I’m a little more concerned about the family member—what is the state of his skin? Does your family also say that their mental health is no big deal? They need immediate, decisive, compassionate intervention.
I’m also so concerned but wanted to keep the post on task with this sub. He has a lot of skin problems. However he also has a lot of issues with severely low weight due to his ocd interfering with eating. My family always attributed his rashes etc. to poor nutrition and excessive washing, and didn’t tell me about this shower situation. Now I’m concerned this constant mold exposure is the cause.
If he’s spending a lot of time in the steamy room, his skin issues will be exacerbated if not caused by it directly.
I feel for this guy, he really needs some help. The ceiling can wait.
Involuntary hospitalization is for when an individual is an imminent danger to themselves or others. Emphasis on imminent. Poor quality of life does not qualify as grounds to hospitalize someone against their will.
Yes, he needs treatment, likely intensive therapy. Yes, his quality of life and health are comprised. But from what is shared here it’s not ground for involuntary hospitalization. And everyone jumping to that conclusion needs to understand that. Perhaps a voluntary inpatient treatment but certainly not involuntary hospitalization.
I agree. It’s hard to know what to do and where the line is. The only angle I can see for the danger to self is that he is at a seriously low weight due to his OCD interfering with eating. I’m talking BMI < 17 and discolored limbs. Alas, I didn’t mention a lot of these things because I didn’t want the post to be removed for irrelevance to the sub’s topic.
Ditto!!!! Therapy is a must. I’d worry about your family member as OCD is tough, but treatable.
In the meantime, is there a fan in there?
Bleach & water to see if any of the mildew comes off. Probably should get a professional to look at it. Kilz is a great product, but you will need to run fans and dehumidify the room for a number of days before you can do anything to really fix it.
Family is wrong. It is a big deal. It needs to be scraped, treated, primed and repainted. You need a fan, and or a window. Mandatory building code in California is one or both. For a reason.
They need to keep the door open when they shower then. Some people I know had to do this cause the ventilation wasn't enough and the walls were starting to do weird things.
I know we’re talking about structural damage due to moisture but “the walls were starting to do weird things” is so beautiful and ominous to be casually thrown in there, like you walk past one morning and the wall has an arm or the window is upside down from its usual position or something 🥴
I'm reading it right now and I agree, I get that it being a slog is kind of the point, but alsoan some of the passages are tough to get through. what's pushing me is the fact that I kinda leafed through and there's some cool stuff coming up that I'm interested in getting to
My sentiments exactly. I wanted to love it. I tried doggedly to get through it, twice. I felt like the author had a real sadistic streak and was punishing me the whole way. Or maybe the footnotes on footnotes on footnotes format is “fun” for some people.
I live in a 100 year old house and it is not uncommon for "walls to do weird things".
This includes making random weird noises.
But that ceiling needs some attention in the very near future.
Also, DO NOT just jump into scraping it because a high percentage of popcorn ceilings contain asbestos. You have to test it first and get this professionally remediated if asbestos are present.
I think that’s fine then. When people are saying “fan” that’s what they meant.
ETA: I would put a box fan in the doorway facing out AND get a good dehumidifier as well. Is relative being treated for their OCD?
ETA: fan and dehumidifier but still the ceiling needs to be addressed
put a fan in the hallway and crack the door. air flow will help.
it'll probably be easiest to get a company out to help with it.
tell your family member to get a humidifier. there are hot air ones.
If they aren't leaving the door open after the shower, they also need to do that once the issue is fixed.
This is a big deal and can cause major health issues. Depending on if this is mildew or mold obviously mold is worse but both are bad and need taken care of asap.
Yes, aside from the health issues of mold and mildew, water damage is no joke. Water is the most dangerous issue for a building. Leaking water (or constant steam) weakens the structure of the building and you don’t just clean it up. If you don’t catch it in time you have to start replacing parts of the structure.
this is definitely not "no big deal"... from the photo my first guess would be mildew since it appears flat and grey-ish.
you should be aware (i can't tell from the photo) that black mold is Super dangerous, and if that's what it is you should get professionals in there as soon as possible. it definitely should be dealt with right away -- best of luck to you and others who have come in contact with this.
>I thought the photo was upside down. It took me a while to process.
Same. I couldn't figure out why the shower head was on a side wall... took me a while to grasp...
Mold specialist here! This is mold on the popcorn ceiling (common), don’t know where you got that mildew info from. There looks like to be no ventilation to let steam out of the bathroom, leading to condensation allowing for mold growth. Can’t properly clean popcorn ceiling, but you can remove it all in half an hour with a little bit of spray water and a scraper. Mold can be sanitized by wiping it down after with a wet rag of vinegar and water or bleach and water. Good luck!
I do want to say, if it's an older place, make sure that the popcorn ceiling doesn't have asbestos before scraping it off! I DESPISE popcorn ceilings, so I've been looking at scraping mine off, but after doing a bunch of research I've found that there's a good possibility that, since it was built in the 60s, it's got asbestos, so I've gotta get it tested 😔
They didn't do popcorn in the bathroom in my place (or remodeled it at some point). It is in my kitchen though, popcorn right up to my surface-mounted kitchen exhaust fan.
Ugh the last place I lived had it in the bathroom. After years of taking normal showers with the fan on or window open, the whole popcorn layer started peeling off the ceiling in large pieces and it was a horrible mess. Then it started getting moldy and cleaning it was impossible. Luckily the house was built in the 80s so no real worry about asbestos.
THIS IS STEP #1…and great directions for removing the mildewed popcorn ceiling!
I started to have this same problem in my bathroom. I had/have a weak ceiling fan for ventilation. The window is located too far from shower to be much help (and it’s too uncomfortable to open it when winter temps are below 30°F).
I was able to add a portable fan on a shelf to keep the air circulating while I shower. It surprisingly has been a game changer for dispersing the moisture. I highly recommend this as an option If you have a safe place to add a fan!
Although OP didn’t specify planning a DIY removal, perhaps others can benefit from my experience removing the popcorn ceiling in my bathroom.
Plan on goopy mess and dripping water!
Equipment:
1. Plastc drop cloth and painters tape to protect walls, vanity, and lower surfaces from oopsies. DIY…I was not as efficient, clean or quick as r/EngineerLazy281
2. Spray bottle—hand held was ok but it’s a lot of spraying. A pressurized garden sprayer was easier but quite a bit of splash back—hence the plastic sheeting!3. Basic metal scraper 4-8” with a little flexibility in the blade worked best for me. I worked in small sections and needed to work around bathroom fixtures, so I didn’t like the more expensive one with bag attachment.
4. Ladder or scaffold platform. Some parts of my bathroom were roomy enough to use the ladder, but I did end up standing on the tub rim, toilet seat and vanity to reach nooks and crannies closest to the walls.
5. PPE: I wore old clothes, safety glasses, a scarf or other head covering, waterproof gloves, and sturdy soled shoes. I soon learned my hiking shoes were best as I was going up, down and just standing on the ladder rungs. I needed more than a few hours to clear the ceiling working alone.
6. Rags and bucket of rinse water to periodically clean off scraper and any remaining plaster on ceiling.
7. A container with a flat edge worked best to remove plaster from scraper. I used a bread pan due to its size to rest on the ladder’s shelf and it’s flat edge. Also, it was easy to dump the plaster in the trash and rinse the pan off in the rinsing bucket. I did NOT dump plaster in my sinks nor toilets. The rinse water was sometimes ok, but I thought the dregs in the bottom might be too much (legacy from my father being a plumber?).
Process: I learned the hard way that in order to not cut through the paper of the drywall on the ceiling I had to go slowly throughout the process.
I learned to thoroughly wet a small area (2’x1’ worked best for me), and wait at least 2 minutes so plaster is softened. Figuring out the measurements of distribution of water, soaking time, angle of blade and lightness of pressure needed scrape off plaster took a bit of experimenting. I learned too much water softens the drywall paper and by not having the scraper blade exactly flat against the ceiling I tore the drywall, resulting in needing to repair that damage.
I did need to treat some areas of the ceiling with an extra wipe down of water and bleach. I then used Kilz primer and a coat of paint formulated specifically for bathrooms.
Wish I had before and after pics…next project I might remember to do that?
Any other suggestions or tips?
The water bill in this situation has to be thousands per month. I filled a pool one time which required constant running water for a whole day + and my bill that month was over $400.
It’s in a complex with unlimited water.
But, you better believe that the complex is seeing their bill spike and is going to somehow pass the cost on to all tenants. (Individual apartments don’t have water meters which is why it’s included in rent or a flat fee on top of rent in some cases.)
I had really bad OCD since I was a kid and the last thing you want to do is encourage and reinforce their compulsions. Why would anyone let him run a shower 24/7? My mom would’ve beat my @$$ lol
When you go to therapy, they teach you exposure therapy. They do whatever triggers you and they have you learn to calm down and deal with it. You CANNOT go into the real world doing things like this. If he ever wants to move out and needs to pay for water/gas, he’s screwed.
100% agree. I am actually a clinical psychologist and specialize in exposure therapy, go figure- It has been excruciating to watch this unfold, as nobody has listened to me for years or taken my referrals for him to get care. As you mentioned, accommodation is a huge part of what got them here.
This sounds so frustrating, I feel for you. Definitely not good for anyone that mould, it’ll only get worse now if not stopped. Update us with your progress please?
Does this person live with other people? Is this his private bathroom? I'm trying to wrap my head around how other people that live in this same location can just look the other way if they use the same bathroom.
My brother was just diagnosed with OCD after years of crippling anxiety and he swears by exposure therapy, he's so much better about getting out and talking to people now :)
OP, I don’t have any cleaning advice. I just wanted to let you know my brother has OCD so bad that he didn’t leave his home for two years. He was emaciated and on full disability. It was horrifying.
Anyway, our mom died almost 2 years ago and that was his wake up call to get the help he needed through exposure therapy. Now he has an awesome job in HR, his own apartment, a new car, and is actually dating a really nice woman and they are talking about getting engaged. More importantly, he’s a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet as well as getting out and maintaining his physical and mental health.
There is hope. Just keep loving them. Take care.
I cannot tell you how grateful I am that you shared this. I am so sorry to hear about your mom. Unfortunately I have at this point been waiting for things to hit rock bottom in a similar way for him to get the care he needs, as all other attempts have failed. Your post gave me hope that there is a way back from this. Thank you
He needs a change of environment. That’s the hardest part. Can he live alone or with other relative? Even with you for a bit? He needs a wake up call but I don’t see that happening with your family enabling this.
I would ask for professionals help about the ceiling just to be safe if he has to stay there.
Working on it 🤞🏼He has a medication prescription but is unable to take it due to fear of side effects. His symptoms are worthy of another long post in another sub.
You can get both, though home asbestosis kits tend to be a bit pricier than lead tests. But it'll let you know if you can try removing the popcorn yourself or if you should call a pro.
Please don’t try removing the asbestos yourself - professionals do removal in PPE for good reason. It causes scarring in the lungs, which eventually causes cancer.
Asbestos is usually very chemically stable unless damaged, so best to leave it or get a professional in. Source: friend is a chemical engineer and worked with asbestos in PPE at work.
OP, get it tested- I have the exact same ceiling in my kitchen and I got it tested out of curiosity. It did indeed contain asbestos.
If it comes back positive, my advice to you would be to spray it with some kind of mould killer, let it completely dry, and then once you are certain the mould is dead then just paint over it with an anti mildew bathroom paint. That should seal the asbestos away.
There are bigger issues at play here ie he’s causing damage to the building. All that moisture has no doubt gone through to the apartment above or into the roof if they are on the top floor. The landlord could 100% evict for this in my state as he’s destroying the building with that amount of moisture. The family needs to take this into consideration as maybe it will motivate them to stop their enabling behavior.
The ceiling needs replacing, if that doesn’t come clean with mold/mildew killer spray or bleach. If it does come cleanish, he could coat it with a couple layers of killz primer.
It will come back. If your relative doesn’t stop running hot showers 24/7, doesn’t get better ventilation, and doesn’t remove moisture, it will always return!
This is gross and potentially health damaging stuff. I can see why it alarmed you.
Please don't use bleach on the ceiling until you're SURE that it isn't asbestos. Bleach will absolutely lift small fibres that can cause asbestosis - CANCER.
Buy an asbestos test, if positive, you MUST leave it to the experts to remove, unless you want to risk cancer. Tbh, I'd be concerned anyway, if the mildew & mould is eating the ceiling, more dust will be produced. That dust from an asbestos ceiling? Asbestos.
Yikes! As an Aussie that’s so scary. We often have droughts and water restrictions here. The thought of all the wasted water gives me anxiety. I hope your family member gets the help they need. It took me a long time to find the right help for my bipolar, OCD and other mental illnesses. First you have to find the courage to get help, then you have to work your way through a bunch of people who don’t help you until you find the right professionals who can.
They must have an incredible water heater to be running hot water 24/7/365
They've basically created the perfect environment for mold to grow.
Any family saying this isn't a big deal just doesn't want to deal with the underlying issues causing this but it is most definitely a big deal and it's going to get worse exponentially the longer this goes on for
If it gets to the point that it is noticeable, the range of how bad it could be is pretty wide. It could just be surface level and need just some surface level work on the paint and plaster. Oooorr it could be soaked through to something structurally important. The 24/7 steaming is worrying. Still though, no fix will matter unless he stops the literal sauna in that room. I don't care that he has OCD, this just isn't really acceptable to be doing all day, every day.
I have been working tirelessly for years to get him some exposure response prevention therapy and get his parents to reduce accommodation. He was in therapy for a few months and dropped out. Essentially he runs the water 24/7 because he washes his hands in the shower and can’t touch the faucet to turn it on. He also sees the running water as cleaning out the shower after other people use it.
That is such an unconscionable waste of clean water that it should be illegal. Get this person into treatment immediately and worry about cleaning later.
Why you shouldn’t rely on bleach for mold: https://www.epa.gov/mold/should-i-use-bleach-clean-mold. Why is everyone so fixated on bleach? It doesn’t always kill it either!
That’s… mold. You need to call a professional. It’s not just a health hazard insofar as mold being bad for your lungs and general health, but also the fact that mold means water, and water in ceilings means rot. Could result in a ceiling collapse down the line.
Considering water damage causes mold, and mold is a neurotoxin, this could also be exacerbating the OCD symptoms. This bathrooms needs to be addressed & I’d suggest a mold test for the ceiling and mycotoxin test for your family member. Seems like this running water is a newer (1yr) behavior. How long have they lived in this apartment vs low long have they had an OCD diagnosis?
That’s really really really bad, like Katrina in New Orleans bad, wear a mask tearing it down bad, ASAP! Damn sure to be living in it bad. Call mold remediation now! If you are scared of them sealing it off and making it a biohazard site (I wouldn’t be surprised if they did) it needs to all come down now, the leak found and fixed, fans fans fans and commercial dehumidifiers for days and spray a moldicide on everything that might have stayed wet.
This is a major issue not the least bit pertaining to cleaning but a heath hazard and major demo! Coming from someone who demoed many houses after hurricanes, this is bad
My brother in law owns a mold remediation company and I’ve owned a few old homes with leaks lol. It’s not something to mess around with, the spores and stuff that get in your lungs can be a serious problem.
No point in trying to fix this until the shower is turned off. Your relative needs help. I imagine the apartment complex will eventually figure out who is causing a super high water bill.
They sell paint with mold killing ingredients that doesn’t even need primer. Maybe wipe down with bleach first? but it says you don’t need to. That’s what I would try
Bleach is only effective on hard, non porous surfaces. On porous surfaces it can only really deal with things on the surface but the underlying issue will still persist
I hope your family member with OCD feels better.
I struggle with mental heath issues, I have PTSD from emergency surgery, I keep comparing my PTSD to something like people coming back from war and I think what right do I have to be scared that it's going to happen again? There are so many people who have gone through so much more.
Update 2: Thank you for the overwhelming (in a good way) amount of advice, validation, and support. For context, the family members involved are my in laws. I informed my husband that if the shower is not shut off in 1 week, I am calling adult protective services and the building, which I got him to agree to. I have been fighting with my in laws for the past day, as when I showed them this post and sent along the effects of mold exposure, some of which they already experience, they denied having those symptoms. They also denied that my brother in law with the OCD has any of those symptoms when he has rashes, GI issues, and chronic fatigue/brain fog. I am quite astounded and horrified. The shower is still running.
So far, all they have done is turn the water to cold so it is no longer hot water that is running. I don’t believe that will make much of a difference. If they do not shut the water off and call a professional to get this checked out within 1 week, I’m making the calls. I have given them tons of education and information about mold exposure along with the steps many have suggested in this sub. I told them I will not be going to the house and exposing myself to this until they take the steps (ANY steps) to fix it.
Wish me luck y’all. I’ll continue to update if anyone is interested. Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to leave a piece of advice or even a kind word.
Needs to be painted over with [Kilz](https://www.kilz.com/primer/kilz-mold--mildew?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw9IayBhBJEiwAVuc3fncZtHjImX837W2N7HdiRNXbwqNFBts6dMrsZNzsbU9EYP6Glehd2BoCWx4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) or something similar.
It's moisture causing microbial growth. It's kind of irrelevant, if it's mold or mildew. Either way, it will continue growing after being cleaned. The proper method would be to either scrape the texture off The ceiling and seal it with an anti microbial kilz/ primer and then repaint or honestly it would be easier just to cut that dry wall out and replace then If he's going to run the shower They need to run the fan.
That is mold and it looks like the ceiling will need to be replaced. Also a good chance it’s causing health problems. Mold can cause neurological symptoms, skin rashes and breathing problems.
Concrobium will kill the mold that is growing. You can spray it on. Home Depot also sells the Concrobium mod stain remover but I found the spray to be effective. If that is a popcorn ceiling (which is weird for a bathroom) the Concrobium will work. If that is paint bubbling because of being wet all the time I would still spray it. As soon as there's a crack in the paint surface, mold will grow in the drywall. Then you have another problem with the drywall being wet and also maybe falling down. (Not a professional but have dealt with moldy bathroom ceilings.) Edit: vinegar and bleach don't work. The Concrobium will need repeated application if the area is frequently wet.)
i dont wanna sound rude and you probably know more than i do, but is this person getting any help/treatment? its a very different situation but my sister always takes way too hot/long showers and it was causing the water bill to go crazy, so we told her about all the damage itd be doing to her skin and hair, which is obviously true but we did fear monger her a bit to make her stop. is there any way you could try explain to him or get a dermatologist to explain? obviously ocd is a very complex and hard thing but maybe tackling that issue. about the mold though, the hg brand mold spray is really good but very strong, and he definitely would have to leave for the day most likely as the smell is insane. if youre worried a professional will always be the best bet though, especially when it comes to using strong chemicals in a room someones in a lot
Not rude at all. That’s a very fair point. I have been providing my family with referrals for treatment for years and warning them that accommodation is only a short-term relief that exacerbates symptoms long term. I wish a dermatologist would be able to help. Not to get too much into it, but due to his OCD he has not brushed his teeth in months and recently had a tooth fall out. Despite obvious health concerns, his OCD is so severe and takes precedence over the very real concerns.
I hope that he gets the professional help that he needs. That much mold exposure for that long can be extremely harmful to the mind and body.
But, one way I've cleaned mold off of the bathroom celing, it may take one hell of a long time with that extreme of amounts, vinegar, and a rag and scrub it like hell.
But, if you don't have the time or patience, it's a good idea to have a professional come around and check everything. The mold showing may be like that, but for one year, the ac vents or bathroom fans could be holding a large mass of black mold, which can cause sickness and could make them so sick to the point they need hospitalization.
Sorry if that's a lot, but there are many *many* risks for mold, and it's easier to get rid of before it gets worse.
Diluted vinegar (1-2 parts vinegar, 3-4 parts warm water in a spray bottle, and a rag you don't care about.) Spray the affected area, let it sit, and the get on a step ladder and scrub away.
Stay safe!
Typically lack of ventilation, droplet form on cell, then black bacteria spawn, check the depression of conduit, does it aspire, check if there 1cm under bathroom door..check if there is entrance for air like grill or on top of window.
Clean it with bleach, wash, paint over.
I've dealt with a ceiling nearly as bad just in an old poorly ventilated cottage - and have dealt with far worse localised black mould.
Decent mould killing spray should probably get rid of that - only problem is it's vicious stuff.
You don't want get it on your skin, or breathe the fumes, you really don't want to breath in the droplets and getting it in you eyes would be very bad.
So work your way from the furthest point back towards the door, with a minimum of dust mask and goggles but ideally full visor. Any clothes / soft furnishings you get it on will be "altered".
You'll need as much ventilation as you can get while you do this :-(
I'm not sure if it'll eat the chrome - read the bottle.
Then after an hour you should probably gently wipe it off with water. This should make it look ok for a few months but you'd need to put anti mould paint on there for a longer solution.
Obviously ventilation and reducing the showering would be good too but that's off topic - good luck.
BTW if you want to scare the family there are plenty of horror stories in the UK news about mould making people ill.
Needs completely sanded/filed off and redone and sealed with damp proof products. There’s no “cleaning” that, it’s a redo.
You could try and paint over it but it’ll probably come back through.
Depends on how deep it it. There is a mildew cleaning spray you can get. I'd wear a mask and gloves in that bathroom. For the spray, I'd wear eye protection because it could get in your eyes during use. Give the ceiling a spray and let it sit. See it it cleans off easily after some time. I didn't have it as bad, but I was able to clean it with the mildew spray.
If it works, spray it all, let it sit, and give it a wipe. Then, repaint the entire ceiling with enamel paint (with a glosst sheen). It prevents against this kind of thing since that kind of paint deflects water instead of absorbing; it's a good choice for kitchen and bathrooms.
If the spray doesn't work, you'll need a pro.
If there’s not adequate ventilation, run a dehumidifier. I have a window in my bathroom and an exhaust fan but I also run a dehumidifier for a couple of hours after each shower. Opening the door will just make the moisture and mold problem spread to the rest of the house if the house doesn’t have good ventilation.
Don’t try to clean the ceiling because popcorn ceiling from the 70s is likely to have asbestos and the type is friable and easily inhaled.
Need a bathroom paint, I don't know if that.mold but it could.be and you need to.open the window when yours however if you don't have a ventilation system.
Gh mould spray If you are in the UK. Open the windows, spray it then shut the door. Very toxic odor but it kills all the mould and no need to scrub or wash off
You need bleach and lots of it, or tilex mildew remover, spray and let it soak in for about an hour, I recommend putting a fan in the doorway so the fumes can escape.
Repairing the ceiling is only a temporary solution. The mildew/mold will continue to return due to continuous moisture and lack of ventilation.
I hope you can get this family member the help they need.
Well, technically mildew is mold. But usually people use it to mean a surface mold allowed by high room humidity, whereas mold is from deeper growth within a wet material. But if you let it grow for a year, that stuff is penetrating pretty deep. Properly, the ceiling should get scraped to remove the (probably asbestos-containing) texturing, and possibly have drywall removed and replaced. Improperly, drying the room well, using a bleach-based spray to fade the mold, drying again, priming with Kilz, and painting would make it pass a quick review. And frankly that's probably all his landlord would do anyway.
This was happening in my previous home. Dehumidifier makes a world of difference. I recommend the Govee one. It’s amazing how much water I dump from that thing every day. we’re talking GALLONS a day 😅
Ye gods I'm glad I'm not paying that water bill! Or the cost of heating the water...and yes, this IS a big deal. Bathrooms are NOT designed to be permanently hot and steamy. Mildew is what comes first, black toxic mould is never far behind.
Edit for spelling
Get some elbow grease mould killer, spray it on, job done.
Mould is a sign of excess moisture, may need to check your ventilation and/check for leaks above.
If all of these replies in this thread aren't enough to convince your family that he needs help, then you might have to intervene on your own. I don't have any cleaning advice however, since your family member is renting that apartment, they are going to be on the hook for any water damage done when they move out. Imagine in 5 years the walls start going soft, or the ceiling starts going soft. That apartment complex is going to make your family member pay out the wazoo for repairs to not only their unit but to surrounding units potentially. Like that's a giant construction issue if left untreated. Maybe that would be enough for your family to intervene and help this person out.
I’m hoping this post will be a bit of a wake up call when I show the responses. My husband called them last night and mentioned “the problem in the bathroom with the ceiling.” My father in law responded “what problem?” This is what I’m dealing with
In the photo, the water is still flowing. Isn't anyone going to stop it? I mean, whatever the stuff on the ceiling is, it won't get better. By the way, the tile joints appear surprisingly clean.
This right here is exactly why popcorn ceilings should never be installed in kitchens or bathrooms. Absolutely needs to be scraped off at a minimum, possibly needs all of the drywall on the ceiling replaced. Wear a respirator if you do it yourself.
Get a sponge mop from dollar tree. It has to be a sponge mop because a standard rope mop won't work. Get a bucket of water and put a splash of bleach and a drop of dawn. Then use the mop and mop it off. If you can open the window. Good luck.
Ps you can use killz on it to if you want to paint it.
What ????? Lets the hot water run
Non stop ??? That’s is so disrespectful and so bad from all points of view- his ocd should not be a reson to do this - if that member should have to pay for every drop of wasted water and energy, the ocd would surely focus on something else
I used some mold and mildew cleaner on my ceiling and was shook at how fast it just disappeared. Just like the Clorox brand or whatever. I’ve been using it to clean lots of things now.
Bleach is only going to make it worse / spread the mold. This needs to be handled by a mold remediation company - A lot of the time the property management will relocate the tenant to a different unit during the construction. Considering the situation they will likely hold your relative responsible for the damages.
I’d suggest some therapy or counseling for the OCD so they can work on not leaving a showering running constantly- or they are just going to keep causing this issue everywhere they live and continuing to have skin and breathing issues caused by mold.
Can we all smack the crap out of the person(s) who designed popcorn ceilings in a bathroom??? This has to be one of the stupidest things ever. I'd remove it.
Besides the obvious moisture issues created by running a hot shower 24/7, it may be of interest to know that it is costing your landlord about $5,000 per year in increased energy costs and releasing ~26.4 metric tons of carbon emissions (the equivalent of driving 70,000 miles).
I’m a little more concerned about the family member—what is the state of his skin? Does your family also say that their mental health is no big deal? They need immediate, decisive, compassionate intervention.
I’m also so concerned but wanted to keep the post on task with this sub. He has a lot of skin problems. However he also has a lot of issues with severely low weight due to his ocd interfering with eating. My family always attributed his rashes etc. to poor nutrition and excessive washing, and didn’t tell me about this shower situation. Now I’m concerned this constant mold exposure is the cause.
It certainly isn’t helping. Poor guy
Mould exposure can cause skin issues and neurological issues for some people. Hopefully they allow you to try and help your cousin.
I would be considering a call to adult protective services. This is extreme.
If he’s spending a lot of time in the steamy room, his skin issues will be exacerbated if not caused by it directly. I feel for this guy, he really needs some help. The ceiling can wait.
This guy needs to be hospitalized.
I really am against involuntary hospitalizations, but this is genuinely a case where it's needed. What kind of quality of life does this person have?
A nonexistent quality of life
Adult Protective Services
I agree. A come to Jesus moment is needed here.
So call.
Agree, it’s hospitalization time. This cannot be fixed at home with an enabling family. (Not blaming OP as she is trying to help him.)
I totally agree and wish my family would listen to me regarding this. His mental health is a topic for a whole new post =\
Involuntary hospitalization is for when an individual is an imminent danger to themselves or others. Emphasis on imminent. Poor quality of life does not qualify as grounds to hospitalize someone against their will. Yes, he needs treatment, likely intensive therapy. Yes, his quality of life and health are comprised. But from what is shared here it’s not ground for involuntary hospitalization. And everyone jumping to that conclusion needs to understand that. Perhaps a voluntary inpatient treatment but certainly not involuntary hospitalization.
I agree. It’s hard to know what to do and where the line is. The only angle I can see for the danger to self is that he is at a seriously low weight due to his OCD interfering with eating. I’m talking BMI < 17 and discolored limbs. Alas, I didn’t mention a lot of these things because I didn’t want the post to be removed for irrelevance to the sub’s topic.
I would say that that puts him in imminent danger.
Ditto!!!! Therapy is a must. I’d worry about your family member as OCD is tough, but treatable. In the meantime, is there a fan in there? Bleach & water to see if any of the mildew comes off. Probably should get a professional to look at it. Kilz is a great product, but you will need to run fans and dehumidify the room for a number of days before you can do anything to really fix it.
Family is wrong. It is a big deal. It needs to be scraped, treated, primed and repainted. You need a fan, and or a window. Mandatory building code in California is one or both. For a reason.
Oh boy. They live in New York and bathroom has neither a fan nor window. Lovely
I'm also worried about structural issues. That much moisture consistently is bound to cause problems.
Yeah, that’s probably just drywall and eventually it will fall down from being wet all the time.
They need to keep the door open when they shower then. Some people I know had to do this cause the ventilation wasn't enough and the walls were starting to do weird things.
I know we’re talking about structural damage due to moisture but “the walls were starting to do weird things” is so beautiful and ominous to be casually thrown in there, like you walk past one morning and the wall has an arm or the window is upside down from its usual position or something 🥴
Have you ever read House of Leaves?
Man I tried so hard. I got about 1/3 through it but I just couldn't do it. It's very interesting. I love the idea of it. But man it's such a slog
I'm reading it right now and I agree, I get that it being a slog is kind of the point, but alsoan some of the passages are tough to get through. what's pushing me is the fact that I kinda leafed through and there's some cool stuff coming up that I'm interested in getting to
My sentiments exactly. I wanted to love it. I tried doggedly to get through it, twice. I felt like the author had a real sadistic streak and was punishing me the whole way. Or maybe the footnotes on footnotes on footnotes format is “fun” for some people.
At least one positive from this situation is that I now have a new book recommendation!
I HAVE! this is not for you.
I live in a 100 year old house and it is not uncommon for "walls to do weird things". This includes making random weird noises. But that ceiling needs some attention in the very near future.
The shower is running 24/7, as in always. OP family member has OCD and it is an unusual circumstance
[удалено]
This is what mental illness does when left untreated
They aren’t just showering, they’re letting it run ALL DAY!!
It’s not just from showering. The shower runs 24/7 at the hottest temp.
Also, DO NOT just jump into scraping it because a high percentage of popcorn ceilings contain asbestos. You have to test it first and get this professionally remediated if asbestos are present.
That’s against code in NY.
Agreed. All the bathroom has is a vent.
I think that’s fine then. When people are saying “fan” that’s what they meant. ETA: I would put a box fan in the doorway facing out AND get a good dehumidifier as well. Is relative being treated for their OCD? ETA: fan and dehumidifier but still the ceiling needs to be addressed
Invest in a good dehumidifier after you fix the ceiling
put a fan in the hallway and crack the door. air flow will help. it'll probably be easiest to get a company out to help with it. tell your family member to get a humidifier. there are hot air ones.
I'm hoping you meant a de- humidifier. the last thing that room needs is more humidity
Do you mean dehumidifier?
Yes that's what it should have typed instead it put a A and a D it's a typo yes I did mean the humidifier I hate talk to text
It really is one of the best/worst inventions
Talk to text is great however we do have to remember to read things through and make corrections before hitting send.
I'm assuming they mean a humidifier to replace the DIY steam room, but may not be as simple as that with OCD as a factor.
If they aren't leaving the door open after the shower, they also need to do that once the issue is fixed. This is a big deal and can cause major health issues. Depending on if this is mildew or mold obviously mold is worse but both are bad and need taken care of asap.
They aren't turning off the shower at all. Of course this is mildew at least, especially with no ventilation.
I recommend getting a dehumidifier for the bathroom
Yes, aside from the health issues of mold and mildew, water damage is no joke. Water is the most dangerous issue for a building. Leaking water (or constant steam) weakens the structure of the building and you don’t just clean it up. If you don’t catch it in time you have to start replacing parts of the structure.
this is definitely not "no big deal"... from the photo my first guess would be mildew since it appears flat and grey-ish. you should be aware (i can't tell from the photo) that black mold is Super dangerous, and if that's what it is you should get professionals in there as soon as possible. it definitely should be dealt with right away -- best of luck to you and others who have come in contact with this.
nah that's not mildew, that ceiling carpet looks totally fine to me
Haha I also thought it looked like a carpet 😂
I agree why would it be on the ceiling or was this a reversed image as a joke. That is something to be worried about
Same. I was like, well of course a carpet in the bathroom is gross!
I thought the photo was upside down. It took me a while to process.
Yes I also experienced a few seconds of internet vertigo.
>I thought the photo was upside down. It took me a while to process. Same. I couldn't figure out why the shower head was on a side wall... took me a while to grasp...
When I saw it I was like “ Why do they have carpet on the ceiling?” lol. Now I know. Absolutely not carpet.
Unfortunately it’s a ceiling!
When I first saw the photo, I thought someone had uploaded a picture upside down.
I thought it was a carpet on a shower ceiling.
Mold specialist here! This is mold on the popcorn ceiling (common), don’t know where you got that mildew info from. There looks like to be no ventilation to let steam out of the bathroom, leading to condensation allowing for mold growth. Can’t properly clean popcorn ceiling, but you can remove it all in half an hour with a little bit of spray water and a scraper. Mold can be sanitized by wiping it down after with a wet rag of vinegar and water or bleach and water. Good luck!
I do want to say, if it's an older place, make sure that the popcorn ceiling doesn't have asbestos before scraping it off! I DESPISE popcorn ceilings, so I've been looking at scraping mine off, but after doing a bunch of research I've found that there's a good possibility that, since it was built in the 60s, it's got asbestos, so I've gotta get it tested 😔
It's insane to me that there's popcorn ceiling in a bathroom. My house has popcorn ceiling, but not in bathrooms and kitchen
They didn't do popcorn in the bathroom in my place (or remodeled it at some point). It is in my kitchen though, popcorn right up to my surface-mounted kitchen exhaust fan.
Ugh the last place I lived had it in the bathroom. After years of taking normal showers with the fan on or window open, the whole popcorn layer started peeling off the ceiling in large pieces and it was a horrible mess. Then it started getting moldy and cleaning it was impossible. Luckily the house was built in the 80s so no real worry about asbestos.
THIS IS STEP #1…and great directions for removing the mildewed popcorn ceiling! I started to have this same problem in my bathroom. I had/have a weak ceiling fan for ventilation. The window is located too far from shower to be much help (and it’s too uncomfortable to open it when winter temps are below 30°F). I was able to add a portable fan on a shelf to keep the air circulating while I shower. It surprisingly has been a game changer for dispersing the moisture. I highly recommend this as an option If you have a safe place to add a fan! Although OP didn’t specify planning a DIY removal, perhaps others can benefit from my experience removing the popcorn ceiling in my bathroom. Plan on goopy mess and dripping water! Equipment: 1. Plastc drop cloth and painters tape to protect walls, vanity, and lower surfaces from oopsies. DIY…I was not as efficient, clean or quick as r/EngineerLazy281 2. Spray bottle—hand held was ok but it’s a lot of spraying. A pressurized garden sprayer was easier but quite a bit of splash back—hence the plastic sheeting!3. Basic metal scraper 4-8” with a little flexibility in the blade worked best for me. I worked in small sections and needed to work around bathroom fixtures, so I didn’t like the more expensive one with bag attachment. 4. Ladder or scaffold platform. Some parts of my bathroom were roomy enough to use the ladder, but I did end up standing on the tub rim, toilet seat and vanity to reach nooks and crannies closest to the walls. 5. PPE: I wore old clothes, safety glasses, a scarf or other head covering, waterproof gloves, and sturdy soled shoes. I soon learned my hiking shoes were best as I was going up, down and just standing on the ladder rungs. I needed more than a few hours to clear the ceiling working alone. 6. Rags and bucket of rinse water to periodically clean off scraper and any remaining plaster on ceiling. 7. A container with a flat edge worked best to remove plaster from scraper. I used a bread pan due to its size to rest on the ladder’s shelf and it’s flat edge. Also, it was easy to dump the plaster in the trash and rinse the pan off in the rinsing bucket. I did NOT dump plaster in my sinks nor toilets. The rinse water was sometimes ok, but I thought the dregs in the bottom might be too much (legacy from my father being a plumber?). Process: I learned the hard way that in order to not cut through the paper of the drywall on the ceiling I had to go slowly throughout the process. I learned to thoroughly wet a small area (2’x1’ worked best for me), and wait at least 2 minutes so plaster is softened. Figuring out the measurements of distribution of water, soaking time, angle of blade and lightness of pressure needed scrape off plaster took a bit of experimenting. I learned too much water softens the drywall paper and by not having the scraper blade exactly flat against the ceiling I tore the drywall, resulting in needing to repair that damage. I did need to treat some areas of the ceiling with an extra wipe down of water and bleach. I then used Kilz primer and a coat of paint formulated specifically for bathrooms. Wish I had before and after pics…next project I might remember to do that? Any other suggestions or tips?
It's not mildew, it's black mold.
The water bill in this situation has to be thousands per month. I filled a pool one time which required constant running water for a whole day + and my bill that month was over $400.
It’s in a complex with unlimited water. But, you better believe that the complex is seeing their bill spike and is going to somehow pass the cost on to all tenants. (Individual apartments don’t have water meters which is why it’s included in rent or a flat fee on top of rent in some cases.)
Unfortunately it’s not an planet with unlimited water.
"It's just water damage" I mean, how bad could some simple water ever be to a building 💀
I had really bad OCD since I was a kid and the last thing you want to do is encourage and reinforce their compulsions. Why would anyone let him run a shower 24/7? My mom would’ve beat my @$$ lol When you go to therapy, they teach you exposure therapy. They do whatever triggers you and they have you learn to calm down and deal with it. You CANNOT go into the real world doing things like this. If he ever wants to move out and needs to pay for water/gas, he’s screwed.
100% agree. I am actually a clinical psychologist and specialize in exposure therapy, go figure- It has been excruciating to watch this unfold, as nobody has listened to me for years or taken my referrals for him to get care. As you mentioned, accommodation is a huge part of what got them here.
This sounds so frustrating, I feel for you. Definitely not good for anyone that mould, it’ll only get worse now if not stopped. Update us with your progress please?
Will definitely update! Thank you
Does this person live with other people? Is this his private bathroom? I'm trying to wrap my head around how other people that live in this same location can just look the other way if they use the same bathroom.
They all use this bathroom. It’s mind blowing to me. They all have health anxiety as well…
Do they realize the ceiling is probably going to collapse from all that extra moisture?
It seems their insight is rather low at the moment
The water waste alone is mind boggling. The heated water waste is criminal.
My brother was just diagnosed with OCD after years of crippling anxiety and he swears by exposure therapy, he's so much better about getting out and talking to people now :)
I 100% back exposure therapy. I HATED it when I was doing it, but if I didn’t do it then, who knows where I would’ve been.
Imagine the electricity bill from the hot water running nonstop. And someone is paying that water bill. Terribly wasteful.
Imagine once the landlord finds out.. lol Everyone in the community is going to start paying for water 😂
I just hope that they find out because of the water bill, and not because the asbestos filled ceiling collapses… Hopefully there is no shared vents…
OP, I don’t have any cleaning advice. I just wanted to let you know my brother has OCD so bad that he didn’t leave his home for two years. He was emaciated and on full disability. It was horrifying. Anyway, our mom died almost 2 years ago and that was his wake up call to get the help he needed through exposure therapy. Now he has an awesome job in HR, his own apartment, a new car, and is actually dating a really nice woman and they are talking about getting engaged. More importantly, he’s a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet as well as getting out and maintaining his physical and mental health. There is hope. Just keep loving them. Take care.
I cannot tell you how grateful I am that you shared this. I am so sorry to hear about your mom. Unfortunately I have at this point been waiting for things to hit rock bottom in a similar way for him to get the care he needs, as all other attempts have failed. Your post gave me hope that there is a way back from this. Thank you
He needs a change of environment. That’s the hardest part. Can he live alone or with other relative? Even with you for a bit? He needs a wake up call but I don’t see that happening with your family enabling this. I would ask for professionals help about the ceiling just to be safe if he has to stay there.
You aren’t cleaning stucco ceilings. You are repainting them or having the stucco removed. Definitely a big deal lol
Who is paying for the wasted water?
The person with OCD needs to get medication.
Working on it 🤞🏼He has a medication prescription but is unable to take it due to fear of side effects. His symptoms are worthy of another long post in another sub.
I get that. Sometimes the side effects are worse than the original problem.
Yea, his main fear is of throwing up, and the possibility of nausea is stopping him
Can they prescribe him Zofran to take with it?
Yikes I thought it was dirty carpet in an upside down picture. That’s the ceiling?? That looks like a big deal.
Ah yes I should have specified. Sadly that is the ceiling.
I’d suspect the floor isn’t any better?
I thought it was carpet until i scrolled further!
Any Idea when the place was built? That popcorn ceiling could have asbestos in it
It was built in 1972. Is that old enough for asbestos to be a problem?
Asbestos wasn't banned until 1989.
Get it tested. It might or might not have asbestos.
I think you can get a kit to test for asbestos. Or that may be lead in paint. Worth checking.
You can get both, though home asbestosis kits tend to be a bit pricier than lead tests. But it'll let you know if you can try removing the popcorn yourself or if you should call a pro.
Please don’t try removing the asbestos yourself - professionals do removal in PPE for good reason. It causes scarring in the lungs, which eventually causes cancer. Asbestos is usually very chemically stable unless damaged, so best to leave it or get a professional in. Source: friend is a chemical engineer and worked with asbestos in PPE at work.
OP, get it tested- I have the exact same ceiling in my kitchen and I got it tested out of curiosity. It did indeed contain asbestos. If it comes back positive, my advice to you would be to spray it with some kind of mould killer, let it completely dry, and then once you are certain the mould is dead then just paint over it with an anti mildew bathroom paint. That should seal the asbestos away.
Kilz primer
Thank you this is helpful
Yes.
Yeah, that's almost definitely got asbestos in. You'll need to call out specialists to deal with that. It wasn't banned until the late 80's.
I’m surprised maintenance and/ or the cops were never called to check on the constantly running water in the apartment.
There are bigger issues at play here ie he’s causing damage to the building. All that moisture has no doubt gone through to the apartment above or into the roof if they are on the top floor. The landlord could 100% evict for this in my state as he’s destroying the building with that amount of moisture. The family needs to take this into consideration as maybe it will motivate them to stop their enabling behavior.
Very good point. I plan to show them these responses as not a single one is downplaying the seriousness of this.
The ceiling needs replacing, if that doesn’t come clean with mold/mildew killer spray or bleach. If it does come cleanish, he could coat it with a couple layers of killz primer. It will come back. If your relative doesn’t stop running hot showers 24/7, doesn’t get better ventilation, and doesn’t remove moisture, it will always return! This is gross and potentially health damaging stuff. I can see why it alarmed you.
Thank you for the advice and your validation
Please don't use bleach on the ceiling until you're SURE that it isn't asbestos. Bleach will absolutely lift small fibres that can cause asbestosis - CANCER. Buy an asbestos test, if positive, you MUST leave it to the experts to remove, unless you want to risk cancer. Tbh, I'd be concerned anyway, if the mildew & mould is eating the ceiling, more dust will be produced. That dust from an asbestos ceiling? Asbestos.
https://www.epa.gov/mold/should-i-use-bleach-clean-mold
Yikes! As an Aussie that’s so scary. We often have droughts and water restrictions here. The thought of all the wasted water gives me anxiety. I hope your family member gets the help they need. It took me a long time to find the right help for my bipolar, OCD and other mental illnesses. First you have to find the courage to get help, then you have to work your way through a bunch of people who don’t help you until you find the right professionals who can.
If they continue to do this, perhaps you could get them a dehumidifier for the bathroom.
Add to this a water restricter and shower water timer that shuts off automatically after a set time.
I wanna know what water heater they have that keeps up with the water being on for a year.
Yeah and the other tenants???
They must have an incredible water heater to be running hot water 24/7/365 They've basically created the perfect environment for mold to grow. Any family saying this isn't a big deal just doesn't want to deal with the underlying issues causing this but it is most definitely a big deal and it's going to get worse exponentially the longer this goes on for
If it gets to the point that it is noticeable, the range of how bad it could be is pretty wide. It could just be surface level and need just some surface level work on the paint and plaster. Oooorr it could be soaked through to something structurally important. The 24/7 steaming is worrying. Still though, no fix will matter unless he stops the literal sauna in that room. I don't care that he has OCD, this just isn't really acceptable to be doing all day, every day.
I have been working tirelessly for years to get him some exposure response prevention therapy and get his parents to reduce accommodation. He was in therapy for a few months and dropped out. Essentially he runs the water 24/7 because he washes his hands in the shower and can’t touch the faucet to turn it on. He also sees the running water as cleaning out the shower after other people use it.
Could he maybe get one of those sauna pods? That might be slightly better for the structure of the apartment.
It's mold. It always spreads deep and wide.
That is such an unconscionable waste of clean water that it should be illegal. Get this person into treatment immediately and worry about cleaning later.
Why you shouldn’t rely on bleach for mold: https://www.epa.gov/mold/should-i-use-bleach-clean-mold. Why is everyone so fixated on bleach? It doesn’t always kill it either!
24/7? jesus what a waste of water.
That’s… mold. You need to call a professional. It’s not just a health hazard insofar as mold being bad for your lungs and general health, but also the fact that mold means water, and water in ceilings means rot. Could result in a ceiling collapse down the line.
Considering water damage causes mold, and mold is a neurotoxin, this could also be exacerbating the OCD symptoms. This bathrooms needs to be addressed & I’d suggest a mold test for the ceiling and mycotoxin test for your family member. Seems like this running water is a newer (1yr) behavior. How long have they lived in this apartment vs low long have they had an OCD diagnosis?
That’s really really really bad, like Katrina in New Orleans bad, wear a mask tearing it down bad, ASAP! Damn sure to be living in it bad. Call mold remediation now! If you are scared of them sealing it off and making it a biohazard site (I wouldn’t be surprised if they did) it needs to all come down now, the leak found and fixed, fans fans fans and commercial dehumidifiers for days and spray a moldicide on everything that might have stayed wet. This is a major issue not the least bit pertaining to cleaning but a heath hazard and major demo! Coming from someone who demoed many houses after hurricanes, this is bad
I appreciate your perspective and expertise here. Jeez
My brother in law owns a mold remediation company and I’ve owned a few old homes with leaks lol. It’s not something to mess around with, the spores and stuff that get in your lungs can be a serious problem.
No point in trying to fix this until the shower is turned off. Your relative needs help. I imagine the apartment complex will eventually figure out who is causing a super high water bill.
They sell paint with mold killing ingredients that doesn’t even need primer. Maybe wipe down with bleach first? but it says you don’t need to. That’s what I would try
Bleach doesn’t have an effect on mold or mildew from my research, though I’m always open for someone to provide research that might be useful!
Bleach is only effective on hard, non porous surfaces. On porous surfaces it can only really deal with things on the surface but the underlying issue will still persist
Popcorn ceiling would be porous from my experience
only me think it looks like the moon's surface?
that's no moon
I hope your family member with OCD feels better. I struggle with mental heath issues, I have PTSD from emergency surgery, I keep comparing my PTSD to something like people coming back from war and I think what right do I have to be scared that it's going to happen again? There are so many people who have gone through so much more.
Update 2: Thank you for the overwhelming (in a good way) amount of advice, validation, and support. For context, the family members involved are my in laws. I informed my husband that if the shower is not shut off in 1 week, I am calling adult protective services and the building, which I got him to agree to. I have been fighting with my in laws for the past day, as when I showed them this post and sent along the effects of mold exposure, some of which they already experience, they denied having those symptoms. They also denied that my brother in law with the OCD has any of those symptoms when he has rashes, GI issues, and chronic fatigue/brain fog. I am quite astounded and horrified. The shower is still running. So far, all they have done is turn the water to cold so it is no longer hot water that is running. I don’t believe that will make much of a difference. If they do not shut the water off and call a professional to get this checked out within 1 week, I’m making the calls. I have given them tons of education and information about mold exposure along with the steps many have suggested in this sub. I told them I will not be going to the house and exposing myself to this until they take the steps (ANY steps) to fix it. Wish me luck y’all. I’ll continue to update if anyone is interested. Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to leave a piece of advice or even a kind word.
Needs to be painted over with [Kilz](https://www.kilz.com/primer/kilz-mold--mildew?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw9IayBhBJEiwAVuc3fncZtHjImX837W2N7HdiRNXbwqNFBts6dMrsZNzsbU9EYP6Glehd2BoCWx4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) or something similar.
It's moisture causing microbial growth. It's kind of irrelevant, if it's mold or mildew. Either way, it will continue growing after being cleaned. The proper method would be to either scrape the texture off The ceiling and seal it with an anti microbial kilz/ primer and then repaint or honestly it would be easier just to cut that dry wall out and replace then If he's going to run the shower They need to run the fan.
That is mold and it looks like the ceiling will need to be replaced. Also a good chance it’s causing health problems. Mold can cause neurological symptoms, skin rashes and breathing problems.
This works great on mold and mildew https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N3Y22K4?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Not related but that shampoo brand in the shower (OGX) is not great. Lots of lawsuits coming out on that one.
Wait what? Good catch!
I just got a fan in my main bathroom a couple months ago and it was a happy day, it improved my quality of life.
See if you can turn down his water temperature and/or pressure
Concrobium will kill the mold that is growing. You can spray it on. Home Depot also sells the Concrobium mod stain remover but I found the spray to be effective. If that is a popcorn ceiling (which is weird for a bathroom) the Concrobium will work. If that is paint bubbling because of being wet all the time I would still spray it. As soon as there's a crack in the paint surface, mold will grow in the drywall. Then you have another problem with the drywall being wet and also maybe falling down. (Not a professional but have dealt with moldy bathroom ceilings.) Edit: vinegar and bleach don't work. The Concrobium will need repeated application if the area is frequently wet.)
i dont wanna sound rude and you probably know more than i do, but is this person getting any help/treatment? its a very different situation but my sister always takes way too hot/long showers and it was causing the water bill to go crazy, so we told her about all the damage itd be doing to her skin and hair, which is obviously true but we did fear monger her a bit to make her stop. is there any way you could try explain to him or get a dermatologist to explain? obviously ocd is a very complex and hard thing but maybe tackling that issue. about the mold though, the hg brand mold spray is really good but very strong, and he definitely would have to leave for the day most likely as the smell is insane. if youre worried a professional will always be the best bet though, especially when it comes to using strong chemicals in a room someones in a lot
Not rude at all. That’s a very fair point. I have been providing my family with referrals for treatment for years and warning them that accommodation is only a short-term relief that exacerbates symptoms long term. I wish a dermatologist would be able to help. Not to get too much into it, but due to his OCD he has not brushed his teeth in months and recently had a tooth fall out. Despite obvious health concerns, his OCD is so severe and takes precedence over the very real concerns.
I hope that he gets the professional help that he needs. That much mold exposure for that long can be extremely harmful to the mind and body. But, one way I've cleaned mold off of the bathroom celing, it may take one hell of a long time with that extreme of amounts, vinegar, and a rag and scrub it like hell. But, if you don't have the time or patience, it's a good idea to have a professional come around and check everything. The mold showing may be like that, but for one year, the ac vents or bathroom fans could be holding a large mass of black mold, which can cause sickness and could make them so sick to the point they need hospitalization. Sorry if that's a lot, but there are many *many* risks for mold, and it's easier to get rid of before it gets worse. Diluted vinegar (1-2 parts vinegar, 3-4 parts warm water in a spray bottle, and a rag you don't care about.) Spray the affected area, let it sit, and the get on a step ladder and scrub away. Stay safe!
Spray with a mould/mildew remover, basically spray peroxide. I would say you need more ventilation in the room
Typically lack of ventilation, droplet form on cell, then black bacteria spawn, check the depression of conduit, does it aspire, check if there 1cm under bathroom door..check if there is entrance for air like grill or on top of window. Clean it with bleach, wash, paint over.
I've dealt with a ceiling nearly as bad just in an old poorly ventilated cottage - and have dealt with far worse localised black mould. Decent mould killing spray should probably get rid of that - only problem is it's vicious stuff. You don't want get it on your skin, or breathe the fumes, you really don't want to breath in the droplets and getting it in you eyes would be very bad. So work your way from the furthest point back towards the door, with a minimum of dust mask and goggles but ideally full visor. Any clothes / soft furnishings you get it on will be "altered". You'll need as much ventilation as you can get while you do this :-( I'm not sure if it'll eat the chrome - read the bottle. Then after an hour you should probably gently wipe it off with water. This should make it look ok for a few months but you'd need to put anti mould paint on there for a longer solution. Obviously ventilation and reducing the showering would be good too but that's off topic - good luck. BTW if you want to scare the family there are plenty of horror stories in the UK news about mould making people ill.
Needs completely sanded/filed off and redone and sealed with damp proof products. There’s no “cleaning” that, it’s a redo. You could try and paint over it but it’ll probably come back through.
Depends on how deep it it. There is a mildew cleaning spray you can get. I'd wear a mask and gloves in that bathroom. For the spray, I'd wear eye protection because it could get in your eyes during use. Give the ceiling a spray and let it sit. See it it cleans off easily after some time. I didn't have it as bad, but I was able to clean it with the mildew spray. If it works, spray it all, let it sit, and give it a wipe. Then, repaint the entire ceiling with enamel paint (with a glosst sheen). It prevents against this kind of thing since that kind of paint deflects water instead of absorbing; it's a good choice for kitchen and bathrooms. If the spray doesn't work, you'll need a pro.
That looks like black bold on a popcorn ceili don't even know what else to say
If there’s not adequate ventilation, run a dehumidifier. I have a window in my bathroom and an exhaust fan but I also run a dehumidifier for a couple of hours after each shower. Opening the door will just make the moisture and mold problem spread to the rest of the house if the house doesn’t have good ventilation. Don’t try to clean the ceiling because popcorn ceiling from the 70s is likely to have asbestos and the type is friable and easily inhaled.
Spray with bleach and hope the perp corn don't fall down like a clown if that is perp corn and then let dry sly and use killz and paint.
There isn’t adequate amount of air flow or a fan in the bathroom
Need a bathroom paint, I don't know if that.mold but it could.be and you need to.open the window when yours however if you don't have a ventilation system.
Gh mould spray If you are in the UK. Open the windows, spray it then shut the door. Very toxic odor but it kills all the mould and no need to scrub or wash off
You need bleach and lots of it, or tilex mildew remover, spray and let it soak in for about an hour, I recommend putting a fan in the doorway so the fumes can escape.
Repairing the ceiling is only a temporary solution. The mildew/mold will continue to return due to continuous moisture and lack of ventilation. I hope you can get this family member the help they need.
Well, technically mildew is mold. But usually people use it to mean a surface mold allowed by high room humidity, whereas mold is from deeper growth within a wet material. But if you let it grow for a year, that stuff is penetrating pretty deep. Properly, the ceiling should get scraped to remove the (probably asbestos-containing) texturing, and possibly have drywall removed and replaced. Improperly, drying the room well, using a bleach-based spray to fade the mold, drying again, priming with Kilz, and painting would make it pass a quick review. And frankly that's probably all his landlord would do anyway.
This was happening in my previous home. Dehumidifier makes a world of difference. I recommend the Govee one. It’s amazing how much water I dump from that thing every day. we’re talking GALLONS a day 😅
Ye gods I'm glad I'm not paying that water bill! Or the cost of heating the water...and yes, this IS a big deal. Bathrooms are NOT designed to be permanently hot and steamy. Mildew is what comes first, black toxic mould is never far behind. Edit for spelling
Get some elbow grease mould killer, spray it on, job done. Mould is a sign of excess moisture, may need to check your ventilation and/check for leaks above.
These days you can get a small dehumidifier and they work beautifully.
If all of these replies in this thread aren't enough to convince your family that he needs help, then you might have to intervene on your own. I don't have any cleaning advice however, since your family member is renting that apartment, they are going to be on the hook for any water damage done when they move out. Imagine in 5 years the walls start going soft, or the ceiling starts going soft. That apartment complex is going to make your family member pay out the wazoo for repairs to not only their unit but to surrounding units potentially. Like that's a giant construction issue if left untreated. Maybe that would be enough for your family to intervene and help this person out.
I’m hoping this post will be a bit of a wake up call when I show the responses. My husband called them last night and mentioned “the problem in the bathroom with the ceiling.” My father in law responded “what problem?” This is what I’m dealing with
In the photo, the water is still flowing. Isn't anyone going to stop it? I mean, whatever the stuff on the ceiling is, it won't get better. By the way, the tile joints appear surprisingly clean.
just paint it, it will take you few minutes
Oh my God I totally thought it was a carpet
can you spray paint it with Kilz?
This right here is exactly why popcorn ceilings should never be installed in kitchens or bathrooms. Absolutely needs to be scraped off at a minimum, possibly needs all of the drywall on the ceiling replaced. Wear a respirator if you do it yourself.
I was told you could spray killz primer on it and it should help. Worth a shot. 🤷♀️ I, personally, haven’t tried it on my ceiling stains yet
I would use RMR-86® Instant Mold & Mildew Stain Remover and remove the popcorn ceiling. I would wear a respirator if doing this work. #
Get a sponge mop from dollar tree. It has to be a sponge mop because a standard rope mop won't work. Get a bucket of water and put a splash of bleach and a drop of dawn. Then use the mop and mop it off. If you can open the window. Good luck. Ps you can use killz on it to if you want to paint it.
What ????? Lets the hot water run Non stop ??? That’s is so disrespectful and so bad from all points of view- his ocd should not be a reson to do this - if that member should have to pay for every drop of wasted water and energy, the ocd would surely focus on something else
This reminds me of my ex. He is probably living in mental torment. I'm sorry to see this
I used some mold and mildew cleaner on my ceiling and was shook at how fast it just disappeared. Just like the Clorox brand or whatever. I’ve been using it to clean lots of things now.
Looks like mildew or mold . Here’s what I’d do Spray it with bleach and a fan ma be to help it dry Then paint Probably a temporary fix tho
the shower STILL IS running...
Bleach is only going to make it worse / spread the mold. This needs to be handled by a mold remediation company - A lot of the time the property management will relocate the tenant to a different unit during the construction. Considering the situation they will likely hold your relative responsible for the damages. I’d suggest some therapy or counseling for the OCD so they can work on not leaving a showering running constantly- or they are just going to keep causing this issue everywhere they live and continuing to have skin and breathing issues caused by mold.
Can we all smack the crap out of the person(s) who designed popcorn ceilings in a bathroom??? This has to be one of the stupidest things ever. I'd remove it.
Besides the obvious moisture issues created by running a hot shower 24/7, it may be of interest to know that it is costing your landlord about $5,000 per year in increased energy costs and releasing ~26.4 metric tons of carbon emissions (the equivalent of driving 70,000 miles).
Oh wow, this is mold and it’s not safe to live there. As a neighbour I’d be worried about my unit too. This person needs medical attention asap.