Annoyed of the dark mold spots on your bathroom popcorn ceiling? Well, it takes much of elbow grease to get rid of mold spreading onto porous and texture walls of your bathroom. Sometimes a simple process like using bleach and water solution can do wonders but you’re not always lucky.
Here in our today’s guide, we’re going to discuss in detail about steps to remove mold from bathroom popcorn ceiling and how to prevent that from repeating.
Let’s delve in:
Mold on Popcorn ceiling – why?
Popcorn ceiling is not some new trend or something. It has been a choice for homeowners since 90s. Still the trend is bouncing back as a lot of homeowners are finding it as best in absorbing sound. So, if you’re annoyed of the echoing sounds in bathroom, popcorn ceiling may be a best fit.
But with pros there comes the pitfalls. Popcorn ceiling is pretty good at hiding surface imperfections, but at the same time it attracts mold. Mold spores can easily find space between texture grooves. The dust, dirt, and humidity entrapped inside the texture grooves make it a perfect home for mold colony. They can lie there until the right conditions to materialize and spread. They’re more common in humid areas like bathroom, and basement rec room.
Here’re some of the reasons why mold is more common on popcorn ceiling:
- Because of better insulation around your home, you have more unventilated spots where air can trap.
- Your AC can have harbor mold due to poor maintenance.
- Poor ventilation system
Also Read: Does heat kill mold in house? Get rid of the mold with heat
Is mold on ceiling dangerous?
Be it a black mold or any other type, mold is hazardous to your health and can be toxic as well. So, if you’re having frequent headaches, lack energy generally, or have irritation in your respiratory system; you need to check your home for mold. You need to look for wet conditions around your home. Mold generally happens in places you can’t see – like the space between an upstairs bathroom and ceiling of the living room.
So, whether you’re dealing a home of 1930s or are following the recent texture trend of stucco and popcorn ceiling; you got to know the exact and proper solution to get rid of the mold and prevent it from spreading inside your bathroom or humid areas.
What does mold look like on popcorn ceiling?
Because of humidity and water leaks around your house, mold starts as mild yellow stains around your ceiling or top portion of the walls. They can be of different color but you can have a musty smell around them. These spots later turns into black spots that infest around the areas like a colony.
Mold can be of black, green, or blue color but it shows furry growth. Anyhow, regardless of the color or it toxicity; you should look for ways to remove mold from popcorn ceiling and get rid of the moisture source that’s helping in its growth.
You can do a quick test to detect mold on your popcorn ceiling. Just take a diluted bleach solution (1 part bleach and 16 parts water). Dip a swab in the solution and try to dab it on the wall. If the spots on the wall reappear after quick lightening; you got a mold on your popcorn ceiling.
How to remove mold from textured bathroom ceiling?
You can’t just scrub off the mold from your popcorn ceiling. It’s not that of an ordinary stain. So, even if you have it removed by some ordinary solution; it will come back even worse. Moreover, be cautious with popcorn ceiling as some old brands do contain asbestos – that’s a horrible substance and you must not deal with it without a pro.
Anyhow, here’re some ingenious and easy, yet effective ways to remove mold from your popcorn ceiling without breaking the bank:
Using Bleach solution
If you’ve got a mold that’s not too old, you can easily fight and kill it with bleach solution. But make sure the area is well ventilated and also try to wear all protective gears – a mask, eyewear, and gloves. That’s because bleach can have dangerous fumes.
- Prepare a dilute solution – You need a diluted bleach solution. Typically one part of bleach in 10 parts of water is enough. So, take a container and mix the bleach and water in it.
- Apply the solution – Tape a sponge or a piece of cloth and try to apply this solution gently on the popcorn ceiling. First tap the surface to dip it and then wipe the mold. Also make sure to clear the excess solution from the ceiling as any dripping may damage your floor.
- Dry the surface – Now try to dry the area by wiping using a dry cloth. You don’t want any moisture to stay there on the surface otherwise the mold will be back.
Also Read: DOES LYSOL KILL MOLD? – Yes it does & here’s how to do it
Mold removal using Vinegar
Vinegar is also pretty helpful in getting rid of the mold. It has acidic and microbial properties that can do wonders in terms of mold removal.
- Spray the vinegar – The best approach to use vinegar is using a spray bottle. So, take an apt amount of vinegar in a spray bottle. Now spray it to the affected area without diluting with water. Let it sit there for a while.
- Wipe and dry the area – After waiting for an hour, you can use the sponge or dry cloth to wipe away the mold. Now at the end, you want to make sure there’s no mold on the surface and there’s no dripping of extra vinegar. Plus, the surface must be completely dry because if there is still any moisture out there, the mold will be back.
Mold treatment with baking soda
If you’ve tried vinegar and bleach with no result at all – Don’t worry – baking soda can do wonders. In fact, it is the best home remedy for mold removal from popcorn ceiling.
- Make a mix – Just take one-quarter tablespoon of baking soda and dissolve it in water to make a solution. Put this solution in a spray bottle for easy application.
- Spray and scrub – Now try to spray an equal amount of baking soda solution on the affected area. Gently scrub the area using brush to get rid of the mold. At the end, dry the surface to help prevent decay.
- Repeat – You can repeat the process several times to remove annoying mold from popcorn ceiling.
Using mold cleaning agent / solutions
There’re several DIY mold removal products out there that you can use by spraying or applying with a mob. Some products are pretty helpful but others do more harm than good. So, before purchasing any of such mold removal product make sure it is safe for your textured surface (some solutions can dislodge the texture).
But remember to wear protective gears while using these mold cleaners. They all contain various chemicals that are also dangerous to touch, smell, or swallow. It is best to wear safety gloves, wear eye and protective glasses. And for all these solutions make sure the surface is left completely dry so there’s no damage to the textured surface.
How Can I Prevent Mold from Growing in My Popcorn Ceiling?
You can prevent mold from growing onto your popcorn ceiling at bathroom or in basement by regular maintenance. Here’re some useful tips to prevent mold:
- Regular cleaning – Popcorn ceiling and textured ceilings are pretty good at catching dust and debris. So, try to clean the ceilings at alternate weekends using vacuum cleaner or soft bristle brush. But try to cover the furniture with plastic cover to prevent any damage from falling popcorns.
- Remove cigarette stains – Popcorn ceiling can also take cigarette smoke if you’re a regular smoker. So, try to frequently clean nicotine and smoke stains using bleach solution.
- Ventilation: The best way to avoid mold from popcorn ceiling is by having good ventilation system around your house. So, try to make a better air flow by opening doors and windows of your kitchen and bathroom. You can install exhaust fans in these areas to prevent humidity.
- Water leaks – Water leaks are sometimes the main cause behind mold. So, frequently inspect the pipes and plumbing system in your bathroom and kitchen to make sure there’s no leak.
- Frequent cleaning – To avoid mold spores in your house, you need to do regular cleaning – especially of your kitchen and bathroom.
- Use mold-resistant curtains, showers, and mats to help avoid mold around your house.
The bottom line
So, you see it’s quite simple to get rid of mold on the popcorn ceiling in your bathroom or basement. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have to do regular cleaning. If you’re still facing problem getting rid of the mold, you can reach out to us or submit your comments below so we can guide you a way that’s best for your needs.
