If you spot “pink mould” around your bathroom, a professional cleaner has warned the build-up can lead to infections.
Kacie Stephens, from Melbourne, urged everyone to regularly clean their showers to remove the little-known bacteria that’s causing the pink slime, otherwise known as serratia marcescens.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Cleaner’s warning about pink mould.
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“Pink mould is not actually mould at all, it’s a bacteria,” she said in a video.
“The build-up of it on your shower can cause infections, so make sure you’re washing it away regularly.”
The pink scum thrives in warm, moist areas such as showers, bathtubs, toilet bowls, bathroom taps, sink drains and tiles.
One of the best ways to remove pink mould from the bathroom involves scrubbing away the area with baking soda mixed with dishwashing liquid, then disinfect with vinegar.
Her video has been viewed more than 1.3 million times — with many thanking Kacie for raising awareness about the pink build-up because they assumed it was either soap scum or makeup residue.
“I always wondered about this stuff. It’s everywhere,” one said.
Another shared: “As a landlord I can confirm that people do not wash their showers regularly. It’s amazing what I find after someone moves out.”
One added: “This is on the shower curtain too, my roommate keeps saying it’s hair colour… How does brown hair dye turn pink? I shower with slides on my feet. She won’t let me change the shower curtain. So nasty how people don’t understand what this is.”
Interesting, UK doctor Karan Raj said the pink gunk can live off soap scum residue left over in showers.
“If you’ve seen this pink slime lurking in your bathroom, it’s a bacteria that vomits hot pink all over your bathroom,” he said in a now-viral video.
“This bacteria loves damp, moist places and enjoys munching on fatty deposits like those found in soaps and shampoos, hence why it likes to hang out in your steamy bathroom.”
Dr Raj said pink mould has been found to be “pretty harmless” if an “average person comes into contact with it”.
“But you want to avoid getting it in your eyes or open wounds,” he warned.
“It can cause gut, urine or chest infections in those who are immunocompromised.
“If your home has enough damp for pink slime to consistently develop, you could actually be growing other things as well like actual household mould which could be causing respiratory issues or allergies.”
To prevent pink mould in your home, Dr Raj suggested keeping your shower dry and well ventilated at all times.
“The first rule of pink slime is to prevent the bacteria forming in the first place,” he said.
“Put on an exhaust fan or open a window after showering to keep humidity levels low and regularly clean and disinfect your bathroom, it’s filthier than you think.
“By curbing its growth, you’ll be preventing other dangerous mould from forming as well.”
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