If you’ve noticed a pink or orange slimy film around your shower drain, tub, grout, or toilet bowl, you’re not alone. Most people call it “pink mold.” The surprising part: it usually isn’t mold at all.
What Pink Mold Really Is
Most of the time, that pink film is a common airborne bacteria called Serratia marcescens. It loves damp places with soap residue, which is exactly what a shower gives it. It shows up as a pink, orange, or reddish slime rather than the fuzzy spots you see with true mold.
For most healthy people it’s more of a cleaning nuisance than a danger, but it’s still worth removing, and people with weakened immune systems should be more careful around it. If anyone in the home has health concerns, talk to a doctor.
Where It Shows Up
- Shower and tub drains
- Grout lines and caulk
- Toilet bowls, especially around the waterline
- Shower curtains and soap dishes
- Pet water bowls
How to Get Rid of Pink Mold
- Put on gloves and turn on the bathroom fan.
- Scrub with a paste of baking soda and dish soap using an old toothbrush or scrub brush, especially in grout and around drains.
- Rinse well with warm water.
- Disinfect with a bathroom disinfectant, following the label. Never mix bleach with ammonia or vinegar.
- Dry the area completely.
- Wash or replace shower curtains, liners and bath mats.
How to Keep It From Coming Back
- Run the exhaust fan during and after showers.
- Squeegee or wipe down the shower after use.
- Don’t let soap and shampoo residue build up.
- Clean the bathroom weekly, including drains.
- Replace cracked or moldy caulk.
When Pink Slime Means a Bigger Moisture Problem
Pink film on its own is a cleaning job. But if you also see black or green spots, peeling paint, soft drywall, or loose tiles, or you smell something musty, there may be water getting behind the walls. That’s when real mold can grow out of sight. Our guide on mold vs. mildew can help you tell what you’re looking at, and this guide covers mold on bathroom ceilings.
A professional mold inspection with moisture meters and an infrared (thermal) camera can find hidden moisture behind tile and drywall. If mold is found, licensed mold remediation takes care of it and the leak behind it.
Request a Free Visual Inspection in South Florida
Worried it’s more than surface slime? FL Cleanup offers a free visual inspection with moisture readings and an infrared (thermal) camera across South Florida. We answer 24/7, and hablamos español. Call 877-224-2532 or request a free visual inspection online.
About the author: James Rice-Peña is the owner of FL Cleanup and a Florida-licensed Mold Assessor (MRSA4035) and Mold Remediator (MRSR4158). He has worked in property restoration in South Florida since 2012, and FL Cleanup has earned 200+ five-star Google reviews.
