Prevent Mold After Toilet Flooded, Leaked, or Overflowed

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Overflowing toilets are a pain on their own, but they’re also a common cause of mold growth later on.

A client recently called us out to address an overflowing toilet on the second floor of their home. It leaked for long enough that a full dry-out was necessary, including some removal of baseboards and drywall.

In most cases, however, that will not be necessary—if the leaking, flooding, or overflowing toilet is caught and corrected early enough on.

To Prevent Mold After a Leak or Flood, Know & Do 3 Things:

1. DRY EVERYTHING OUT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE: IDEALLY, IN UNDER 24 HOURS.
2. RECAPTURE AS MANY GALLONS OF WATER AS LEAKED OUT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
3. DRY TO THE EYE ISN’T ALWAYS DRY.

Here’s what these 3 important points mean in more detail:

• Dry out: Dry up as much of the water as possible, as fast as possible. The faster you vacuum up water, the less likely mold will be to grow. You can (and should) use wet vacs, towels, and mops to collect up as much of the spilled water as possible. Once all of the visible water is collected and dried up, use a wet vac to suck up any water and moisture you can out of carpets, edges of tile or flooring, baseboards, etc. Bathroom matts should be thrown in the washer and dryer.
• Recapture Water: It’s great to dry up as much water as you can, or to dry out everything that looks damp. But, it is also necessary to do some basic math: If your toilet flooded 5 gallons onto the floor or into a nearby room, you have to be able to account for those 5 gallons. The longer the leak, the more water was spilled and spread. Do your best to estimate about how much water left your toilet, and try your best to collect it all up again. Your toilet uses anywhere from about 1.28 to 5 gallons of water per flush. A standard wet vac holds anywhere from 2.5 to 12 gallons — look for a number obviously displayed on yours.
• Dry to the Eye Isn’t Always Dry: After sweeping, mopping, vacumming, and toweling everything dry, you may want to get a moisture meter, or call in Mold Solutions for a free consultation. The reason for this is simple: Mold is microscopic, and often needs no actual water droplets in order to grow. It can grow, and grow well, by living off of humidity and moisture alone. So what looks dry to you, may be a full-blown water park to Mr. Mold Spore. Using our “moisture meters” we can tell you what areas of the home are still wet and thus what areas mold is likely to start growing in.

So not only can you call us in after the fact for a free consultation, but we can actually do the entire process outlined above. From our experience, as bad as overflowing toilets are, the real problems tend to come in a little while later — after the wetness and moisture that was left behind has had time to cause mold growth.

Mold Prevention Checklist for Flooded Toilet

1. Clean up the water as soon as possible: The longer water sits, the more likely it is to seep into flooring and walls, creating an environment conducive to mold growth.
2. Use a wet/dry vacuum or towels: Using a wet/dry vacuum can help efficiently remove standing water, while towels can be used to soak up excess moisture.
3. Thoroughly dry the affected area: After removing the water, it’s crucial to thoroughly dry the area using fans and dehumidifiers. This helps reduce moisture levels and prevents mold from taking hold.
4. Remove any wet or damp items: Any items that have become wet or damp, such as rugs, towels, and bathmats, should be promptly removed from the bathroom to prevent moisture buildup.
5. Disinfect with a solution of water and bleach: Mixing water and bleach to create a disinfecting solution can help kill potential mold spores and prevent mold growth. [Note that bleach is usually a terrible way to treat mold, however, the CDC does advice its use for something like this — where bacterial and potential poop particles are in that flood water.] Never mix bleach with anything else but water, and let adults with proper PPE use it only.
6. Inspect for signs of mold growth: Regularly inspect the walls, flooring, and any affected materials for signs of mold growth, such as discoloration or musty odors, and address them promptly if found.
7. Keep bathroom well-ventilated: Proper ventilation is essential for reducing humidity levels in the bathroom. Consider using exhaust fans and keeping windows open to promote air circulation.
8. Use moisture absorbers or desiccants: Placing a moisture absorber or desiccant in the bathroom can help reduce humidity and prevent moisture buildup, thus inhibiting mold growth.
9. Address water leaks promptly: Regularly inspect the bathroom for any signs of water leaks, such as dripping faucets or damaged seals, and address them promptly to prevent future incidents of water damage.

As covered above, if you need professional help with this, or are concerned that a leak in your toilet or plumbing might have caused mold growth, please reach out to Mold Solutions. We can help.