The two most common bacteria causing pink shower mold are called Serratia marcescens and Aureobasidium pullulans. These bacteria produce a pigment, known as prodigiosin, that ranges in hue from pinks to oranges to reds.
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. You'll definitely want to rid your bathroom of the pink mold and take steps to keep it from coming back.
The good news is Serratia marcescens is mostly harmless. Touching it while you're showering or cleaning won't cause any problems (in rare cases it can cause infections through open wounds or the eye). But it's unsightly and you don't want it in your bathroom.
Pink mold isn't actually a mold at all. It's a type of very common airborne bacteria. It's found all over the world and just loves to hang out in dark, damp places indoors. In most houses, pink mold appears as a slimy buildup, and it might not be pink at all.
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.
Vinegar can be an effective treatment for pink mold, though not as effective as baking soda and bleach. Where vinegar truly shines is in preventing pink mold from reoccurring after you've cleaned it up once.
Once established, the organism usually cannot be eliminated entirely. However, periodic and thorough cleaning of the surfaces where the pink slime occurs, followed by disinfection with chlorine bleach, appears to be the best way to control it.
Optimal growing conditions for Serratia marcescens include dampness, mineral deposits and a climate ranging from warm to room temperature. It feeds on the minerals, fatty deposits and residue from your soap and personal hygiene products.
Toxic mold can also have a grayish, soot-like texture, or a slimy, wet surface. In some cases, you may even notice furry orange or brown spots. If you find mold with any of these qualities in your home, don't get too close, and call a professional right away.
Pink residue is generally not a problem with water quality. In fact, pink residue is likely a result of airborne bacteria which produce a pinkish or dark gray film on regularly moist surfaces.
The “pink mold” you may find in your shower actually isn't mold, but a very common strain of airborne bacteria that's found throughout the world. The bacteria, Serratia marcescens, cause that pink or even red slime you might find in your shower, toilet bowl, or around other water fixtures.
A: What you're seeing is often called "pink mold." It is actually a type of bacteria, Serratia marcescens. Bubbly liquids often dislodge this growth, even when scrubbing does not. Try dribbling club soda along the top edge of the tile, or at least above the area where the grout is pink.
The pink is definitely from moisture seeping in ever so slowly. It is coming in between the footing and the wall, a notorious weak spot in foundation construction. The odd coloring could be from something getting into the water that makes its way down the exterior of the foundation.
Green-Black Mold – A toxic color combination.
This type of mold is one of the most dangerous molds that we find. It poses a hazard to your health and any living thing it reaches due to its deadly mycotoxins.
The most dangerous type of mold found indoors is Stachybotrys chartarum, often called “black mold.” Black mold is toxic to humans and pets.
It's physically possible to paint over mold, but it will always reappear without proper remediation. Using mold-resistant paint works to prevent mold growth, but it won't kill it once it's started to grow.
Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can lead to symptoms such as stuffy nose, wheezing, and red or itchy eyes, or skin. Some people, such as those with allergies to molds or with asthma, may have more intense reactions.
The Most Dangerous Molds. Toxic molds fall into five categories. Those categories are Penicilium, Fusarium, Stachybotrys, Aspergillus and Cladosporium.
These symptoms usually first appear 2 to 9 hours after exposure and last for 1 to 3 days. Other affected persons have progressive shortness of breath and cough, as well as weight loss.
It's pink, and the material looks a little like cotton candy. You run your hand over it to see what it feels like, but you soon realize that was a mistake. Before you know it, your hand is red and itchy -- you've just come in contact with fiberglass insulation.
marcescens), which looks like mold, but is actually bacteria. Ranging from pink to pinkish-orange or orange, it most often forms on damp bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room surfaces where it can feed on the fat and phosphorus in soap scum.
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.
Recently, however, scientific research has shown that s. marcescens can be a harmful bacterium. Serratia marcescens is now known to be a common cause of human infections in the respiratory tract, digestive tract, and in wound site infection.
Yes, vinegar is a mild acid that kills 82% of mold species. It's often used as a natural and nontoxic alternative to cleaning chemicals when it comes to killing household mold. Cleaning vinegar, which contains 6% acetic acid, is the best type for killing mold.