Removing Pink Bathroom Mould With Baking Soda
The first step to removing this biofilm is a big of good old elbow grease. Mix up a slightly runny paste of washing up liquid and baking soda into a bowl and, using a firm scrubbing brush, go to work on all areas of your bathroom that has been struck by pink mould. This should lift and loosen it from your grout and other hard surfaces. We also recommend you use skin, eye and breathing protection to limit your exposure to the bacteria while doing this.
Once you’re done scrubbing, grab yourself a damp cloth and wipe away the baking soda and bacteria mix. on tiled walls, baths and shower trays you could even use the showerhead to rinse it down the drain.
Is Pink Mold Dangerous
Pink mold itself is not considered to be dangerous per se, but it can lead to some health consequences youll want to avoid.
As previously mentioned, you actually do come into contact with Serratia Marcescens regularly, but this type of bacteria does not cause you to get sick until it enters your body through your eyes, mucous membranes, or open wounds. And once Serratia Marcescens enters your body in this way, it can cause a serious infection such as:
- Bacteremia
What Is Serratia Marcescens
Although this pink slime can resemble orange or pink mold, its not the same. Serratia marcescens is a biofilm of bacteria that can be found just about anywhere in the world, including in soil and water.
The bacterial colony chooses your bathroom as its favorite spot because it grows by feeding off mineral deposits in soap scum and fatty deposits from your shampoo and soap residue. You may also discover it in sinks and toilets, especially if chlorine is removed from your water.
But Serratia marcescens can pop up in other areas of your home too because the bacteria is airborne. Opening windows on warm days can cause the bacteria to spread around the house.
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Treating And Cleaning Pink Mold In Shower
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If you think you have pink mold growing in your shower, you need to remove it as quickly as possible. Dont bathe in the shower or tub until its been eradicated.
You risk serious health problems and disease if you come into contact with it. With gloves, a mask, and full-strength cleaning products, you may safely kill most of the pink mold.
But its important to kill all of it to keep it from regrowing into a full colony. Theres also a risk of coming into contact with it even with safety gear on.
For this reason, its recommended that you leave pink mold to professionals. Professionals have special cleaning equipment and techniques that kill the entire colony out of every nook and cranny in your bathroom.
They do this while keeping the rest of your home isolated, so it doesnt spread to other areas. Heres how a team of professionals will treat and clean your bathroom when you have pink mold.
How To Remove Pink Mold From Your Shower
Luckily for homeowners, pink mold is relatively easy to remove from your shower, shower head, and other bathroom surfaces. According to Ultra-Fresh, it’s simply a matter of mixing up a common cleaning solution, scrubbing your shower vigorously, and rinsing the area thoroughly. However, it’s always a good idea to grab some rubber gloves and protective eyewear since these strains of bacteria can be dangerous when they’re able to find a way into your body.
To clean the pink mold, mix half a cup of baking soda, a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid, and some water until your solution achieves a paste-like consistency. You’ll then want to scrub your entire shower area, concentrating especially hard on any discolored areas with a pink, orange, or reddish hue. Once you’ve cleaned the entire surface and removed any bacterial stains, you can rinse out your shower to remove all traces of your cleaning solution. According to The Maids, you can fortify your deep-cleaning with a half-and-half water and vinegar mixture, allowing it to sit for about ten minutes before rinsing out the shower a final time.
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Shower Curtain & Liner
Fill a spray bottle with a 1:1 ratio of bleach and water, then spray any pink spots on your shower curtain and liner . Let sit for 10 minutes. Then remove both the curtain and the liner and run it through a cycle in the washing machine. Use your go-to laundry detergent, plus another tablespoon of bleach . Hang to dry.
What Causes Pink Mold Growth
As with other types of molds, pink mold loves to colonize in damp, warm places. Also, keeping these areas in your home clean goes a long way to preventing molds of all species from growing.
Regular cleaning of showers, shower curtains, bathroom walls, windows, ledges, and floors will prevent mold from growing as you are removing one of the three conditions for mold to grow.
Mold needs a damp warm dark environment, as well as a food source. Take out one of the three conditions, heat, moisture, or foods, and mold will not spread or colonize.
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Ways To Prevent Shower Mold
How To Prevent Pink Stains In Bathroom Fixtures
As I have already mentioned, getting rid of pink stains from fixtures does not mean that they will not come back. Unlike hard water stains which you can control by softening the water, Serratia Marcescens bacteria are always airborne looking for a conducive environment to multiply.
The best way to control and prevent pink stains in your bathroom is by eliminating the conditions which make it favorable for them to thrive. Here are some of those ways.
- Since Serratia Marcescens bacteria multiplies in damp areas, wipe down bathtubs, shower walls, curtains and around drains to eliminate moisture.
- Remove soap scum from shower walls, floor and curtains using equals parts vinegar and water at least once a week. This is the best way to starve the bacteria.
- Clean the toilet regularly. It is impossible to not have water in the toilet bowl. The only thing you can do is to regularly clean the toilet using baking soda and vinegar to get rid of the bacteria even before it is noticeable.
- Clean pet water bowls the same way you clean a toilet bowl.
- Be careful not to scratch your fixtures. Scratched surfaces are hard to clean which means grime embed in the cracks providing nourishment to the bacteria and you will therefore always have pink stains in your bathroom.
- Machine-wash shower curtains on a gentle cycle using warm water once a month.
- If there are leaking faucets or shower heads making your fixtures always damp have them fixed.
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How To Remove Pink Shower Film
- Tips and Articles
- How To Remove Pink Shower Film
Have you ever noticed a slimy pink film form in bath and shower areas? This article explains what it is, how to get rid of it, and how to keep it from coming back.
About Pink Shower Film
Often referred to as “pink mold” or “pink slime,” pink film is a bacterial substance called Serratia marcescens in the family Enterobacteriaceae. It may be pink, pink-orange, orange, or orange-red in color. This airborne bacteria prefers damp conditions, which is why it is commonly found growing in bathrooms on grout lines, in the corners of showers, and along toilet water lines and basins. This slimy film feeds on fatty, phosphorus materials found in soap and shampoo. If left unchecked, this substance can permanently stain natural stone, porous tile, and grout lines.
How to Get Rid of Pink Shower Film
Spray the affected area with a bleach-based disinfectant. Allow the solution to dwell for a few minutes, then use a brush to remove the film. Rinse thoroughly.
What You Should Know About Bleach and Natural Stone
Preventing Pink Shower Film
To prevent the return of pink shower film, use a stone-safe cleaner regularly. Take a few minutes to rinse, squeegee, and dry your shower surfaces after each use. Daily care removes the food source and makes the environment less hospitable, which can prevent the reestablishment of the bacterium.
This is one of a series of articles written and published on behalf of SurpHaces PRO Partners.
Clean Pink Slime From Shower Curtains And Liners
Shower curtain liners can be one of the most problematic areas to get rid of pink slime in your bathroom. They stay damp after a shower and have soap and shampoo residue that doesnt get rinsed away. Fabric shower curtain liners are great, but you will need to wash them frequently to prevent pink mildew from growing. Wash your shower curtain liner, and shower curtain if necessary, in your washing machine on a gentle cycle with warm water.
If you are like us, taking down a shower curtain liner to wash it and then hanging it again becomes a hassle very quickly. Instead, we switched to a mildew resistant shower curtain liner here is our favorite antimicrobial shower curtain liner for a great price.
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Dangers Of Pink Mold In The Shower
Monster Ztudio/Shutterstock
Dont get too comfortable if you notice pink mold in your shower. Its not quite as serious as the dreaded black mold, but its capable of causing serious health problems, illness, and disease.
Pink mold can affect you by getting into your body through mucous membranes open eyes, mouth, nose, or genitalia.
Your risk of getting sick from pink mold increases if you have any open wounds, are elderly or very young, or have a compromised immune system. Its also dangerous for pets that come into contact with it.
Pink mold can cause several health problems, including:
- Urinary tract infections
- Osteomyelitis
- Meningitis
One of the concerning things about pink mold is that it doesnt always appear pink. Temperature affects the color, so it can range in color from a very light, almost white pink that blends in with the shower to a deep red.
This is why its important to be proactive in keeping your shower and tub religiously clean. You may not notice when pink mold is growing there if its almost white.
What Causes Pink Mold In A Shower
Serratia marcescens and Aureobasidium pullulans are the most common bacteria that cause pink mold in a bathroom. These airborne bacterial species love moist environments like showers, where they feed on minerals and fatty deposits in soap and shampoo residue. These same conditions could cause pink mold on toilet bowls, floors, and sinks, so if you find a pink residue in a shower, youll often find it in other areas of your bathroom. To learn more about the causes of mold in your home, check out this handy mold guide from the EPA.
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How To Clean Pink Shower Slime So It Never Comes Back
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Just like every other morning your alarm goes off and you shuffle into the shower, the warm spray wakes you up enough to focus your eyes and you see it. Pinkish slime around the grout and drain in your shower, gross!
Spray the pink slime with a bleach based cleaner and follow label instructions to disinfect . Then scrub the area with a bristle brush and rinse clean. Keep the area clean and dry to prevent pink mildew from coming back.
When the pink slime is deep in grout lines or other textured surfaces a good scrubbing to physically remove the slime works best before disinfecting with bleach. Use a 4:1 mixture of baking soda and liquid dish soap to create a runny paste and scrub with a small brush.
Keep reading to find out what causes pink mold, if pink slime is hazardous, and how to clean your shower, toilet and sink to get rid of pink slime for good.
Health Risks Of Pink Mold
Can pink mold make you sick? The simple answer is yes.
Although it is not technically a mold, it behaves very similar to mold and can cause a vast array of health issues.
The following are all symptoms that can be traced to pink colored mold exposure.
- Respiratory issues
- Allergic reactions
- Pneumonia and bronchitis
- Poisoning from eating tainted food
- Gastrointestinal issues
The most common symptoms occur in young people, immunocompromised individuals, and the elderly. However, anyone can develop symptoms.
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Networx: Pink Mold Removal And Prevention In The Bathroom
Eww theres weird pink stuff growing in the bathroom. Gross. If you have pink stains in your shower and pinkish sludge on your shower curtain, then youre probably looking at a case of pink mold. What is this common bathroom infestation and how do you get rid of it?
What pink mold really is
Pink mold usually appears as a fuzzy or slimy buildup in damp areas of your home most commonly on the shower curtain or the grout between bathroom tiles. Although this gunk is commonly called either pink mold or pink mildew, it is actually a type of water-borne bacteria, Serratia marcescens.
And its not always exactly pink, either. Its color caused by a red pigment produced at room temperature is often closer to orange.
The health dangers of pink mold
If you spot pink mold anywhere in your home, get rid of it ASAP.
Even though this type of bacteria is not as dangerous as black mold, all kinds of health problems can result if you come into contact with pink mold in the shower or elsewhere in the house. The risk is worst for elderly family members, young children, or anyone who has a compromised immune system. Even your pets are vulnerable.
To remove pink mold from shower curtains:
Check care instructions on the shower curtain label for any special precautions.
Place shower curtains in washing machine with 2 or 3 towels.
Sprinkle with ½ cup baking soda.
Use ½ cup of liquid laundry detergent in the dispenser.
Launder with warm water on a delicate setting.
Use Baking Soda And Dish Soap
Baking soda is fantastic cleaning agent. Apart from cleaning surfaces, it also helps to deodorize so if apart from pink stains your drains are smelly then baking soda will do the job.
In this case, you will need to make a paste with a thick consistency using baking soda and dish soap. The quantity will depend on the severity and extent of the stains.
If the stains are in your toilet bowl around the waterline, try to remove as much water as possible from the bowl. You can do that by forcing it down the drain using a plunger.
Apply the paste all over the stained surfaces then scrub using a soft-bristled brush or sponge. I insist on soft-bristled brush since you donât want to use something abrasive that will end up scratching the finish off from the fixture.
When you are done scrubbing, rinse off the paste and the broken down grime to see if you have gotten all the stains. Apply more paste and keep scrubbing if such is needed.
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When To Call In The Pros To Deal With Pink Mold
While most pink mold outbreaks can be safely treated without expert help, sometimes you need to call in the Pros. Call for expert help if:
- You have medical conditions that make you at risk of severe health effects from mold
- The area of mold is bigger than 5 square feet
- There is mold in your HVAC system
- You can smell mold but cant find it
- The mold is black
Tips To Prevent Pink Mold From Coming Back
Once youve eliminated existing colonies of bacteria from your bathroom, there are a number of steps you can take to reduce the chances of its frequent return.
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