Any way to stop my toilet from molding?

homenewbie

The following picture shows my toilet in my basement. The dark mold keeps on growing very fast maybe because of the lower temperature and higher humidity in the basement? Is there a good way to stop it from growing? I am tired of cleaning it every 2 to 3 days. Thanks.

[URL="http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x393/jaq2010/toilet-mould.jpg?t=1312764164"]

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oh'mike

Start by cleaning the inside of the tank----use soap and a bit of bleach --a small brush --and get that clean---the bowl looks like it's marked by the crud from the tank.

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homenewbie

Ah, I never thought it comes from the tank. Will do. Thx a lot.

Leah Frances

LEave the lid open all the time.

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homenewbie

Oh, that also helps? Thx. A lot to learn.

mustangmike3789

maybe somebody gave you an upperdecker. do you have any enemies?

Leah Frances

Also with the washer - it's humid around these parts in the summer. Warm wet air = mildew.

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HitFan

In many cases what you see in the toilet bowl is a manifestation of what is being supplied through the pipes. The toilet bowl simply gives whatever is in the water already a chance to breathe and breed. If you thoroughly clean your tank and bowl and it still doesn't fix the problem, I would recommend going to your local grocery store and picking up one of those bleach tablets that you put in your tank. If you get off-brand they are pretty cheap, and they have worked really well for me. I also get the ones that are white and leave the water looking clear; I don't want blue dye in my toilet.

There are two downsides though. First, there is a slight chemical odor that will be associated with using such a tablet. Second--and I didn't read this anywhere but it only makes sense to me--if you have a pet that drinks out of toilets, I highly doubt it would be good for them.

Maintenance 6

What you've got isn't mold. It is likely bacteria or it could possibly be the residue of a rubber component inside of the tank that is breaking down. Check the valves, flapper, etc. inside of the tank to be sure that something is not degrading due to age. Check the seals under the washers that secure the tank to the bowl. If you rub a finger across any of those components and it comes up black, it's time for a replacement. A few ounces of bleach poured into the tank for few flushes should kill off any bacteria colonies that have taken up residence. The channels around the rim that supply water to the bowl can accumulate a small amount of water that can lay stagnant long enough for bacteria to multiply between flushes. A little bleach will do them in.

jsmith48

It looks like it's coming from the tank. If you're cleaning it every 2 to 3 days, it shouldn't look like that so quickly.

Mike in Arkansas

I suddenly started having something that looked like that forming around the water line in my toilets. I believe it was something in the water because our city started to use river water due to a summer shortage. After a few months they stopped and the problem went away.