. You can also apply a mold cleaner by following the instructions on the pack.

Allow it to sit for some time then brush off the insides with your regular brush or toothbrush.

Be careful as you scrub the insides of the tank in order not to damage the floater or any other components.

Step 4: Flush again

Hit the tank switch again to allow water to flow back in. When it’s filled up, give it another flush to clear out all the mold debris.

You’re done!

Cleaning Mold On Toilet Seat

Apply the commercial mold cleaner or your homemade cleaning solution to the toilet seat and leave it to work for about 10 minutes. Next is to scrub off the mold with your brush then rinse with some water.

It’s that simple!

Conclusion

After cleaning the mold in your toilet, be sure to clean your bathroom regularly with bleach, vinegar, or a commercial mold cleaner. Maintain proper ventilation around the area too!

SEE: Should You Stay At Home During Mold Remediation?

These practices will remove mold and keep them from coming back into your toilet.

Thanks for reading!

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