If you’re doing a deep clean because it’s time to sell, you may find a few places that aren’t quite as clean as you thought. Or maybe you took a good look around and realized you’ve been really busy after moving into your new home and the need to clean has gotten out of hand. It doesn’t matter how or why it showed up, but if you noticed some pink mold in your shower, it’s probably the next thing on your home improvement list. Here’s how to get rid of it and how to keep it from coming back
What is it?nThe pink mold in your shower actually isn’t mold at all. It’s a build-up of a bacteria called Serratia marcescens that can flourish in the warm moist conditions of bathrooms, and loves to feed on the residue and mineral deposits left by personal hygiene products. The slimy bacteria most often appears in the tub and on shower walls, but it can form on shower curtains or doors, sinks, or the toilet too. Color can range from pale pink to orange, to bright red.
Is pink mold bad for you?nIt isn’t likely to cause symptoms in healthy people, but it can pose a risk for the elderly, children or those with compromised immune systems or if it enters the body through an open wound. It can cause urinary tract and respiratory infections. Pink mold is also quite unsightly and could possibly permanently stain some surfaces. Just like any other mold or bacteria, it can get worse and spread if not taken care of promptly.
Cleaning it upnClean up is usually a quick and basic home improvement. If you want to minimize your exposure, you can wear a facemask and clothing with long sleeves and full-length pants during cleaning. This can also help if you are sensitive to cleaning products.
For hard surfaces and grout, make a mixture of ½ cup baking soda, 1 Tablespoon dish soap, and enough water to make a runny paste. Use a soft scrub brush to apply to the affected areas. Rinse the area thoroughly. After the area has been cleaned, disinfect it with diluted bleach. Let sit 10 minutes. Scrub the area again and rinse thoroughly.
For washable shower curtains, machine wash in warm water on the gentle cycle. Use bleach if the washing instructions on the shower curtain say it’s ok to do so. Air dry.
The diluted bleach will disinfect the area and can lighten any stains. After cleaning and disinfecting, dry the area immediately
How to keep the pink mold from coming backnA few preventative measures will help keep this home improvement from having to be repeated very often.
Keeping your home clean helps prevent damage and keeps small problems from becoming big problems. Luckily home improvement projects like a little bit of pink mold don’t take a lot of effort to tackle, so you’ll be done in no time!