Bacteria from your waste lines stick to the walls in your bathroom drains and typically cause the black material, also called black slime, to keep clogging up your drains.
When you are using a baking soda and vinegar solution to clean out your drain, you are actually causing the rubber and plastic that are used for the drain's pipes to be eaten away by the mixture. Over time, this rubber and plastic will break down, causing the drain to become even more blocked.
Pour a quarter cup of baking soda together with a cup of white vinegar into the drain. Wait for 10–15 minutes, and this baking soda and white vinegar mixture should get clean.
Just as all living things need water, so does mold. Mold can grow on almost any surface and only requires dampness and a food source. Black molds, like other molds, will grow in places where there is moisture, such as around water leaks, windows, drain pipes, or where there has been flooding.
Plumbing - If you have blocked plumbing, then you might be able to see black sludge in your drain from time to time. This can happen from a partial clog or a buildup of toilet paper. Mineral Deposits - If you have hard water, over time, mineral deposits are going to form in your drain.
Combine 1 part bleach with 2 parts water in a spray bottle and spritz the affected area. Let the solution sit for 10 minutes. The mold should start to fade away on its own, but if areas of stubborn mold remain, use a coarse brush (for larger areas) or old toothbrush (for smaller areas) to scrub the mold away.
White vinegar is a mildly acidic product that cleans, deodorizes, and disinfects. It can also kill 82% of mold species, including black mold, on porous and non-porous surfaces. You can use it safely on most surfaces, and its offensive odor goes away quickly. Pour undiluted white vinegar into a spray bottle.
Cleaning mould is not a permanent solution. Unless you tackle the cause of the mould it will grow back quickly.
Bleach may appear to kill mold by making it visibly disappear, but bleach does not kill the root of the problem. Mold can return when treated with bleach. It's best to use EPA-registered products that have been tested and proven to kill mold while being non-toxic and safe for the people using them.
You may be surprised to learn that pouring soda down the drain does work for some clogs. To be specific, you need a dark-colored cola (such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi). This type of carbonated beverage usually contains a good amount of phosphoric acid, which given enough time, can eat away at some types of clogs.
It is safe to leave baking soda (and vinegar) to work overnight to unclog a drain. Always flush this mixture down with boiling water—no matter how long you leave it sitting in the drain.
While hot water can help loosen up debris, coarse salt actually scours the inside of your pipes, removing more material than hot water alone. After removing standing water from the sink, pour about half a cup of table salt down the drain before you pour in the hot water.
Just like cooking oil, bleach is one of those things you shouldn't pour into your sink. You should also never use bleach to unclog your drains. Doing so can even burst your drain pipes, and you'll be left with a nasty and expensive mess.
Clearing the blockage manually
Direct the hose towards the drain and turn the tap on to full power. Use a garden hose attachment to create a jet of water if possible. The force of the water should help to dislodge any mud or soil that is blocking the drain. If the hose method does not work, you can use a plunger.
While it is possible to use bleach to kill mold as well, experts agree that vinegar is a much better option.
Also, you risk causing damage to the area beneath the mold when you leave the vinegar to sit on it for too long. So when it comes to removing mold with vinegar, it's best to avoid leaving it overnight and stick with the 30 minutes to 1 hour sitting time.
Common health problems associated with black mold exposure include: Respiratory issues: Black mold can irritate the respiratory system, leading to symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, wheezing, sore throat, and nasal congestion. Individuals with asthma or allergies may experience exacerbated symptoms.
Pour enough undiluted white vinegar into the empty spray bottle to cover the area of mold growth. Spray the mold directly, fully saturating it with the vinegar, and allow the vinegar to sit for at least an hour. Don't be tempted to scrub or rinse; the mold needs time to completely absorb the vinegar.
Yes, vinegar is a mild acid that kills 82% of mold species. It's often used as a natural and nontoxic alternative to cleaning chemicals when it comes to killing household mold.
Instead of using bleach and water for cleaning, you can also use natural products including vinegar, tea tree oil or grapefruit seed extract. These substances have anti-microbial properties and can also help remove the smell of mold in addition to disinfecting the area.
For a natural solution for getting rid of black mold, combine one part baking soda with five parts distilled white vinegar and five parts water in a spray bottle. Alternatively, you can use a chemical-based mold and mildew remover, all-purpose cleaners, bleach or dish soap.