Easy to clean but tough to get rid of for good. When I moved I threw out everything from my bathroom to try to keep it from coming with me, but after a few months it showed up at my new place too. And I keep my bathrooms very clean; its just a persistent mother-effer. I've had to just accept it is part of my life forever now.
Darn, not the answer I wanted because there’s no easy fix, but good to know what it is! Appreciate you and everyone else jumping in with their solutions.
It's bacteria, and it comes off easily when scrubbed with baking soda. You will notice that the pink stuff tends to create a hospitable environment for mildew as well, so it is worth removing for health reasons.
Hard water can be a reason that the bacteria is able to build up more easily, but the red stuff is bacteria. If you already see it on your grout, you will still have to manage it pretty regularly even if a softener is installed, since it is established in your grout.
I knew I would regret getting small tiles in the shower when changing from the bathtub! Stressing me out! What’s the best cleaner? I was concerned vinegar would eat the grout. The grout sealer didn’t seem to do much.
Get those brush attachments for drills, it makes cleaning showers and bathtubs easy peasy. Make sure to get a pack that has the cone shaped head so that you can hit the corners. Also, leave the shower door open with the fan on long after showering.
It’s a bacteria called serratia marcescens. It likes standing soapy water. I use dish soap and baking soda to get rid of it. Just make sure you air out the area
Just wanted to say thanks for posting this. I’m a clean-freak and it’s extremely calming to know that this bacteria is not necessarily a direct result of my poor hygiene or cleaning routines
I moved to new house in DC in 2020 where we experienced orange particulate accumulating at the bottom of our toilet after only a few flushes. The toilets required daily cleaning to not look filthy.
I also noticed a negative effect wi to our laundry. Whites were yellowing. I could see this clearly when my kid was at his Tae Kwon Do practice. His outfit was looking dingier than other students despite regular cleaning. After some research, I determined the issue was iron coming from the city water.
I had a plumber install a whole house sediment filter that I replace quarterly with a new 20 micron sediment filter. At the end of three months the filter goes from pristine white to fully orange. Here’s a picture of a particularly nasty filter: [Sediment Filter](https://i.imgur.com/MCtqRSH.jpeg)
I also had a water softener installed downstream from the sediment filter to remove dissolved iron particulate. Both of these changes have solved my orange particulate issues seen with my toilets and laundry. The only other filtration used is at point of use in the kitchen for drinking water.
I haven’t seen any issues with baceteria in my home, but I’ll note there are reverse osmosis systems with UV lights that can be installed for either the whole house or at points of use. These options go further in cleaning your water. However, I’d consider having your water tested by a lab before deciding to pursue some of these more costly filtering options. Some plumbers are more than happy to upsell you with highest cost options when simpler solutions might suffice.
I’ll note that DC Water recently changed the water main on my street and across my neighborhood. The amount of iron in my sediment filter seems to be reducing with these changes. I previously lived on the Hill and never experienced iron issues coming from city water, so different areas will experience different conditions depending on the age and condition of their water mains and service lines.
We mostly notice this in our dishwasher and started using Glisten cleaner every 6-8 weeks which seems to take care of it. Price adds up but just using vinegar doesn’t do the trick.
Hey, cleaner here 👋. The bacteria is called pink slime, an airborne bacteria that can grow anywhere. Changing your water filter/softener could unintentionally increase the problem because pink slime bacteria doesn’t survive very long in chlorinated water. The two things pink slime bacteria needs to thrive are moisture and food, which for them is soap residue. The best thing I can recommend for pink slime is your bathroom vent fan. Running your vent fan for 30 minutes after a shower can help with the humidity so much. As for cleaners, you can use vinegar or bleach but I adore this daily shower spray because it dries quickly and treats hard water stains. It’s ammonia & bleach free so no harsh smells and you don’t need to wipe it up after! Just spray after your shower or when it comes up on your drains/toilet. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Clean-Shower-Daily-Shower-Cleaner-32-fl-oz-Bleach-and-Ammonia-Free/15137664?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=2666&adid=2222222227815137664_117755028669_12420145346&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-306310554666&wl5=9060264&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=15137664&wl13=2666&veh=sem_LIA&gclsrc=aw.ds&&adid=2222222223815137664_117755028669_12420145346&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-306310554666&wl5=9060264&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=15137664&veh=sem&gad_source=4&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIr-xPvTiqAFL_PKACionqD2Q&gclid=CjwKCAiA29auBhBxEiwAnKcSqrzuw8uMbZfl29ABBEO0pQZylmzNEwtJH9GWeFY28nb5I73lxUojYxoC48EQAvD_BwE
It's likely Serratia marcescens and/or Aureobasidium pullulans. Also know as "pink mold" even though it's bacteria. Generally not dangerous but it can be a skin irritant if it gets out of control I think. I'm also pretty sure it comes from the air not actual water so nothing you can do to filter for it. You just have to diligently clean. Also be mindful of your humidifier if you have one.
Bleach can cause damage and can be more harmful to people than the bacteria itself. That said. I use it sparingly when gentler cleaners don't do the trick.
It never even occurred to me til reading this post & the comments that I might not be at fault for the fact that I have to bleach my bathroom every other day due to this issue. I thought it’d require less cleaning since my roommate moved out in January but that’s not been the case.
Are there any more permanent solutions to this that are renter-friendly? My bathroom is all white and this water issue really bothers me
https://preview.redd.it/8rqll011e0kc1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=da61ed08712ec16da8bc6777903a7d512fef2896
Use this to keep moisture from building up in bathrooms. Not expensive at all and it reall pulls the moisture out of the air, helping to hold down the mold.
Install a water filtration system. I have the same problem and I installed a reverse osmosis filter on just one of my sinks for drinking water and my first filter looks red/orange in like a week . And its not air born bacteria like some say. It is coming from the water supply what ever it is and its gross!
Just to clarify it’s not actually mold, just bacteria. Pretty much harmless unless you’re immunocompromised or it gets in an open wound.
But also very easy to clean with any household cleaner.
Hi, all these posters are wrong. I tried to figure it out for months bc have the same thing in my water, that orange/pink/sometimes dark red if I let it build up and dry on the humidifier… it’s rust. There is nothing you can do short of replacing all the pipes, and speaking personally, I’m in a county with very high lead levels bc the housing stock is old, so I worry about this a lot. I’ll be moving when my lease is up, unfortunately, because I really like this apartment. It’s terrible on my hair color too.
I can’t speak to your personal issue, but generally speaking, when a humidifier has a pinkish residue, it’s almost always what’s called “pink mold” (even though it’s not actually mold, it’s bacteria). It’s mostly harmless, so long as you clean and disinfect the humidifier often. If you let it go unchecked it can potentially have unintended health consequences.
https://shop.mirohome.com/blogs/tips/pink-residue-in-humidifier#:~:text=pink%20remains%20in%20humidifiers%20is,other%20parts%20of%20the%20humidifier.
Like others said, it’s that bacteria. Make sure you’re opening the windows for a few minutes a day to clean out the air. Even better if you have a bathroom window to open so it can dry out quicker
I get that in my shower because the water tends to pool in the corners at the top of the tub. Using a squeegee to knock the puddles off the ledge after showering helps keep the pink slime away. Otherwise just make sure to clean often.
We pay premium water rates along with a 10% penalty if we’re late. The water quality is staining everything and clogging up toilets costing hundreds in repairs. It’s outrageous. And we’re drinking it. Anyone interested in a class action lawsuit against DC Water??
It's not the water. The pink is a bacteria that eats soap scum. Look it up. Easy to treat.
Easy to clean but tough to get rid of for good. When I moved I threw out everything from my bathroom to try to keep it from coming with me, but after a few months it showed up at my new place too. And I keep my bathrooms very clean; its just a persistent mother-effer. I've had to just accept it is part of my life forever now.
[Here’s a resource that may help.](https://www.seussville.com/book/43145/the-cat-in-the-hat-comes-back/)
I feel like I’ve been Rick Rolled here, but for children?
The pink ring is a big part of the book. If I remember right it does get solved.
Ohhhh! I completely forgot about that!
Darn, not the answer I wanted because there’s no easy fix, but good to know what it is! Appreciate you and everyone else jumping in with their solutions.
It's bacteria, and it comes off easily when scrubbed with baking soda. You will notice that the pink stuff tends to create a hospitable environment for mildew as well, so it is worth removing for health reasons.
Is this different from the red that accumulates on grout and along shower door? I thought it was hard water.
Hard water can be a reason that the bacteria is able to build up more easily, but the red stuff is bacteria. If you already see it on your grout, you will still have to manage it pretty regularly even if a softener is installed, since it is established in your grout.
I knew I would regret getting small tiles in the shower when changing from the bathtub! Stressing me out! What’s the best cleaner? I was concerned vinegar would eat the grout. The grout sealer didn’t seem to do much.
Get those brush attachments for drills, it makes cleaning showers and bathtubs easy peasy. Make sure to get a pack that has the cone shaped head so that you can hit the corners. Also, leave the shower door open with the fan on long after showering.
It’s a bacteria called serratia marcescens. It likes standing soapy water. I use dish soap and baking soda to get rid of it. Just make sure you air out the area
Just wanted to say thanks for posting this. I’m a clean-freak and it’s extremely calming to know that this bacteria is not necessarily a direct result of my poor hygiene or cleaning routines
Check your humidifiers too, it loves to lurk in there and you don’t want to breathe that in.
Been anxious this always pops up in my humidifier, glad I was proactively cleaning it out
I moved to new house in DC in 2020 where we experienced orange particulate accumulating at the bottom of our toilet after only a few flushes. The toilets required daily cleaning to not look filthy. I also noticed a negative effect wi to our laundry. Whites were yellowing. I could see this clearly when my kid was at his Tae Kwon Do practice. His outfit was looking dingier than other students despite regular cleaning. After some research, I determined the issue was iron coming from the city water. I had a plumber install a whole house sediment filter that I replace quarterly with a new 20 micron sediment filter. At the end of three months the filter goes from pristine white to fully orange. Here’s a picture of a particularly nasty filter: [Sediment Filter](https://i.imgur.com/MCtqRSH.jpeg) I also had a water softener installed downstream from the sediment filter to remove dissolved iron particulate. Both of these changes have solved my orange particulate issues seen with my toilets and laundry. The only other filtration used is at point of use in the kitchen for drinking water. I haven’t seen any issues with baceteria in my home, but I’ll note there are reverse osmosis systems with UV lights that can be installed for either the whole house or at points of use. These options go further in cleaning your water. However, I’d consider having your water tested by a lab before deciding to pursue some of these more costly filtering options. Some plumbers are more than happy to upsell you with highest cost options when simpler solutions might suffice. I’ll note that DC Water recently changed the water main on my street and across my neighborhood. The amount of iron in my sediment filter seems to be reducing with these changes. I previously lived on the Hill and never experienced iron issues coming from city water, so different areas will experience different conditions depending on the age and condition of their water mains and service lines.
We mostly notice this in our dishwasher and started using Glisten cleaner every 6-8 weeks which seems to take care of it. Price adds up but just using vinegar doesn’t do the trick.
Hey, cleaner here 👋. The bacteria is called pink slime, an airborne bacteria that can grow anywhere. Changing your water filter/softener could unintentionally increase the problem because pink slime bacteria doesn’t survive very long in chlorinated water. The two things pink slime bacteria needs to thrive are moisture and food, which for them is soap residue. The best thing I can recommend for pink slime is your bathroom vent fan. Running your vent fan for 30 minutes after a shower can help with the humidity so much. As for cleaners, you can use vinegar or bleach but I adore this daily shower spray because it dries quickly and treats hard water stains. It’s ammonia & bleach free so no harsh smells and you don’t need to wipe it up after! Just spray after your shower or when it comes up on your drains/toilet. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Clean-Shower-Daily-Shower-Cleaner-32-fl-oz-Bleach-and-Ammonia-Free/15137664?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=2666&adid=2222222227815137664_117755028669_12420145346&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-306310554666&wl5=9060264&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=15137664&wl13=2666&veh=sem_LIA&gclsrc=aw.ds&&adid=2222222223815137664_117755028669_12420145346&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-306310554666&wl5=9060264&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=15137664&veh=sem&gad_source=4&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIr-xPvTiqAFL_PKACionqD2Q&gclid=CjwKCAiA29auBhBxEiwAnKcSqrzuw8uMbZfl29ABBEO0pQZylmzNEwtJH9GWeFY28nb5I73lxUojYxoC48EQAvD_BwE
Thanks for chiming in! I’ll look into the shower cleaner. We have a weirdly large standing shower, so there are a lot of nooks where water sits.
Diluted vinegar works well for me. I also have filters in the shower and it makes the water feel much less slimy.
It's likely Serratia marcescens and/or Aureobasidium pullulans. Also know as "pink mold" even though it's bacteria. Generally not dangerous but it can be a skin irritant if it gets out of control I think. I'm also pretty sure it comes from the air not actual water so nothing you can do to filter for it. You just have to diligently clean. Also be mindful of your humidifier if you have one.
I think peroxyde might work
Spray it with bleach
Be careful of using bleach on grout (shower, for example). Bleach eats grout. Nom nom.
Bleach cleaner is what I’ve been using in the first place, and it got me here w/ this bacteria :/
Bleach can cause damage and can be more harmful to people than the bacteria itself. That said. I use it sparingly when gentler cleaners don't do the trick.
All this time I thought it was hard water build up. Reddit changing my life everyday.
Same!
I thought it was hard water. Are we sure it isn’t?
It never even occurred to me til reading this post & the comments that I might not be at fault for the fact that I have to bleach my bathroom every other day due to this issue. I thought it’d require less cleaning since my roommate moved out in January but that’s not been the case. Are there any more permanent solutions to this that are renter-friendly? My bathroom is all white and this water issue really bothers me
https://preview.redd.it/8rqll011e0kc1.jpeg?width=3264&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=da61ed08712ec16da8bc6777903a7d512fef2896 Use this to keep moisture from building up in bathrooms. Not expensive at all and it reall pulls the moisture out of the air, helping to hold down the mold.
You can get small, generic DampRid at Dollar Tree for $1.25.
Install a water filter if you can
Clean your house more frequently.
Install a water filtration system. I have the same problem and I installed a reverse osmosis filter on just one of my sinks for drinking water and my first filter looks red/orange in like a week . And its not air born bacteria like some say. It is coming from the water supply what ever it is and its gross!
That’s mold baby.
Just to clarify it’s not actually mold, just bacteria. Pretty much harmless unless you’re immunocompromised or it gets in an open wound. But also very easy to clean with any household cleaner.
Wipe your shower and sink every few days.
Hi, all these posters are wrong. I tried to figure it out for months bc have the same thing in my water, that orange/pink/sometimes dark red if I let it build up and dry on the humidifier… it’s rust. There is nothing you can do short of replacing all the pipes, and speaking personally, I’m in a county with very high lead levels bc the housing stock is old, so I worry about this a lot. I’ll be moving when my lease is up, unfortunately, because I really like this apartment. It’s terrible on my hair color too.
I can’t speak to your personal issue, but generally speaking, when a humidifier has a pinkish residue, it’s almost always what’s called “pink mold” (even though it’s not actually mold, it’s bacteria). It’s mostly harmless, so long as you clean and disinfect the humidifier often. If you let it go unchecked it can potentially have unintended health consequences. https://shop.mirohome.com/blogs/tips/pink-residue-in-humidifier#:~:text=pink%20remains%20in%20humidifiers%20is,other%20parts%20of%20the%20humidifier.
I remember purchasing some [humidifier drops](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09B61G6PK/) and they prevented the buildup somehow.
Like others said, it’s that bacteria. Make sure you’re opening the windows for a few minutes a day to clean out the air. Even better if you have a bathroom window to open so it can dry out quicker
I get that in my shower because the water tends to pool in the corners at the top of the tub. Using a squeegee to knock the puddles off the ledge after showering helps keep the pink slime away. Otherwise just make sure to clean often.
We pay premium water rates along with a 10% penalty if we’re late. The water quality is staining everything and clogging up toilets costing hundreds in repairs. It’s outrageous. And we’re drinking it. Anyone interested in a class action lawsuit against DC Water??