What Is Pink Mold?

Many people ask what is pink mould(or mold) or what is that pink mold in the shower?  Pink mold also known as Serratia marcescens, is involed in different infections in the human body, most commonly urinary tract infections and wound infections.  It is commonly found in hospitals and other areas where infections are common(or commonly treated).

It prefers damp conditions and is found in many bathrooms and high concentrations were present in many hospital showers, it is commonly found growing in tile grout, shower corners and even in the toilet.  It feeds off of common bathroom substances such as soap and shampoo residue.

What Do I Do If I Have Pink Mold In My Shower?

If you have pink mold in your shower you should clean the shower thoroughly with a tub and tile cleaner.  Pink mold feeds on moisture and soap or shampoo residue.   Obviously within the shower you cannot remove the moisture, so you have to remove the pink mold food of the soap residue.  After the initial pink mold removal continue to clean your shower at least weekly(twice a week if it is extra humid).

How Dangerous Is Pink Mold In The Shower?

Pink mold can be fairly harmless for individuals who are healthy. People that already have a compromised immune system can be vulnerable, that is why it is important hospitals eliminate pink mold within their bathrooms.  The other group of people that are affected by pink mold in the shower are people who are highly allergic to mold spores.  Obviously, if you do have pink mold you want to get rid of it as fast as possible but do not be alarmed.

How Do You Get Rid Of Pink Mold?

If you find pink mold in your bathroom, in your shower or near your toilet understand it can be hard to eradicate once established, the quicker you take care of the problem the less of a chance it has had to grow and spread.  These tips are  very similar to our black mold removal tips.

To remove this pink slime mold from the area apply a bleach based disinfectant, completely rinse the surface and repeat the bleach application, rinse again and fully dry the area.  This will clean the mold and remove it’s soap and shampoo food source.

How To Prevent It From Returning?

The best way to prevent the mold from returning in your bathroom is to clean with a bleach based cleaner weekly, making sure to remove soap and shampoo residue.  This will remove the mold’s food source, without the food it cannot continue to grow. Also make sure you bathroom fan is strong enough and functioning properly. By removing the moist, humid air this will help minimize any mold growth including Serratia marcescens.

What If The Mold Returns?

In high use bathrooms which experience a lot of soap and shampoo usage and continued humid warm conditions sometimes no matter how careful you are the mold could return. It is recommended that if it does return clean it again with the bleach based cleaner(possibly with a higher concentrated one), also consider installed a fan that removes more air from the room at a time. Some of the low end bath fans do not remove the air quick enough. Also ensure after individuals shower they leave the fan run for at least a half hour afterward.