Types of Mold in Toilet Bowls

Aureobasidium

• Aureobasidium is a type of black- or grey-colored mold. Though it usually appears around the sides of bathtubs and windows, you might also find it growing in your toilet or around the sides of the toilet. The mold grows in damp areas and places often touched by water, such as where you step when climbing out of the shower. This mold can aggravate symptoms of hay fever and asthma.

Aspergillius

• The Aspergillius type of mold comes in shades of green and white. The mold often has a dark green center that lightens to other shades of green on its sides and a circle of white around the exterior. Any spot in your bathroom is susceptible to the mold, including the sides of your toilet and inside your toilet bowl. As the mold is fairly toxic, it causes a variety of medical problems, particularly in the respiratory system. The mold can cause asthma and increase the symptoms of hay fever.

Orange Mold

• If you avoid cleaning your toilet bowl for a while, you may notice an orange mold inside the bowl. The orange mold might appear slightly pink and have a slimy texture. Orange mold grows from bacteria in the water, which comes from feces, urine and other parts of the surrounding environment. This type of mold actually grows in the water but appears on the toilet bowl, because the water deposits pieces of the mold as it washes up against the porcelain.

Black Mold

• Not all forms of black mold are toxic to humans, and the black mold found in toilets typically does not cause any medical problems. The exception is anyone with allergies to mold and mold spores, as the mold does release spores into the bathroom and surrounding environment. The mold often appears around the edges of your toilet bowl and anywhere feces touches, as the mold lives off human feces. Cleaning the toilet regularly and using a bleach-based cleaner should help remove the black mold.