Warning to iPhone users who keep smartphones in the bathroom while showering

A warning has been issued to iPhone users who take their smartphones into the bathroom while showering.

A woman named Andi made a disturbing discovery after removing her iPhone case.

“A little PSA,” she said in a TikTok video. “I usually take this phone into the shower with me to listen to music while I shower.”

Without saying much more, Andi held up a rose-pink, leathery empty phone case covered in black mold.

Leaving your iPhone in the bathroom to shower can lead to mold growth on the case due to the high humidity of the steam, creating a perfect environment for mold to thrive.

Not only can mold grow inside the case, but users have found that steam also damages the internal hardware of the device, even if it is water resistant.

Viewers of Andi’s video had mixed feelings about her discovery; some said they never cleaned the case, while others said they needed to check their own iPhone case “right now.”

One commenter shared: ‘Are you dropping it? Because I have the same case and it has never happened to me in all these years.’

Andi shared the 15 second video on TikTokwhere she seemed bewildered by the mold in her suitcase.

A commenter on Andi’s video wrote, “I think your bathroom might have some ventilation issues that you need to get checked out.”

“My phone has never gotten this dirty even without a thorough cleaning so I don’t know what you do with it,” another shared.

But Andi isn’t the only Apple user who has encountered this problem.

On the discussion page of Apple’s website, a user posted a photo of a tan phone case covered in dark mold with the caption “Mold on Apple Leather Phone Case.”

‘I’d like to know if any of you here have encountered an issue with mold and mildew growing on their leather Apple case… I may have sweaty hands, but I actually bought a $50 case to keep mold at home grow,” they shared.

Leather is an organic and porous material that easily absorbs and retains moisture, creating an ideal environment for mold growth when exposed to humid conditions, such as residual steam from a shower.

While the material isn’t specifically mentioned in the video, Andi’s case also looks leathery.

Andi took off her iPhone case and discovered it was covered in black mold. She admitted that she always took her phone into the bathroom while showering to listen to music

‘You can find fungi almost everywhere; they can grow on virtually any substance as long as moisture is present,” according to the Environmental Protection Association (EPA).

More specifically, black mold that forms in the shower is caused by high humidity and a lack of ventilation.

With or without a phone case, mold experts claim that “Mold can grow in any area, including electronic equipment. As long as there is moisture, there is a chance of mold.’

Good ventilation in a bathroom (such as a fan or an open window) can prevent mold growth.

Black mold can be either toxic or non-toxic, although most people assume that all black mold is harmful.

While exposure to both can result in the manifestation of similar symptoms such as coughing, sneezing and runny nose; toxic black mold can lead to serious health consequences.

Exposure to the mold can cause things like asthma and breathing problems.

Identifying the difference can be difficult, but toxic black mold is said to have a more powerful odor and possibly a slimy appearance.