If You’ve Ever Seen Pink Slime In Your Bathroom, This Doctor Is Explaining Why It’s Harmful And How To Get Rid Of It
At some point, you’ve probably noticed strange streaks of pink in your toilet or on your shower floor and walls.
Usually, when you see weird substances like that building up on surfaces—gathering in grout, collecting in corners, and growing in toilet bowls—that’s a telltale sign your bathroom needs to be cleaned.
This pink mold is common, and you can prevent it from ever showing up again by keeping your bathroom fresh, spotless, and sparkling.
In a TikTok video with over 3.2 million views, Dr. Karan Raj (@dr.karanr) discusses what exactly the pink residue is, why it shows up, what harmful effects it may cause, and how to get rid of it.
His video is stitched to another clip from the TikTok account @_annakirk05_, which showcased a man lying in a hospital bed.
The clip indicated that he had gotten sick from being exposed to the pink residue.
Then, the footage cut to a picture of a dirty sink drain as Dr. Raj launched into an explanation of the pink mold.
“If you’ve seen this pink slime lurking in your bathroom, it’s not mold—it’s bacteria, specifically one called Serratia marcescens, and it vomits hot pink all over your bathroom,” he said.
The bacteria thrives in damp, moist environments and likes to eat away at fat and mineral deposits from soaps and shampoos, which is how it continues to grow.
New Africa – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
The good news is that the bacteria is mostly harmless, even if you come into contact with it, but you should still avoid getting it into your eyes or any open wounds.
In addition, those who are immunocompromised can develop gut, urine, or chest infections if the pink mold is left unchecked.
Furthermore, damp spaces that provide a place for pink mold to grow consistently could actually be harboring other bacteria as well, namely, common indoor molds such as mildew, which could contribute to allergies or other respiratory issues.
So, to protect your household from getting to that point, you need to make conditions in your home unfavorable for pink mold so it won’t be able to form in the first place.
“Keep your shower dry and well-ventilated. Put on an exhaust fan or open the window after showering to keep humidity levels low, and regularly clean and disinfect your bathroom. It’s filthier than you think,” concluded Dr. Raj.
@dr.karanr Pink slime club @Anna
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