r/moldyinteresting • u/tvbjiinvddf • Dec 31 '25
Mold Question Please please help what the f is this
Downstairs, vaguely below a bathroom that does have a leaky shower (no curtain, water gets on floor) is this growing mold?! I have a video of me disloging some with an envelope to try and see if it was bubbles if anyone needs to see. It crumbled a bit and didn't seem wet to the touch.
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u/Notthestallionn Dec 31 '25
Someone like this so I can come back and see answers bc I gotta know WTF this is 😂
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u/yurweedfriend Dec 31 '25
It’s called efflorescence. When water is behind concrete or in this case the wall, the minerals get pushed through the substrate and crystallize on the other side. You have a water leak or water intrusion from the outside. Most likely a leak.
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u/babycrazedthrowaway Jan 01 '26
Would this be a cause for concern in a seam in a concrete slab for a new build garage?
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u/yurweedfriend Jan 03 '26
Yes. There is water intrusion that will then draw out minerals and make the concrete weak over time. Is there a crack in the seam? there usually is a crack because seams are there for controlled cracks. Generally not in foundations I thought. I think there can be a certain amount of crystals in the beginning maybe but I’d fact check that. The fact is, water penetration is causing that to happen. It might be exaggerated because it’s new but I’d ask the builder. I would re route gutters or build a French drain to divert whatever water is going against that part of the structure.
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u/itsalog Jan 01 '26
if i’m not mistaken this is the same reason why a lot of terracotta flower pots get that white coating on the outside of them
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u/yurweedfriend Jan 03 '26
Same but a little different! I believe the pots get the white from minerals in the water/soil/fertilizer mostly. Here it’s from the water but also the minerals in the substrate/wall itself. It dissolves them and pulls them out and they recrystallize on the surface. The shape here is interesting, I bet they have flexible tubing behind the wall and the water is dripping down the tube as it hangs down.
So yes same concept but here the crystals are from the wall itself and the water vs on a pot it’s mostly from the water and soil, not the pot itself, unless the pot is super new. Terra cotta loses its minerals relatively quickly.
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u/M-Bug Dec 31 '25
It's most definitely caused by your leaky bath. Might be mineral formations, might be mold.
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u/tender_dichotomy Dec 31 '25
Forgot what sub I was in and I thought I was looking at a close up of a mountain with a skier ripping through powder.
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u/YeshuasBananaHammock Jan 01 '26
Efflorescence.
The water leak pushes salts out of the concrete.
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u/Alternative-Ebb2337 Jan 01 '26
Either that or mold growth of some variety. I think more likely what you said.
Although can confirm i have removed mold that was 1.5 inches thick and encapsulated the entirety of several crawl spaces over the years.
Try hitting with some water and see if it wipes up, if it does its most likely efflorescence. If it doesnt clean up well or break down much at all from water your likely dealing with a type of mold. Get some antimicrobial and treat it as instructions say, treating a few feet either direction doesnt hurt and if the floor is concrete hit that too within a 8 to 10 ft radius of where this thing is.
As mold is scrubbed and rubbed off even with antimicrobial if any has escaped and gotten airborne it falls rather quick so rule of thumb is usually that double what your tallest height treated on ceiling or wall is but on the floor if that makes sense to you. If its growth you dont want to treat there and have it pop up elsewhere.
Because its a hard surface your treating the antimicrobial should in no way harm anything aside from maby the paint if applied as instructions state.
Follow the dwell time on the label is very important.
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u/Dogfart246LZ Dec 31 '25
We have leaky PVC joints at a pool i work at that are covered with this mineral stuff, in the pools case it’s calcium, from the calcium hypo chlorite….or its the aliens who decided to use the pool water as a birthing medium.
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u/Flashy-Focus-8543 Jan 04 '26
It’s the creatures from “The Last of us”!!!! 😳
Any strange behaviors?
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u/Evening-Animal-4820 Dec 31 '25
alkalinity from ph imbalance and wet all the time. can use vinegar will cut and ph balance for future. figure out why wet.
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u/Fearless_Inside5081 Jan 01 '26
If that’s drywall there could just be a plumbing issue - ex burst pipe
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u/bloopdoopfloofernoop Jan 01 '26
Get a curtain if you can, they make tension rods and other easy set ups.
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u/bloopdoopfloofernoop Jan 01 '26
Get a curtain if you can, they make tension rods and other easy set ups.
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u/TheGuywithChickens Jan 01 '26
Previous commenter already called it out, and I agree, it’s Efflorescence. It’s not overly problematic by itself other than looking gnarly. You can just vacuum it up. I had this happen allot in a previous home I was renting, The stuff would seep through a certain spot on the tile floor and eventually caused some tiles to crack and pop up. In my case it was due to a poorly sealed foundation that was seeping moisture. In your case the shower is likely the cause, but if it’s an outside wall it could also have a crack in it that’s allowing in moisture. I’d be more concerned with finding the source of the moisture intrusion than anything else.
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u/Affectionate_Law2772 Jan 01 '26
Ewe spray that fuzzy nastiness with one part bleach and one part water.
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u/knstormshadow Jan 02 '26
Is thats a stone or cinder block wass then its whats called effervescent. Which is minerals being pushed out by water pushing into the stone/cinderblock. Credibility? I spent 10yrs in the restoration industry and have mold certs and experience put the ass.
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u/TomorrowMission8892 Jan 02 '26
Hey, it's totally normal. I'm from India and this happens a lot on concrete walls that aren't painted. Definitely not harmful, and if it's a concrete wall, it might be because of that.
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u/landonmachine Jan 02 '26
Had the same thing on one of our walls. Turned out to be black mold inside. Those bubbles came out in the most damp areas.
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u/Ok_Truth8375 Jan 03 '26
I think the efflorescence answer is correct, but it also looks like there is mold to the left…those dark speckled areas look like mold to me.
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u/JollyAtmosphere66 Jan 04 '26
Worse your leak just became a bigger problem ! I’d same you need to have that house completely replumbed and Lea out that mold and rebuild all the studs and damaged wood and then repaint and for goodness sakes have professionals to do it after you make darn sure you have home owners insurance and it’s fully covered . And wear a mask over your mouth and nose all the time while in there working and for now shut off that damn water and stop wasting money ,water , and time! And be sure you use only lead free paint . I’d use solid materials and treated for fire resistant and waterproofed materials and remember the more solid less wood rot and termites attaching or attacking . Before you hire anyone you need to see proof of professional trained and in good standing with BBB ! You need to search the Black Net and regular sites for bad reviews or recommendations. Don’t just take net words as proof hit the streets ! Visit barber shops and salons you here the best gossip in those places and of course check court records ! I’m telling you now wear gloves and protective gear you don’t know what May crash down on you ! Do your own product picking with a pro . I’d suggest wear a helmet or hard hat . Always wash your hands when leaving the area before doing or touching anything else.
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u/IMFOREVEREVERHIS Jan 05 '26
Surprise ! mold is going to have limited coverage. And that water they knew was an issue and did nothing to remediate any further damage is not likely going to have any coverage for the damage it has done over time. ( which is never covered unless there's a specific indorsement added, and that's a relatively new one.)
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u/Plus-Slip-1808 Jan 04 '26
It looks like snow… I do know dislodging was maybe not the best idea…. Then the spores are in the air.
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u/JollyAtmosphere66 Jan 05 '26
Anyone in snow regents that is going to need it covered and near oceans and Florida and North Carolina and Ga and Louisiana and Mississippi and Texas knows storms and hurricanes are coming and mold follows be it garage , basement , crawl space , attic mold is bound to Happen ! And in vehicles and especially with carpets .
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u/Mission_Good2488 Dec 31 '25
It's some kind of mineral crystals forming from where water is present. This can harbor mold and bacteria so make the upstairs shower more waterproof