What Is the Pink Mold in Your Shower? The “pink mold” creating slimy buildup in your bathroom is not actually mold at all: it's a bacteria. The two most common bacteria causing pink shower mold are called Serratia marcescens and Aureobasidium pullulans.
You can find pink mold in the shower, tub, toilet and other places around the bathroom. It's usually not as hazardous to your health as black mold and other fungi, but there are some pink mold dangers, such as urinary tract infections, intestinal problems and in rare cases pneumonia.
Spraying a diluted solution of bleach will kill the bacteria and lighten the pink stain. However, to provide a longer-lasting effect, the area will need to be scrubbed down. This gets rid of the underlying minerals and soap scum that the bacteria love to feed on.
Yes, pink mold is dangerous, and its health risks should not be underestimated. It can trigger various allergic reactions and respiratory problems and can lead to the development of infections. Pink mold is particularly dangerous if it makes its way into open wounds.
Many experts agree that the bacteria that causes these pink stains is most likely Serratia marcescens, a bacteria which is found naturally in soil, food, and in animals. Serratia, which produce a characteristic red pigment, thrive on moisture, dust, and phosphates and need almost nothing to survive.
More recently, Serratia marcescens has been found to be pathogenic to a small percentage of people, having been identified as a cause of urinary tract infections, wound infections, and pneumonia in hospital environments. Once established, the organism usually cannot be eliminated entirely.
Prevent Serratia marcescens by cleaning carefully.
Serratia marcescens is more likely to spread in damp areas, so towel-dry or squeegee the hard surfaces of your shower after every use to remove excess water. Use a damp paper towel to wipe away soap or shampoo residue anywhere it collects in the shower after every use.
Tips to Prevent Pink Mold From Coming Back
Dry your shower walls and shower curtains after each use to eliminate excess water and moisture. A towel or squeegee should do the trick. Use antimicrobial shower curtain liners and bathmats designed to keep away stains and odors caused by microbial growth.
Make a paste of four parts baking soda to one part liquid dish soap. Use your nylon scrub brush and the baking soda paste to scrub the areas with mold. Rinse away the baking soda residue and mold with your shower sprayer. Mix one part water and one part white vinegar in a spray bottle.
It may not be as toxic as black mold, but pink mold has been linked to urinary tract infections, wound infections and gastrointestinal distress. It can also cause various ailments such as lung infection, rashes, allergy, and inflammation, bleeding in lungs, malaise feeling, and other respiratory troubles.
Mix 1/4 cup baking soda and one tablespoon liquid dish soap to make a cleaning paste. Put the paste on the bacteria, remove the pink coating with a soft-bristled brush, and then rinse it thoroughly. You must clean up the area when the pink has disappeared.
Mold Cleaning Trick #1: Vinegar
Vinegar has been found to kill 82% of mold species! Plus, it is great at preventing mold in the first place. Vinegar contains no toxic fumes like many other agents used to kill mold, such as bleach. Pour mild white vinegar into a spray bottle, do not dilute with water.
THE PINK STUFF is tough on dirt, but safe to use just about anywhere. Its magic formula is safe, non-toxic, and environmentally responsible.
It's dangerous enough that our government and health officials warn the public about the harmful effects of black mould. The negative health effects of black mould include: Respiratory problems. Allergic reactions, including watery and itchy eyes, sneezing, coughing, and a runny nose.
For people sensitive to mold, inhaling or touching mold spores can cause allergic reactions, including sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash. People with serious mold allergies may have more severe reactions, including shortness of breath.
Check for a dark black or brown color, musty smell, a slimy or chalky texture, and water damage. Those are the signs of toxic black mold.
To kill the bacteria, clean affected surfaces with a strong chlorine bleach solution.
A very easy homemade mixture that you can use to clean Serratia marcescens is baking soda mixed with dish detergent (a 4:1 ratio works best). After rinsing this mixture off, continue cleaning with vinegar. Let this soak and then clean and rinse.
marcescens has been shown to cause a wide range of infectious diseases, including urinary, respiratory, and biliary tract infections, peritonitis, wound infections, and intravenous catheter-related infections, which can also lead to life-threatening bacteremia.
Symptoms may include fever, frequent urination, dysuria, pyuria, or pain upon urination. In 90% of cases, patients have a history of recent surgery or instrumentation of the urinary tract.
Serratia marcescens (/səˈreɪʃiə mɑːrˈsɛsɪnz/) is a species of rod-shaped, Gram-negative bacteria in the family Yersiniaceae. It is a facultative anaerobe and an opportunistic pathogen in humans.
It produces a fishy-urinary odor (trimethylalamine). It can be isolated from food, soil, water, plants, insects, and sewage. It is a potential pathogen for insects, animals, and humans and is an important cause of nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections in humans.
Serratia marcescens, which can cause nosocomial outbreaks,and urinary tract and wound infections, is abundant in damp environments (Figure). It can be easily found in bathrooms, including shower corners and basins, where it appears as a pink–orange–red discoloration, due to the pigment known as prodigiosin.
Abrasive cleaners can damage certain surfaces. The Pink Stuff could scratch the shiny finishes of stainless steel kitchen appliances, plated metals, enamel, and finished flooring. “Avoid using it on anything that is delicate or anything that can be easily scored or scratched,” Dickerson says.
Ingestion The product is considered to be a low hazard under normal conditions of use. May be harmful if swallowed. Skin contact Prolonged skin contact may cause temporary irritation. Skin irritation should not occur when used as recommended.