Why is Black Mold In Brita Pitcher? How to Prevent Mold?

It may be shocking for everyone to assume that there is black mold in your Brita pitcher.

After all, it provides healthy, tasty, and clean water in a bacteria-free environment in the fridge.

Although, indeed, anything exposed to human usage and water would quickly get untidy.

One day I noticed smudges, yes! It is a Shocking mold!

Mold could grow in water filters, but there would need to be some organic material around for the mold spores to grow on.

According to the report of the Berkeley National Laboratory 2007, in the U.S., approximately 4.6 (2.7-6.3) million cases are reported to have asthma due to attributable to dampness and mold exposure in the home.

The Brita product is effective we use daily and whose cleanliness affects our health. So, it should wash regularly.

There are apparent explanations below; let’s go through them in detail.

What are molds and mildews?

Maybe you may have noticed this green mold in Brita pitcher growing around the brim of our utensils. Many of us can’t elaborate on what they are.

These are the most headstrong bacteria that always manage to grow around us. As unwanted as these ubiquitous microbes are, it becomes even harder to eliminate them from our homes forever.

You can call them the top species, given how simply these bacteria can survive and breed in any environment.

It is easy for them to grow in suitable areas, which makes it difficult to destroy them forever.

If these bacteria are not removed quickly, they can seriously harm the longevity of the host property.

In addition to being slimy, disgusting mites, mold, and mildew can also threaten the host’s structural well-being.

Brita filter claims to purify your water, and Brita can’t remove Coliform Bacteria, Fungus, Viruses, Fluoride, and Arsenic.

Let us consider the main difference between mold and mildew in more depth.

What is black mold & Mildew in Brita pitcher?

The activated carbon property of the charcoal in Brita products will do nothing to cause any mold to grow around it. Even if there are some traces of organic material. 

Molding spores can’t grow on activated carbon. What you are looking at is black mold on the Brita filter pitcher. It is a form of mold that only grows in a bio-film or a relatively narrow habitat.

Which is equivalent to a 2-inch weed-covered patch of ground. The mold grows in the narrow habitat, not in the larger environment or surrounding space.

It was first known as a mold because it looks like mold, which appears black on a white object.

Here is a chart showing the types of mold (swipe right to see all the information).

Mold	Classification	Type	Look like	Infection signs	Grow in
Penicillin	Allergenic	Green	Blue-green, velvet texture	Pulmonary infection, sinusitis	Carpets, Wallpaper
Alternaria	Allergenic	Green	Velvet	Asthma-like symptoms	Sinks, tubs, showers
Cladosporium	Allergenic	Green	Olive green feels like suede	Eye and skin allergies	Inside cupboards, fabric, upholstery
Aspergillus	Allergenic	Green	Light-green/yellow circular patches	Asthma attacks, lung infections	Throughout the house
Serratia marcescens (bacteria)	Allergenic + pathogenic (causes disease)	Pink	Pink film coating water	Bloodstream infections, pneumonia, respiratory infections	Sink, toilet bowl, water-logged areas like bathtubs
Chaetomium	Allergenic	Black	Black, fluffy like cotton candy	Skin and nail infections	Water-damaged structures and pipes
Aureobasidium	Allergenic	Black	Black patches	Skin irritation	Wooden surfaces, wallpaper
Ulocladium	Allergenic	Black	Black strips	Skin infections, hay fever	Kitchen and water-damaged areas
Stachybotrys	Allergenic + toxigenic	Black	Black, slimy	Body ache burning eyes, depression	Damp areas, wood, cardboard

---

Read our comprehensive review of the 

• 10 Best Alkaline Water Pitchers 2023 Edition
• 10 Best Glass Water Filter Pitchers

---

Difference between molds and mildews

The main difference between mold and mildew

Molds are categorized as fungi that have multiple identical nuclei.

These bacteria can see in greenish and blackish colors. However, mildew is nothing but a particular subspecies of molds.

Now, mainly molds are a dangerous threat because they are identified to plunge into the surfaces of things and decide to grow deeper into them.

The risk of mildew is slightly lower as they only survive and breed in flat areas and can be easily eradicated.

You can easily find mold on old walls, cracks, surprisingly on food, and sometimes in Brita water filter pitchers.

However, it grows in wet areas such as organic materials, paper, plastic, etc.

Different types of mold

To be clear, it’s probably impossible to identify every type of mold because those growing indoors have already exceeded 10,000 variants.

Some of the most common types of mold are listed below.

Aspergillus

It is the most common mold category and is most likely the one you often see in your Brita water bottle filter.

These bacteria are usually seen in brown, shades of green or black and can pose inflammation of the lungs.

Cladosporium

This type of fungus is usually developing at cool temperatures. It can cause several mild respiratory issues.

Penicillium

This type of fungus increase often in materials that are in high contact with water. It can cause severe allergic reactions if exposed to the human body for a long time.

Alternaria

It grows under kitchen/bathroom sinks, walls, showers, or similarly damp areas. That can lead to asthma.

Common mildew types

Mildew is a plant-related disease that can harm trees and is divided into two main types.

Powdery mildew

These fungi are generally found in white patches and harm growing crops.

Downy mildew

It is found widely in agricultural products. These fungi are initially yellow and later turn brown.

It is more dangerous than your old filter stopped working due to clogging, further explored in these articles:

• 15 Reasons Why Brita Longlast Filter is Slow?
• 10 Reasons Why Do Zero Water Filters Slow?

The dangers of drinking moldy water

Here is a question that arises in my mind can mold in Brita make you sick?

Short-term mold exposure has no severe health risks except for specific allergies. But, According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, Infants, toddlers, and children may be particularly at risk.

Mold effects also depend on the person and his health from exposure. Some people can be sensitive to mold exposure, while others have a light effect.

Here is some common sense of drinking moldy water from a Brita pitcher:

• Acute liver disease
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Throat irritation
• Persistent coughing
• Persistent headaches
• Wheezing
• Several mild respiratory issues
• Asthma
• Pose inflammation of the lungs       
• Nasal stuffiness
• Skin irritation
• Eye irritation

Although your Brita filter works too fast, in spite of this smell moldy, it could be more harmful to those who suffer from mold allergies.

Mold could be dangerous because it’s likely to harbor chemicals, bacteria, and harmful gasses.

Over a long-term period, use may cause fungal infections like athlete’s foot and thrush when exposed to dangerous strains of mold spores.

So, avoid drinking moldy water to keep you protected from the risk of diseases.

How to identify black mold in your Brita water pitcher?

Brita is a famous brand for making alkaline water, but mold can affect its performance.

It is characterized by the same brown splotches which can appear on other types of mold. These may look similar to brown scales on a dish, mainly stainless steel.

Along with black mold, you may also see fine, clear, black, or brown scales that make a solid visible glow under a lens.

They are web-like networks of unrecompensed organic material like organic cotton or a plant-like mass from a tree.

Black mold can be a risk. If mold is growing, the environmental conditions of your home.

However, it could be in your filtered water if the mold on top of the Brita pitcher indicates that you have not yet cleaned your jug.

Clean your tap water pitcher properly to keep you safe from its effects.

How to Prevent Mold in Brita Pitcher?

Among the different ways to prevent mold and mildew from growing in your home, the most effective way is to keep all home surfaces clean, dry, and moisture-free.

Ensure that the room temperature doesn’t exceed 40-50 degrees, which can help lower its growing chances.

Keep your home humidity level under 40% to 50%, and you can use a Dehumidifier to maintain a certain level. 

Inspect heating and cooling systems in the home constantly, maintain the proper airflow in the house, and fix leaks wherever.

Prevent Mold With White Vinegar

Last but not least, white vinegar is the best option for cleaning up stubborn mildew development in your home or tap water pitcher.

Generally, it is advisable that when you notice any mildew-infested plants, you should take them out of your house to stop any mildew infestations.

I understand that the molds are not what you want growing in your Brita pitcher. And also, the quality of your drinking water may surely drop.

How to Clean Brita Pitcher to prevent black mold?

Cleaning a dirty Brita filter pitcher is easy as washing any other kitchen dish you need is the desire to take hygiene to the next level.

Things you need:-

• Water
• Measuring cups
• Sponge
• White vinegar
• Drying rack or a dish towel
• New filter

Steps for Cleaning a Brita Water Pitcher.

Disassemble the Pitcher

Pour the remaining filtered water, disassemble it, and set the pitcher aside.

You’ll have to do that if you do not replace the screen. Disassembling is a bit tricky when you want to wash the inside.

Wash

Create a mixture of dish soap and warm water (avoid extremely hot water and bleach solution). Soak the reservoir and the lid for between 30 to 60 minutes. Then scrub every piece until you are satisfied that they are neat and clean.

Scrub off mildew

After you’ve cleaned the pieces, it’s almost impossible to see the mildew, especially when you wash them thoroughly.

If it is ineffective, mix one teaspoon white vinegar with one cup of tap water in a bowl and then scrub the pieces with this solution.

Rinse and dry

You can hear the squeaking sound when you don’t feel any mildew left. Wash both the lid and reservoir in water; Do this well. Alternatively, keep it in warm water (avoid extremely hot water).

Then put them to air dry; To avoid mildew developing in the pitcher, you’ll want to ensure each part is arid before putting it back together.

Preparing the new filter

Since the pitcher is left out to dry, it’s time to remove the Brita filter. Soaking depends on the brand models of Brita pitcher. The newer versions do not require soaking before washing like the old version.

But before washing, you need to follow the instructions that come with your water filtration product.

Putting the pitcher together

When the pitcher is dry with the new filter, it’s time to reassemble. Pour cold water over the pitcher’s side and spread afterward to eliminate any remaining carbon particles.

This step should be repeated at least twice to make sure your clean water is carbon-free.

Additional Tips

1. Use a new toothbrush to clean those hard-to-get parts.

2. Avoid using bleach solution if mold is on the bottom of the Brita filter.

3. Replace the Brita longlast filter or standard filter and throw it away if you cannot follow the steps above.

4. Use of the solution is easier to clean Brita pitcher mold rather than soap.

Pink mold in Brita pitcher

Few Brita customers face pink stains or residues that hardly develop in their Brita water filter pitchers.

It can grow around the sink, tub drains, toilet bowls, shower curtains, and even in pet water bowls.

Users naturally want to understand if something is wrong with their drinking water.

No, a pink deposit is not a problem with your hard water filter and is not dangerous in this condition.

These are common bacteria in our environment, and the type of these bacteria is recognized as Serratia marcescens.

These bacteria grow in natural sources such as dust, soil, mulch, and surface water, where high phosphate moisture helps to develop.

For example, a pink mold in Brita pitcher frequently develops when dirt and dust containing Serratia enter the pitcher.

Chlorinated drinking water is not suitable to survive Serratia.

It mostly happens in untreated tap water, private groundwater supply, and in the summer when temperatures and humidity are higher.

Using an activated carbon filter, those who eliminate the chlorine smell and other contaminants from their drinking water may have more chances of experiencing pink mold.

How many types of Brita filters are popular in the market?

There are five types of popular Brita filters available in the market:

1. Longlast Filter
2. Standard Filter
3. Stream Filter
4. Faucet filter
5. Bottle filter

1. Brita Longlast Filter: – Water pitcher filter removes chlorine, lead, benzene, cadmium, asbestos, and other contaminants, and the filter life is 6 months (every 120 gallons).

2. Brita Standard Filter: – The filter can remove mercury, zinc, chlorine, cadmium, etc. The filter indicator shows the replacement time after 2 months (every 40 gallons). Brita standard filter is affordable compared to bottled water.

3. Brita Stream Filter: – The filter removes dichlorobenzene and chlorine and needs a filter cartridge after 2 months (every 40 gallons). The Brita Stream filter can purify as you pour the cold water.

4. Brita Faucet: – A faucet filter removes lead, chlorine, benzene contaminant, asbestos, particulates, mercury, yellow well water, and TTHMs and replaces after 4 months (every 94 – 100 gallons)

5. Brita Bottle filter: – The filter used in a premium filtering water bottle can provide tasty bottled water by removing particulates, chlorine, dust, and other contaminants. The filter life is 2 months (every 40 gallons). You can keep the Brita bottle filter while traveling outside and get filtered water when you want. There is no filter indicator to know when to change the filter cartridge.

FAQs

Conclusion

Prevention is better than cure, so we must maintain our utensils and proper hygiene.

And when it comes to our pitcher, who stores our drinking water, it is also essential.

If you notice black mold in Brita pitcher, you must take the right step at the right time.

We hope our informative guide to washing a pitcher has helped you learn how to maintain your pitcher’s cleaning.

If the mold is nasty, it might be more significant than that specific filter.

You could keep replacing water filters as the mold worsens until you can fix the source of the moisture.