My DH and I just purchased a "new" house. Built in 1939 with lots of updating done. Basically, the house has all the great things from that time period (hardwood floors, great woodwork around door frames and windows, etc) and has been remodeled to add great things from this time period (new windows, more insulation, new kitchen, etc).

The only thing is the main floor bathroom. There is light mold growth on the ceiling and walls around the tub surround. Not noticeable at all unless you look. We didn't notice it when we viewed the house and neither did the real estate agent. It may be due to the color of the walls. Previous owners painted 2 walls light gray and 2 walls dark gray. There is a fan in the bathroom but either they didn't use it or there are other circumstances which contributed to the mold. Possibly they didn't use the special bathroom paint? The bathroom is very open as well, so the moist air isn't getting "trapped" in there.

We're already planning on repainting the bathroom. What should we do about this mold growth? We haven't used the shower in there since moving in for fear that we'd make it worse. What kills mold? I've had several people tell me that bleach doesn't kill mold and that I should use boric acid powder instead, mixed with white vinegar or water. If so, where can one buy boric acid? Where is it readily available? Does it work? And after I kill and clean away the mold, what should I do next? Should I prime it with Kilz and paint over it? Should I prime the entire bathroom or just the area around the tub? Is there a way to tell if they used the bathroom paint? I'm just really confused - never had to deal with this before and I'm severely allergic to mold so it makes me a little nervous. We also have a 2 1/2 yr old daughter so of course her health is at the utmost importance to us.

Any advice/help is appreciated! Thanks so much!