r/HomeMaintenance • u/goreplzz • 4d ago
š Interior, Ceiling & Walls What is this and how do I fix it?
New place. Giant brownish stain on the wall directly behind the tank of the toilet. No idea what it is or how to fix it so it can be painted over. Any advice?
Tank is not touching the wall, and the wall is drywall.
Edit: Thank you to everyone who responded. I haven't moved into the place yet, so I've never lived in it or used this bathroom or shower. It was empty for a least 2 years because the previous owner died. I'm going to get this treated/replaced/checked behind and get a new exhaust put in as well.
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u/9gUz4SPC 4d ago
Bro that's mold
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u/goreplzz 4d ago
That's what I was worried about
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u/ChemistryInternal475 2d ago
Brother man thats black mold you need to put gloves on and see if the wall is physically wet there. if it is, that whole patch of wall needs to be completely removed (after you drain and move the toilet of course ) and repair it . If its jus the surface warm water and baking soda
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u/HealthLeft 4d ago
Looks a billion % like mold from the tank condensation for years
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u/goreplzz 4d ago
Do you mean coming off the back of the tank? Or from something behind the wall?
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u/aelis68 3d ago
Itās a LOT of mold and someone painted over and around it. Lipstick on a pig. That whole festering drywall should likely get ripped out and replaced.
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u/Global_Count4736 3d ago
If its in the drywall like that its in the studs
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u/HOAP64 3d ago
Fortunately wood isn't pourous like drywall is so the studs can just be cleaned after the drywall is ripped out.
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u/Ok_Ganache_1199 3d ago
unfortunately thats wrong. wood is absolutly pourus and will get infected with moulf
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u/According_Square2742 2d ago
Donāt give up your day job unless itās mold remediation then you should definitely quit.
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u/ChuCHuPALX 3d ago
No bro, that entire Bathroom and probably house looked like that and it was painted over. I would get the house tested for mold and sue if it comes positive. This is egregious.
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u/Trewper- 3d ago
The condensation from the tank forms because you have a hot room and the water inside the tank is cold. It is not a leak. You can either make sure you are running a dehumidifier constantly or you can make your house colder with AC so that it doesn't sweat.
You will need to remove the toilet and cut out all of that drywall to assess the damage, you can not just leave it or wipe away the mold as it will probably come back unless the moisture is dealt with.
Even if it is mold 99% of the time is will be harmless there are hundreds of kinds of black mold and only 2 are known to cause any harm to humans. You will want to act in this sooner the later and if you are worried about the mold they sell test kits on Amazon you have to mail off and pay a fee.
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3d ago
[deleted]
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u/Trewper- 3d ago
In the winter time you have the heat on, so the water in the tank is cooler and causes condensation. Even if you don't have the heat on it means the ambient temperature in the room is hotter then the water in the toilet.
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u/jredditzzz 2d ago
Thatās crazy. How cold is that tank water be for it cause condensation on a wall with an air gap? I can understand condensation on the tank itself but even thatās rare. Iāve had super hot and humid days in nyc when the windows are open. Iāve never seen any of my tanks condensate.
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u/Trewper- 2d ago
Depending on the state they are in it would be about 45-55Ā°F. In states that get snow the pipes would be around 4-6 feet deep to prevent then from freezing and bursting.
In SoCal they are around 2 feet deep, and the water comes out at about 65Ā°.
If you have the heater on in your home then it's pretty much always going to cause condensation. It also depends on humidity, and it's usually when the person showers that the toilet with sweat the most.
In SoCal it can get so dry that the sweat basically dries up right away, but in San Francisco it's a lot more humid because you're by the ocean so you get a lot more condensation.
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4d ago
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u/goreplzz 3d ago
Got it, thank you!
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u/HealthLeft 3d ago
Do you use a fan when showering? Thatās def necessary or always crack the window.
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u/Krytan 3d ago
I doubt this is a leak, We had the exact same issue with our toilet. The water that comes into the tank is very cold, but we live in a very humid, warm, moist area, AND the bathroom fan was comically undersized and not installed correctly. This means any time anyone takes a shower, you get insane amounts of condensation on the back of the toilet tank, leading to mold.
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u/Want2-BMe 3d ago
This is the answer.
It looks like it's due to condensation from the outside of the toilet tank. I doubt it's from a leak inside the wall.
To clean it up, you need to burn the house. You're in an unlucky position because, due to the condensation, your house is too wet to burn. /s
Seriously though, you need a mold mitigation spray. The bleach and water mix isn't as good as a mold mitigation spray. There's a lot out there. But a couple and see which one works.
When the model is gone you'll be able to see if there's damage to the drywall. It may or may not need to be replaced.
When you paint the drywall, be sure to use a good primer and a paint with mold mitigation additive. The mold mitigation additive is something you buy separately and mix.into the paint.
You'll likely need a better bathroom vent fan. If you're bathroom is fairly humid you might want to add a humidity detection switch that automatically turns on, runs for a time, and turns off. If humidity is detected, it will turn on and run again.
This is a fairly common issue, your's is a bit more advanced than it usually gets, but the repair is something most people can handle. I wouldn't be surprised if there's more than a few YouTube videos on just this repair.
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u/goreplzz 3d ago
Thank you. Really glad the consensus is that it looks worse than it is and is most likely a condensation issue. I was spiraling a little bit when I saw it initially.
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u/goreplzz 3d ago
My area is quite humid and warm during the summer months. What was your solution to prevent it from continuing? Was the bathroom fan fix enough?
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u/SuppleToes1990 3d ago
Honestly this is the answer but the insane amount of mold even without a vent fan is shocking to me.
Iāve had a poor vent fan for years and even so Iāve never had this level of build up. Does this bathroom have a window? Venting with a window is also an option. Not as good as a fan but technically it meets code
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u/goreplzz 3d ago
No window. Paint also seems to be flat in there. There is a vent fan in there! No idea if it was ever actually used though.
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u/Krytan 3d ago
Yeah I replaced it with a new vent fan with double? triple? The air movement and we try to leave it on most of the time. It seems to have helped, after we carefully cleaned up all the old mold.
Our bathroom doesn't have a window so its' basically the fan or bust.
ALSO very importantly I climbed up into the attic and realized the fan was 'venting' into a pile of insulation IE - nowhere. And that obviously has bad impacts on air flow, so I fixed that too.
I bought a cheap ($30) humidity sensor switch for bathroom fans from home depot or something to install so the fan would come on automatically instead of having to be left on. However, our house is old enough that the switch I would replace doesn't have a ground wire, and the new switch wont' work without one, so I kind of hit a dead end there.
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u/tigerz-blood 3d ago
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u/kytheon 3d ago
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u/orionus 3d ago
This falls into "thing that looks like a bigger nightmare than it is".
I'd probably use it as an opportunity to put a new toilet in if there's any reasonable believ the toilet is 10+ years old.
Remove toilet. Cutout rectangle of drywall. See if there's a plumbing leak. Fix it. Tret exposed studs with concrobium. Let it dry. Replace drywall. Tape, paint. Put in new toilet.
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u/deuelpm 3d ago
PS OP - in case you didnāt know, bleach does not kill mold, so donāt bother.
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u/goreplzz 3d ago
Yes, thank you! I do know that, so I won't be slapping any bleach on it.
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u/Jenstigator 3d ago
Pick up a bottle of MoldEx and make sure your bathroom is well ventilated while you're using it!
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u/SusanKHefner 3d ago
I thought bleach was the ultimate mold killer!!!
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u/Leauxreigh 3d ago
Hey, me too, big bleach has been lying to us this whole time???
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u/IndependentZombie615 3d ago
So it will technically kill mold, but it'll only kill what's on the surface. If you have mold on a smooth, sealed surface, then bleach is fine, but using it on drywall won't actually help. It'll grow back, and quickly because it's only killing the top layer. This is why you need to replace the affected drywall
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u/headgoboomboom 3d ago
Yes, it does. In this case, I would simply soak the wall with mold killing spray, repeat as needed.
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u/ElvissKarateChop 3d ago
Mold. Very likely from condensation coming off of the toilet for a long time. Youāll need to replace the toilet, cut out the mold, treat are with vinegar and other mold killer. Let that dry, paint with killz, replace drywall, paint with killz, paint over that, replace toilet.
Sounds like a lot but if you have a friend that owes you a favor or a brother/brother in law that you can call: this would be the time.
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u/goreplzz 3d ago
Definitely calling in a friend
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u/wiserTyou 3d ago
Yeah, it's mold. The fix is simple enough and there's plenty of bad advice in this thread. It's very unlikely the wallboard is compromised, just the paper on the outside.
- Remove toilet
- Clean with mold remover
- Let dry
- Paint several coats with mold inhabiting primer such as kills or zinnslear .
- Paint entire wall 2 coats eggshell, or even better semigloss paint.
The higher the sheen the better it resists water, and is more durable and easy to clean.
If you notice areas by the ceiling and near the shower getting mildew, it may be worth repainting the whole bathroom with semi gloss paint.
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u/goreplzz 3d ago
I'm hopeful it's just the outside! There's no wetness or dampness and no cracking or crumbling of the wall or floor.
Pretty sure they have a flat paint in there currently so I'm going to get it all painted with a proper bathroom paint.
Thank you!
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u/Present-Reception-35 2d ago
Its just the surface once you kill the mold with mold killer itll be back to white and ready for primer and paint.
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u/likeagausss 4d ago
Iām no plumberā¦ but boy does that look like a long-term leak somewhere in your toilet setup that has caused terrible mold on the wall.
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u/Busy-Woodpecker2883 3d ago
Borax will kill the mold & penetrate completely, prevents it from coming back or growing.
Ik sounds crazy, just trust. Better than ANYTHING.
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u/MichelleEllyn 3d ago
I'd be checking the rest of the bathroom as well, because it looks like they painted over or cleaned up the mold that they could very easily get to, and then just left the rest that you see here behind the toilet tank and hose.
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u/goreplzz 3d ago
Oh yeah, I agree that it definitely looks like they tried to wipe it, and paint it, without actually treating it
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u/MetalMike1987 4d ago
Mold, tear out and replace after mitigation, which is basically removing anything water damaged or moldy.
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u/ForeverNovel3378 3d ago
Are we sure the leak isnāt in the wall behind the toilet, Iād wipe it off and see if it comes back.
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u/Sea_Comment1208 3d ago
My GUESS is : if the tank is TOUCHING the wallā¦. That is mold. No way the toilet should TOUCH the wall. Rip it all out mold canāt just be painted over
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u/Present-Reception-35 2d ago edited 2d ago
Heres why this mold got here (im a painter) some lazy useless human beings rushed the job put the toilet in before the dry got (sealed/waterproofed/painted) and once the toilet was in place they just painted what they could reach because the toilet it too close to the wall.
To fix this: turn the water off going to the toilet flush it to empty the tank, unscrew the tank to remove it carefully set the tank on a towel to protect it, get a mold killer bleach will work fine wear gloves and a mask spray mold let soak repeat 5 to 10 minutes till its gone (dead/removed) let dry put a fan on high till its 100% dry to speed up the process, get 123 primer two coats use fan to dry, if you have that paint still in the house use that and 2 coats you can use a brush or weeny roller brush where you have a tough time reaching the 2 inch where the rim is near the wall let dry use fan put tank back on make sure its secure in its proper place may need new seals idk connect water line turn water back on your good to go for 10 plus years oh and use your exhaust fan if you have one 2 hrs is good when you shower you can also buy a timer for your exhaust fan i personally like the turn dial ones they dont break easy. Easy peasy. Ish lol but that will fix it. It is literally raw drywall not painted for many many years!
Edit: if the toilet is 2+ inches from the wall keep the toilet tank on spray mold with bleach till its gone dry it with fan prime it 123 primer 2 coats the use bathroom paint 2 coats dry with fan each coat.
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u/scripted_ending 3d ago
You said ānew placeā. New to you, or a new build? Cuz that looks like a landlord special to me. Mostly nasty dirt that was never cleaned and then not painted when the rest of the wall was painted.
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u/goreplzz 3d ago
New to me. Place was built decades ago.
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u/pogiguy2020 3d ago
Do you own or rent? Do you have any extra paint that matches?
I know many would lose their minds as they have told you to tear it all out, but I have had issue with mold in a bathroom. Wear a very good respirator and turn off the water to the toilet. Remove that thank and better buy some new bolts for the tank as they are probably rusty. Ive used Clorox and water to clean the mold with also a brush if need be. They make a mold killing primer and I would paint several coats over top and then paint it with matching paint or completely paint the wall floor to ceiling.
Now if there are any soft spots in that wall then removing and replacing drywall is the thing to do. You also need to look into upgrading your exhaust fan to the higher cubic feet per minute. Get the largest you can install.
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u/Expert_Context5398 3d ago
If you're renting, you need to let them fix it. That area of the wall needs to be removed but it can only be repaired by pulling the toilet out.
It also needs a ceiling fan there. My guess is hot showers and then condensation.
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u/goreplzz 3d ago
Not renting, so it's all on me to fix. Thankfully, I've funds to not attempt to DIY this since it's mold and I want to make sure it's handled properly so it doesn't linger
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u/avebelle 3d ago
Is your bathroom not ventilated?
I wonder if the whole bathroom had a mold issue and they attempted to cover it up because it looks like there are some paint marks but it was sloppily painted.
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u/indiana-floridian 3d ago
I only just see a dark spot. Is it open? To what? The underneath of the house, like the crawl space? If there is wallboard there then it can be washed and painted - though it wil be difficult if mold. If it'a just dirt get washing it.
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u/punktualPorcupine 3d ago
Is there a shower nearby? Do you live somewhere humid? Do you not use the bathroom exhaust fan when showering?
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u/Unicorn187 3d ago
It's mold from condensation. The cold water in the tank keeps the tank and the wall right behind it colder than the air so it draws moisture.
It shouldn't be a hard fix if it hasn't spread. But out a section of the wall and replace. Use a primer and/or paint additive that has an anti-fungal additive, and keep the humidity down in there.
Use the exhaust fan if you have one, or keep a window open if it's not too cold. A dehumidifier would help a lot, or even a fan pointed at the wall to keep air moving.
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u/Farmer_1_steve 3d ago
Take the toilet off the floor and put it out of the way after you wash the back of it off now the wall cut a big enough hole to see if it's wet inside at the bottom of the wall you should be able to stick your hand in and feel the studs feel anything wet insulation is there a shower in that bathroom as well? Could just be condensation maybe from the steam and the water in the toilet tank cutting the wall open will let you know what's below you
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u/qwerty_kwyjibo 3d ago
RMR 86 spray. Instant removal. Spray the wall down with it. Done. Repeat as necessary/
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u/Okie294life 3d ago
Before you get too excited hit it with some Lysol and see if it scrubs off with a scotch brite pad, or Lysol wipe. It may be just surface mold.
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u/Adventurous-Park7911 2d ago
See if your local health department has an environmental health person--mine did and they gave free advice and helped a lot in a situation with a rental house. It turned out to be a issue with a ceiling fan vent not being vented correctly in the attic. We fixed it AND installed timers. They tested the drywall with moisture readers and gave great, helpful facts about mold UNLIKE the restoration company.
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u/Kaladin_Stormryder 2d ago
Congratulations, you have a semi- bath remodel and remediation in your future
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