The bathroom is a place to renew the body and relax the soul. It’s so nice to take a warm shower after a busy day and relax tense muscles. But where there is a lot of water, there is always high humidity. And if, in addition, the ventilation in your house is poor, then such an environment is an ideal place for fungus to occur.
Fungus - what is it?
Oddly enough, not only people or animals can get sick. The walls of the house in which you live can also get sick. So fungus is a disease that forms from high humidity. The microorganisms that make it up are very fond of dark, damp and warm rooms.
So it turns out that the bathroom is a favorite place for mold to appear. But the insidiousness of this phenomenon is not only a cosmetic defect. The main danger is that these microorganisms have a detrimental effect on the health of those living in the house.
So, if a fungus has settled in your apartment, you are more likely to discover one or more ailments.
- Continuous cough;
- Rhinitis;
- Headaches for no apparent reason;
- Asthma attacks;
- Skin rashes.
And the whole point is not in the fungus itself, but in the spores that it releases into the surrounding space.
Reasons for appearance
It is clear that the bathroom will always have high humidity. But not everyone has microorganisms multiplying on their walls.
So why is fungus a constant companion in some houses, while in others it does not appear?
The ideal option for mold is a surface that has pores:
- Concrete walls;
- Painted surfaces;
- Popular plastic;
- Stone.
In addition, it is necessary to take into account that normally, microorganisms are always present in the air. But without ideal conditions for themselves, they cannot reproduce.
Therefore, it is necessary to avoid constantly humid and warm air. And ventilation must function fully. Don't forget about plumbing. It must be in good condition.
What to do?
But what to do if the fungus is already firmly established in your home. Before purchasing modern products, a number of necessary measures should be taken.
- The ventilation system needs to be put in order.
- You should definitely throw out old wooden furniture. Don't try to wash it. The spores have already settled there and live well, and it is almost impossible to get rid of them.
- It is necessary to treat the washing machine with disinfectants and run several descaling cycles.
- Pay attention to the pipes. If water is constantly present on them, then it is necessary to insulate them. But the best option would be to replace old metal pipes with modern plastic ones.
- The plumbing must be in good working order. Never allow leaks or dripping taps.
- It is also advisable to install a new heated towel rail. And if the room has too cold walls and floors, install the heating function.
- If in your bathroom one wall borders the entrance or even the street, be sure to insulate it.
- Buy special desiccant absorbers. Dishes with salt can also cope with their role.
- Look at the door. Is there a gap underneath for air to escape? If not, then make it yourself.But the best option for wet rooms would be a door with ventilation holes.
After all the activities have been carried out, we will attack the fungus.
Home Remedies
Fungus can be successfully combated using products that can probably be found in any home.
Copper sulfate.
- To use this tool you must be very careful and follow all the rules. So, let's do everything point by point.
- We leave the door open. Better yet, turn on the fan to dry it completely.
- After this, rinse all treated areas thoroughly with water.
- Then you need to leave the bathroom, and it’s best to go for a walk for 3-4 hours.
- Using a wide brush, we treat the places that the fungus has chosen.
- The solution is prepared as follows: one bucket of water and 100 g. vitriol powder.
- We wear rubber gloves and be sure to wear a respirator. If you don’t have one, then you shouldn’t take on this method.
Bleach or in common parlance “bleach”.
This is truly a universal remedy. It will whiten your laundry, clean your plumbing fixtures and save you from fungus.
Due to the harmful fumes of bleach, a respirator must also be present. After all, you will have to work with a fairly concentrated product and a large volume.
The solution is prepared using the formula: 1 part bleach and 10 parts water. The total amount of liquid is taken depending on the volume of fungal damage.
Procedure:
- Prepare the solution;
- It is best to apply the product using a sprayer. But if you don’t have it, you can use a sponge or brush:
- Leave for 1-2 hours.
- Wash thoroughly with water.
- Ventilate and dry the room. Be sure to open the windows to allow the fumes to escape completely.
Industrial sprays and products.
Modern manufacturers also do not stand aside and offer consumers a variety of remedies for this scourge.
Here it is necessary to distinguish household products from industrial ones. The latter must be used when building a new house, so that it is not subsequently attacked by mold.
Household preparations are also divided into subtypes:
- Those that destroy the fungus;
- Preventing mold, i.e. preventive.
After you have removed all microorganisms from your home, you should use the second option.
It is up to you to decide which drug to choose – domestic or imported. Among both of them there are means that are quite effective and harmless to humans.
Folk wisdom in the fight against fungus.
If you do not have the opportunity to buy an industrial product, and bleach or vitriol is too aggressive for you, then use milder methods.
The advantages of these methods are harmlessness, cheapness and effectiveness.
The main thing is REMEMBER TO USE GLOVES.
- Vinegar with soda. On damaged areas of the walls, apply a thick layer of slightly damp soda. After this, slowly pour vinegar over the treated areas. When the foam settles, wash everything thoroughly with soap and water.
- An aromatic way is to use tea tree oil. In this case, you don’t even need to wash off anything. Just dissolve in 300 ml. warm water 2 teaspoons oil. Take a regular bottle equipped with a sprayer and treat the moldy parts.
- A mixture of hydrogen peroxide and boric acid. First you need to prepare a cleaning solution. To do this, take: Water – 4 parts; Hydrogen peroxide – 2 parts; Boric acid – 1 part; Vinegar essence – 2 parts. Problem areas are treated with the solution.After a few hours of exposure, you can rinse with water and dry.
In general, the main method of preventing the formation of fungus is to dry the bathroom after taking a shower or bath. To do this, you simply don’t have to close the door right away, but leave it open for an hour.
Of course, all these remedies are good if the fungus has not grown too much and can still be treated.
But if it has already penetrated under the tiles, then there is nothing left but a new repair. But before this, it will be necessary to carry out global antifungal treatment.
