Black Mold In Your Toilet? Here's what to do... (updated: January 2025)

Do you have black mold in your toilet? Not to worry, here is a super-easy way to get rid of black mold in your toilet without chemicals (or if you prefer chemicals, we have that information too). Own a home long enough, and you will likely find black mold in your toilet.

Let’s call this as it is… it’s pretty gross. No one wants to have mold growth in their toilet. It doesn’t look good. It’s embarrassing when you have guests over, and your toilet might look like a horror movie.

Most importantly, mold can be a hazard to your health, and prolonged mold exposure can cause illnesses. So, it’s best to get rid of all the mold in the toilet bowl as quickly as possible.

This article will cover exactly what you need to do to remove mold. It will also provide you with some natural solutions and cleaning tips on preventing black mold in a toilet.

What causes black mold in a toilet bowl?

First, we need to understand that mold is a fungus. Mold and mildew thrive in dark and humid areas (in this case, your toilet bowl and tank). Black mold can be found in your toilet bowl or tank when you have been away for even a few short days on vacation. It can also happen if waste is left in the bowl for a while.

Since mold thrives in humidity and dark places, your toilet bowl and tank are a prime breeding ground for it. Bathrooms are generally a big mold spot if they don’t have proper ventilation. It is common to see this type of mold when cleaning a hoarder’s house, in our experience.

What should you wear when removing toilet mildew?

Since black mold is a fungus and produces spores (1), it is best to wear gloves and a mask. If you are as neurotic as I am, you can even wear eye protective gear. You can check out the EPA guide here if you want the lowdown on what to wear when removing mold.

What tools will you need to remove black mold from a toilet?

When it comes to removing black mold from a toilet bowl, you will need a few things. You can get all of them with Amazon Prime with two-day shipping. As you can see from the list below, you likely have them already, which will be a very cheap and easy fix.

Rubber gloves
Cleaning mask
Toilet bowl scrubber (never use a metal scrubber or steel wool as it will wreck your toilet)
Vinegar
Spray bottle
Toilet bowl cleaner
Bleach
Magic eraser

Looking for a great house cleaning checklist? Check out our free printable. Some potential solutions to try is disinfection or bleach solution, vinegar and baking soda, and finishing the magic eraser.

Natural Solutions for Toilet Mold

The best natural solution to remove mold from your toilet is to use white vinegar. You likely have it sitting in your cupboards or pantry.

White vinegar is great for many applications, such as cleaning various things in the house. It’s the liquid equivalent of duct tape in house cleaning. It’s also my go-to when cleaning out my Keurig reservoir.

(By the way… I’m really trying to hold off on the poop jokes in writing this… I just thought you should know.)

If white vinegar isn’t doing the trick, you can also try a magic eraser and get in there with the rubber gloves. If you haven’t used a magic eraser yet, they are about to become your new BFF. They can remove almost anything with them. I’d say it’s “magic,” but the product name probably already implies that.

If you still have issues, check out these homemade toilet cleaners to help get tough stains out. They involve vinegar, borax, lemon, and baking soda. You can sprinkle baking soda and use the vinegar to cause a reaction that kills and cleans the toilet bowl mold quickly.

How to Get Rid of Black Mold in the Toilet

Cleaning mold from your toilet tank and toilet bowl rim is pretty straightforward. Please put on your rubber gloves and mask, and let’s dive in…

First Part: Cleaning the toilet bowl

Flush the toilet and get rid of any excess water, make sure to remove as much water as possible.
Get your toilet brush and your spray bottle of vinegar. Spray the vinegar inside the bowl and let it sit for a minute.
Use the toilet brush to scrub the black ring until it comes off.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 a few times to get rid of the black mold ring and any other mold spots.
Flush the toilet a few times to get rid of any cleaner or vinegar you are using.

*(Note: At this point, you have removed the mold from the bowl. Next, we need to make sure nothing is remaining in the toilet tank or reservoir.)*

Second Part: Cleaning the toilet tank

Pour a cup of bleach into the toilet tank and let it sit for 20 to 30 minutes. The ratio of bleach to water will depend on the size of your tank. Check the bleach for instructions. I usually go with a cup for every gallon.
Next, scrub the toilet tank (you can also do this in the bowl; bleach can help kill off the toilet mold). Be mindful of not bumping the parts inside of the tank. You don’t want to bump the float or anything like that (a constantly running toilet is expensive!)
Flush the toilet a few times to get rid of everything.
Clean up and dispose of the gloves and any brushes you have used as they could have mold spores on them. It’s just best to get rid of everything.
Shower. Look, I could say wash up, but when you are dealing with toilet mold, it’s best for you to scrub down and feel like you are squeaky clean again.

How to stop mold from growing on your toilet tank

Now that the toilet bowl is clean, you must prevent the toilet tank’s black mold from growing again. The tank is where the handle is and holds the bulk of the water.

Pour a cup of bleach (usually one cup for every gallon) into the tank and scrub the sides to get rid of the mold in the toilet tank. You also want to clean the toilet seat to remove mold there. Once you have removed the source mold and any remaining mold stains, flush it a few times, and you are good to go.

The best way to stop toilet mold is to prevent it from happening again. You can purchase different products that sit in the tank and put a few chemicals into each flush, so they go into the tank as things go. It’s a better way to prevent it from happening again.

These tablets are a good way to prevent mildew from building up in your toilet again. Often an ounce of prevention is worth it.

Get the weekly cleaning schedule we use; it’s a free printable.

Final Thoughts on how to remove black mold from a toilet

Although black mold in your toilet might be an alarming discovery at first, it’s relatively simple to remove it. With just a few products on hand and some elbow grease, you can get rid of it in less than one hour.

Then, by being mindful of what caused it in the first place and investing in some preventative tablets, you can stop the black mold from returning. This will help keep you and your family healthy and your bathroom mold-free moving forward.

Black Mold in a Toilet? The Cheap and Easy Solution to Get Rid Of It