Q. Hello! I just discovered a mushroom growing from the grout in my bathroom, between the shower and the sink. What should I do?

       A. For the mold mushroom to have enough food to eat to even become a mold mushroom, it probably originates in mold growth inside the wall BEHIND the tiles. Your first step should be to determine the extent of mold cross contamination of your entire home by using do it yourself mold test kits available from a large hardware, home improvement, or safety store to mold test the air of the bathroom, all other rooms, attic, crawl space, basement, attic, and the outward air flow from each heating/cooling duct register for the possible presence of elevated levels of airborne mold spores in comparison to your outdoor mold control test. You would also be wise to open up the inside of the tiled wall from hopefully an adjoining room so that you can visually inspect for mold growth on and in the wallboard to which the tiles are attached. Learn the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation.
 

      Q. I have a problem tenant that hammered out a tile countertop (before telling me about a suspected problem) when she suspected that there was a Mold/mildew issue. There is brownish discoloration at the grout lines on a portion of the countertop so in all fairness the grout appears to have failed. The tenant is trying to involve any municipal department that will listen to her to hold my feet to the fire (while she has not paid rent in almost 3 months.) I've been told to rinse with bleach and vigorously wire brush the affected area's and then put a fan on it for a few hours and then repeat. Is it your professional opinion that utilizing the above approach and then retiling and regrouting will be an acceptable fix.
     A. Bleach does not kill mold on porous building materials like grout. Read the 25 steps for safe and effective mold remediation. It would be appropriate to remove the grout. You can use low-cost Mold Home Remedy Recipes available at Mold Mart. It would be wise for any mold remediation steps to take place while your tenant is out of the apartment [e.g., you pay for a motel room during the remediation work]. Of much greater significance to you in resolving the mold dispute with your tenant is for you to learn the real mold truth about the rental unit, either by testing with a Certified Mold Inspector or on your own---follow the mold inspection and mold testing tips.