Ask the Builder
Shower Mold
By Tim Carter
©1993-2008 Tim Carter
Summary: Mold is sprouting in your shower drain pipe. Black mold. Red mold. And your new bathroom is only two months old! Are you destined for a trip to your doctor with a nasty illness?
In my newly constructed bathroom, I can already see mold (black and red mold) growing down inside the white PVC drain pipe of the new shower. Since it's only a couple of months old, I am wondering what happens after years go by. Did the plumber use the right material when he installed a white PVC pipe for our shower drain? How is someone supposed to get rid of that mold without taking apart the shower drain every month? Thanks!
Jennifer
That mold is normal. It can and should be cleaned. The sides of the pipe leading from the drain strainer down to the trap get covered in a bio-film. This gooey film is made up of soap, shampoo, body oils, bacteria, etc. It is a perfect environment for mold to grow in and on.
Simply take off the chrome ring of the drain strainer and use a bottle brush to clean the sides of the pipe as you run water in the shower. The mold and bio-film will wash off very easily. As for preventative measures, there isn't much you can do. Once you see how easy the mold and bio-film disappears, you will not be concerned.
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