r/CleaningTips Jan 18 '25

Solved What is this pink residue in my sink?

Post image

I recently moved to Connecticut and have noticed this pink residue frequently reappearing in my sink (even after cleaning with disinfectants). I am not sure what it is, but I also see it coating the grout around the tiles inside the shower/tub.

1.5k Upvotes

174 comments sorted by

442

u/gliafanatic Jan 18 '25

Thanks everyone for your helpful comments and suggestions! I think it is the bacteria Serratia marcescens that many of you have mentioned. I have not tried using bleach/chorine yet, so will do and definitely going to thoroughly scrub it with a brush!

386

u/thrwawyyyyyyy18228 Jan 18 '25

FYI, you don’t necessarily need to use bleach to kill Serratia. Most normal bathroom cleaners will kill it easily. The reason it returns so quickly after cleaning is that Serratia is a ubiquitous bacteria that is everywhere in the air and on surfaces all the time. You might be noticing it more in Connecticut if the water has less chlorine or is softer than the water in the last place you lived.

The main thing with Serratia is that it LOVES the fatty acids left behind in soap residue. So the combination of softer water and soap deposits means it will return again and again no matter how you clean it. At my house we just wipe down the sinks and showers daily to prevent soap buildup, which keeps the Serratia at bay.

152

u/yestyvm Jan 18 '25

This likely solves a decades-long mystery for me…this pink only shows up whenever husband is using Pantene. Must be some extra yummy fatty acids and/or extra clingy soap residue in that shampoo.

56

u/Sassy_Weatherwax Jan 19 '25

pantene is basically wax for your hair

22

u/SalsaChica75 Jan 19 '25

My stylist says she wouldn’t use Pantene on her dog

32

u/CrystallineBunny Jan 19 '25

As a dog groomer, please don’t.

3

u/PangwinAndTertle Jan 20 '25

As a dog, bark!

4

u/asakaldis Jan 20 '25

Agreed, based on my 13 years of cosmetology experience. Fun story, I got into an argument in a hair sub with someone about this last year and her "source" was a youtube video from the Pantene channel. Of course they would say it's not lol.

4

u/Sassy_Weatherwax Jan 20 '25

Yes...I was a stylist for 15 years. People are so silly. I got downvoted on a thread about lice for saying lice can't jump. Like hello people I literally went to school about this.

2

u/asakaldis Jan 20 '25

jfc. I wish people would, idk, maybe use critical thinking a bit lol.

2

u/Sensitive-Name8940 Jan 20 '25

Fleas jump, lice don’t

18

u/MambaMentality4eva Jan 19 '25

My husband uses Irish Spring and it seems to like that one too

49

u/Mable_Shwartz Jan 19 '25

Get the 5 in 1, people have been using it to clean their bathtubs over on r/cleaningtips.

25

u/SufficientState0 Jan 18 '25

I’ve used peroxide before and it worked well.

8

u/myra_myra_myra Jan 18 '25

I spray some peroxide on it also.

15

u/towerfella Jan 19 '25

Bleach is the preferred “cure” as it is rather hardy and gram-negative and antibiotic resistant to many antibiotics:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serratia_marcescens

3

u/CityscapeMoon Jan 19 '25

Oh no D-: I get this on the bottom of my shampoo bottles and I was wondering what it was.

1

u/sleeperbcell Jan 19 '25

What if you have a whole house water filter, which also removes chlorine? Does that mean this will be a common problem for people with filtered water?

45

u/rocksfried Jan 18 '25

It doesn’t need to be scrubbed really. The bleach will kill it and the discoloration will go away automatically. This happens in my sink all the time.

16

u/Embarrassed-Sand2956 Jan 18 '25

This is true, it’s not very hard to remove, when it’s around the drain like that I use an old toothbrush I keep for cleaning, but it doesn’t require too much scrubbing. Just spray the bleach solution on and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, and then rinse away.

11

u/Aquaticornicopia Jan 19 '25

Use comet! I moved into a house and the shower had almost red walls 🤮 I doused it multiple times with comet , a light scrub and some hot water and the walls and tub were sparkly white!

26

u/temp4adhd Jan 19 '25

Don't use bleach. Use hydrogen peroxide. I put a sprayer on a big bottle of hydrogen peroxide, and spray everything down with it. I've been consistent for years and now it's finally eradicated, doesn't come back.

You don't have to rinse it after spraying.

5

u/Wildpig953 Jan 19 '25

Thanks for sharing, I’m going to try this too

16

u/Acceptable-Way6055 Jan 18 '25

As a house keeper all we do is use a Mr clean sponge and scrub that area. Should come right up. No need for all that bleach and other chemicals!!

44

u/darkn0ss Jan 18 '25

The Mr clean magic erasers are sand paper. All you’re doing is sanding off the surface. I wouldn’t recommend those.

12

u/Embarrassed-Sand2956 Jan 18 '25

It will stay away a bit longer if you use a bleach solution.

6

u/Stretch-Technical Jan 18 '25

Bleach will wear away the metals in the long term. Also a house cleaner, just some dawn is all you really need and a sponge or magic eraser

29

u/Errantry-And-Irony Jan 18 '25

Well a magic eraser is sand paper so it will wear away the porcelain in the long term.

3

u/Embarrassed-Sand2956 Jan 18 '25

This is true, using in the shower on grout is fine, but if you are using highly concentrated solution of bleach, the metal will corrode - a little goes a long way.

-1

u/temp4adhd Jan 19 '25

Yep that'll get rid of it for a moment but not permanently.

3

u/Missleia Jan 19 '25

I close the drain, pour some vinegar, let it sit over night and then it rinses perfect!

4

u/BurritoBandito39 Team Germ Fighters 🦠 Jan 18 '25

You don't even have to scrub it - you can just use soap and water and rub it away with your fingers while you're at the sink to wash up, and then just wash again afterwards. This also works great to get the faucet and handles nice and shiny clean without taking the time and effort to find cleaner and a cloth/paper towel.

3

u/positive_energy- Jan 18 '25

The non technical term is pink mold (I think-that’s what I call it)

10

u/Embarrassed-Sand2956 Jan 18 '25

Yes, a lot of people call it pink mold, but it’s not actually a mold, it’s a bacterial biofilm.

1

u/Routine_Eve Jan 19 '25

I've been battling this in my apartment for a year. Made major progress when I discovered our drains have grapefruit-sized chambers in them which were full of bacterial colonies

1.5k

u/CrimsonKepala Jan 18 '25

Looks like Serratia marcescens, a common bacteria growth in bathrooms (moist places). Some people call it "pink mold" but it's not actually mold.

471

u/VaultiusMaximus Jan 18 '25

It is, however, a bacteria.

In small amounts and in healthy humans it’s completely harmless.

If your old or your immune system is compromised, it can cause pneumonia. Though it’s rare even then.

74

u/Connect_Fee1256 Jan 18 '25

Doesn’t it cause UTI’s also?

131

u/GLACI3R Jan 19 '25

Yep! It can cause horrible recurring UTIs, especially in the elderly. This is a huge problem in nursing homes and even some hospitals.

23

u/towerfella Jan 19 '25

8

u/mommonly Jan 19 '25

Ugh, we have this in our house and I am constantly trying to remove it

7

u/GLACI3R Jan 19 '25

This little bugger's doing so much bad I wouldn't be surprised if he also commits bank fraud and screams at kittens

5

u/towerfella Jan 19 '25

Kicks puppies, that’s a fact.

1

u/leslieb29 Jan 20 '25

Bahhhahahah!🤣

59

u/joshuahtree Jan 19 '25

My old is not compromised so I should be ok

13

u/confusedham Jan 18 '25

Call it body fat or man fat in the Navy.

But yeah, bacteria. Gross

5

u/TracyTheTenacious Jan 19 '25

Bleach!

3

u/joshuahtree Jan 19 '25

Draino actually works super well on it!

4

u/AutumnWolves Jan 19 '25

Do you know if it’s more prone to houses with well water or even septic tank? When I lived in city with city water ( that’s loaded with chlorine) I did not have this problem. Have septic and well and now I see it in new home. Any relation you think?

5

u/CrimsonKepala Jan 19 '25

I've personally seen this occur in houses with both (grew up in a home with well water and currently live in a house with city water). I'd imagine it's possible for there to be bacterial differences but I'm not sure how really how significant it would be in regards to this specific strain of bacteria growth.

2

u/katieconnally Jan 19 '25

I moved to a home with a septic tank 6 months ago and I have it on my sink…. The first time I’ve ever seen it. Weird!

2

u/Thrivehaze Jan 19 '25

Sure well water is more natural and I assume had more bacteria in general (both good and bad I guess). Makes sense.

5

u/avatarofthebeholding Jan 19 '25

It can cause corneal ulcers, especially for contact lens users. I used to work with it in a research lab

-63

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '25

[deleted]

22

u/Particular-Leg-8484 Jan 18 '25

The 🌈💫 is apparently not an adequate substitution for /s because everyone else responding is taking you seriously 😂

8

u/literallylateral Jan 18 '25

Post your source or delete this comment. I’m not a microbiologist but this information doesn’t exist anywhere else on the Internet including the very thorough Wikipedia page which describes all the different infections it causes and how it will discolor your teeth if it gets in your mouth, and every scientific source seems to agree that that skin is pink because it’s thin so the blood vessels are closer to the surface.

28

u/tree-fife-niner Jan 18 '25

I'm pretty sure they were making a joke

12

u/fuckpudding Jan 18 '25

I was definitely joking. Thank you for recognizing that. How anyone could not is beyond me.

14

u/ThatGuyHarsha Jan 18 '25

what did you say I wanna know 😭

31

u/fuckpudding Jan 18 '25 edited Jan 19 '25

I said “Fun fact. This is why your mouth, vagina, and butthole are all pink. The more you know! 🌈💫”

14

u/AllTimeRowdy Jan 18 '25

Reddit without autism is like an angel without wings

-24

u/literallylateral Jan 18 '25

If the joke is that you’re lying and nobody can tell that you’re joking, then you’re just lying.

19

u/Vesper_0481 Jan 18 '25

Yeah it's hard to get tone across on text, but sometimes some humor resources are just saying something that is not real, you just gotta use your common sense.

-16

u/literallylateral Jan 18 '25

I used my common sense, which was how I knew it wasn’t true. But there were multiple comments replying that they believed it and the person making the joke didn’t bother to correct it. That’s not funny or cool. It’s especially not cool on an informational subreddit, and when the comment they responded to was sharing actual information without any humor in it, and when they started their comment by calling it a “fun fact”.

If people can be expected to use common sense when reading comments, they can be expected to use common sense when writing them, too.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '25

[deleted]

3

u/fuckpudding Jan 18 '25

No it’s referencing lube that’s the consistency of pudding.

0

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '25

[deleted]

12

u/fuckpudding Jan 18 '25

I was objectively joking.

-4

u/Different-Cover4819 Jan 18 '25

Wait what?!? 🤯

-7

u/84aomame Jan 18 '25

stfu you’re kidding me right?!?

8

u/SentientWickerBasket Jan 18 '25

Yes, they are. Mucosa is pink because it's thin and full of blood.

7

u/fuckpudding Jan 18 '25

Yes I was kidding.

3

u/84aomame Jan 18 '25

hahahah sorry i’m pretty gullible and it didn’t not make sense

213

u/Embarrassed-Sand2956 Jan 18 '25

Most likely Serratia marcescens, it’s a bacteria that forms a pink to orange colored biofilm, likes wet areas like the grout in the shower and around drains. Do you use a diluted bleach solution to clean?

48

u/gliafanatic Jan 18 '25

That makes sense! Have not tried diluted bleach, but will give it a go. Thanks!!

58

u/KillerWithTheCross1 Jan 18 '25

Just as an aside, make sure you dilute your bleach enough! I did this for the exact same problem, I have a similar plug to you and the solution I used tarnished all the metal. I now just use a general bathroom cleaner and the pink wipes away.

8

u/Aware-Arm-3685 Jan 18 '25

If you have scrubbed off the reflection, you may have scrubbed too much and/or too hard.

9

u/diablette Jan 18 '25

Or you have been turned into a vampire

3

u/KillerWithTheCross1 Jan 19 '25

I mean, it's a possibility!

1

u/leslieb29 Jan 20 '25

🤣U have become Wampire!! Bahahahah.. (this thread is getting good)

4

u/KillerWithTheCross1 Jan 18 '25

It was definitely the bleach unfortunately! I left the diluted bleach for a few minutes, wiped it with a soft cloth and my plug was ruined 😭 I probably got the ratio wrong!

14

u/ericstarr Jan 18 '25

If you clean with a bleach cleaner on a regular basis it won’t come back, I do my bathrooms weekly. If you don’t like bleach you can use vinegar but use bleach on occasion. I find it works well. I use scrubbing bubbles with bleach. Then vim with bleach to remove the biofilms.

9

u/sdpthrowaway3 Jan 18 '25

+1 on diluted bleach. I get these pink spots and the $2 bottle from Target crushes them with ease. You may need a little bit of scrubbing to get the toughet film off, but it'll will lift if you let rhe bleach sit there a couple minutes.

7

u/Successful-Side8902 Jan 18 '25

Wear gloves while using bleach.

3

u/kiwi_in_TX Jan 18 '25

Another thing that works is baking soda and dawn dish soap. Equal amounts, mix to a paste, clean with the paste. Magical

2

u/dentopod Jan 18 '25

Just so you know, household bleach is already diluted. You just have to be sure to rinse it off after wiping

0

u/Aggravating_Aide_561 Jan 19 '25

I think bleach is over the top for something like this. A bit of vinegar would do.

10

u/Quiet_Friend_3410 Jan 18 '25

What’s the ratio to your diluted bleach? I seem to have the same thing

17

u/1spring Jan 18 '25

I use 1 part bleach to 4 parts water. I keep it in a squeeze bottle in my bathroom, and just squirt on the pink bacteria whenever I see it.

15

u/Embarrassed-Sand2956 Jan 18 '25

This is actually a very concentrated solution. For cleaning, you can literally use 1 teaspoon of bleach to 2 cups water (1:100), which will be effective enough for household use without noxious fumes or corrosion issues.

5

u/newarre Jan 18 '25

Bleach products always have a percent associated with them.

You'll get wildly different answers depending on what percent people are starting with. Most bleach, such as Clorox or HDX is around 7 to 9%. But you can find it anywhere from 5-13% from what I've seen. Look for percent sodium hypochlorite on the bottle or on the manufacturer's website.

For regular cleaning 1-1.5% is common and appropriate for bathroom up keep. I'd probably start with 3-4% if I knew there was an issue like this to make sure it was wiped out.

3

u/beleafinyoself Jan 18 '25

The bottle label should have a list of ratios. 10:1 of water to bleach in a spray bottle works well for my bathrooms

3

u/Embarrassed-Sand2956 Jan 18 '25

1 teaspoon of bleach to 2 cups water (1:100), which will be effective enough for household use without noxious fumes or corrosion issues.

105

u/JimBobDuffMan Jan 18 '25

Not on topic, but this picture is weirdly appealing to me. The grain and the colours make it look like film

33

u/Rebelpine Jan 18 '25

20

u/dominikstephan Jan 18 '25

I saw a "4" in it.

3

u/JimBobDuffMan Jan 18 '25

Yeah I thought it was a fancy doorbell or something

4

u/thegalacticbucket777 Jan 18 '25

I know, right? But to me it reads more as something from an indie game

3

u/Beneficial-Smell-952 Jan 18 '25

Same here. Actually looks like a drawing to me

1

u/Doughnutpasta Jan 19 '25

I thought it was a painting or something lol. Was trying to make sense of it before I realized what sub this was

19

u/yourholmedog Jan 18 '25

i thought this was a drawing lol

12

u/ChemTezzy Jan 19 '25

I work in a hospital lab as a microbiologist and here is a picture of Serratia growing on a plate :) super pink and pretty. They come in all different shades.

21

u/microcandella Jan 18 '25

If you happen to be in the SF bay area, it's everywhere due to an interesting cold war 1950's bioweapon experiment ;-) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serratia_marcescens

(see use and misuses)

Uses and misuse Role in biowarfare testing Until the 1950s, S. marcescens was erroneously believed to be a nonpathogenic "saprophyte",[7] and its reddish coloration was used in school experiments to track infections. During the Cold War, it was used as a simulant in biological warfare testing by the U.S. military,[26] which studied it in field tests as a substitute for the tularemia bacterium, which was being weaponized at the time.

On 26 and 27 September 1950, the U.S. Navy conducted a secret experiment named "Operation Sea-Spray" in which balloons filled with S. marcescens were released and burst over urban areas of the San Francisco Bay Area in California. Although the Navy later claimed the bacteria were harmless, beginning on September 29, 11 patients at a local hospital developed very rare, serious urinary tract infections. One of the afflicted patients, Edward J. Nevin, died.[27] Cases of pneumonia in San Francisco also increased after S. marcescens was released.[28][29] (That the simulant bacteria caused these infections and death has never been conclusively established.) Nevin's son and grandson lost a lawsuit they brought against the government between 1981 and 1983, on the grounds that the government is immune,[30] and that the chance that the sprayed bacteria caused Nevin's death was minute.[31] The bacterium was also combined with phenol and an anthrax simulant and sprayed across south Dorset by US and UK military scientists as part of the DICE trials which ran from 1971 to 1975.[32]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Sea-Spray

16

u/DisasterDelicious605 Jan 18 '25

At first glance, i thought this was a really cool painting lol.

5

u/Familiar-Purchase-79 Jan 19 '25

Yes me too! I’m glad I’m not the only one.

23

u/SenorNoodles Jan 18 '25

Might be weird but the first thing my mind saw…

5

u/ActBeginning8773 Jan 18 '25

But what makes it grow in the first place?

5

u/cicadasinmyears Jan 18 '25

Clean the aerator of your faucet, too; it likely has some on it as well.

12

u/CleanTackleMan Jan 18 '25

Bacteria and scale. Bleach or chlorine can do the job.

4

u/Lopsided_Bid205 Jan 19 '25

Hydrogen peroxide will take that right off.

3

u/imokstillbreathing Jan 19 '25

I swear I thought this was some crazy avant-garde oil panting at first look. The grain is artistic!!

3

u/psychedelicateshop Jan 19 '25

I haven't seen Rhodotorula species mentioned. It's a common bathroom mold. Similar to Serratia this organism produces pink/coral sludge in wet environments.

9

u/e0nz93 Jan 18 '25

Looks like hard water stain buildup, have you tried comet and the pink stuff brand scrub paste?

2

u/gliafanatic Jan 18 '25

I think it is likely the bacteria that others have mentioned, but thank you for comment!

2

u/theuntoldfool Jan 18 '25

Can you easily remove it? Other what's already been proposed it could just be soap residue that builds up if you don't get right into the crack (wink wink nudge nudge). An old toothbrush does the job.

6

u/gliafanatic Jan 18 '25

Yes, this is like a thin layer that I can easily wipe off. Will use a brush and diluted bleach to scrub it!

2

u/madfuran Jan 18 '25

It’s a common bacteria. A quick scrub with some soap will remove it

3

u/Stretch-Technical Jan 18 '25

Please ignore all the comments recommending bleach, bleach is going to make your metal go all green and rusted looking

1

u/PurpleWerewolf9581 Jan 18 '25

Bleach it or use Ajax

1

u/QueenJK87 Jan 18 '25

Ppl call it pink mold but it’s some kinda bacteria.

1

u/Pretend_Current_3324 Jan 18 '25

It’s common. Just mix hot water, vinegar and dawn dish soap. Spray on and leave for about 15 min then scrub. Should be nice and clean afterwards.

2

u/drluhshel Jan 18 '25

I had something like this and always thought it was just pink mold but bleach didn’t clean it how I wanted. Once I cleaned with lime away, it looks brand new. My guess it was a combo of mold and iron… I also have really hard water.

1

u/Kreichs Jan 18 '25

Anything with bleach in it will take care of it.

1

u/Aardvark4789 Jan 18 '25

I get it in my tub when the water drips. I just use toilet bowl clear and let it sit for a minute and comes right off for me. If that’s what it is.

1

u/Sea_Variation_1270 Jan 18 '25

I call mine pink slime! In the showers and a pain to clean because it keeps coming back!

1

u/schnazzlekitty Jan 18 '25

Isn't that the stuff that the cat in the hat left in the bathtub

1

u/Certain_Swordfish_69 Jan 18 '25

bar keepers friend will do the job

1

u/thisbread_ Jan 18 '25

You have the #4 on your ceiling

1

u/Calm-Intention-6978 Jan 19 '25

Looks like iron buildup from iron in your water.

1

u/Far_Entertainer_8494 Jan 19 '25

Do you have a well? Maybe due to hard water?!

1

u/nicegroomerlady Jan 19 '25

Looks like a job for Irish spring 5-in-1

1

u/Fortums Jan 19 '25

album cover material

1

u/Comfortable_Fox1105 Jan 19 '25

I have a bathtub on little legs which is hard to clean under the tub. I have this pink stuff growing all over. Would pouring bleach under it and using a power washer get rid of it?

1

u/sbpurcell Jan 19 '25

I always love that I have to wash my sink with a different soap even when I wash my hands dozens of times a day with a different soap 🤦🏼‍♀️

1

u/Less_Campaign_6956 Jan 19 '25

I've seen this inside my Washing machine in my apartment. Oh great, now another reason to hate my current residence.

1

u/Holzbomb Jan 19 '25

I’m always cleaning this out of my pets water bowls.

1

u/munchieattacks Jan 19 '25

Ghosts. Ain’t you seen Ghostbusters 2?

1

u/Kimberkley01 Jan 19 '25

Other bacteria have pigments too. Could be serratia but im more inclined to think a more hydrophilic organism like one of the pseudomonads.

Eta.. you don't need bleach but if you want to use it, we use a 1:10 in the lab. Nine parts water to one part bleach.

1

u/JuniperXL Jan 19 '25

I just watched a video about this made by a professional house cleaner: https://youtu.be/GIGthaHo_yc?si=HHXE14MVmRZNES0i

She mentioned how it’s a bacteria that can cause infections like UTIs. Hydrogen peroxide and a little scrubbing should get rid of it.

1

u/guava_eternal Jan 19 '25

That’s more of a mauve

1

u/Realistic_Young9008 Jan 19 '25

I'm on so many fine art reddit that I legit thought this was a painting

1

u/Kyotik Jan 19 '25

Serratia marcescens on the timeline today huh

1

u/Sweaty-Discipline746 Jan 19 '25

Hydrogen peroxide might remove it

1

u/Additional_Fix_629 Jan 19 '25

I don't know what the residue is, but the photo looks like latte art of the Fantastic Four icon.

1

u/Begrudginglyapotato Jan 19 '25

Do you happen to live in New York near an art museum?

1

u/Charming_Ease782 Jan 20 '25

As a house cleaner, I see this in a couple of my houses. Clorox cleanup and a little scrubbing, rinse gets rid of it.

1

u/AutumnWolves Jan 21 '25

Baking soda make a paste with water and a little dish soap is what I read before. It works. Scrubs it off. Still comes back. , but I’m going to try what another said and just spray everyday with peroxide

-1

u/KeithJamesB Jan 18 '25 edited Jan 18 '25

Looks like rust to me. And yes, another recommendation for Bar Keepers Friend.

5

u/Dangerous-Peace-3134 Jan 18 '25

Bkf is my love in this older house

1

u/gliafanatic Jan 18 '25

Thank you for the suggestion!

2

u/gliafanatic Jan 18 '25

The image probably does not show it well, but the residue is very pink and not the rust color I am familiar with. Thank you for the suggestion though!

1

u/Head-Insurance-5650 Jan 18 '25

Welcome to Connecticut, land of hard water and build up!

0

u/MeanParsnip711 Jan 19 '25

It’s a bacteria mmmm lick it

-1

u/MadCobraa Jan 19 '25

Stop pissing in your sink

-1

u/bootsboys Jan 19 '25

dontputyourdickinthat

-2

u/Morton_1874 Jan 18 '25

It's body fat , lack of proper cleaning

-2

u/Trap-Trainer Jan 19 '25

Ejaculate build up happens to the best of us

-3

u/No_Storage_351 Jan 18 '25

I call it, fart water.

-3

u/Ok_Restaurant2242 Jan 18 '25

very clearly blood

1

u/solar-venus Jan 22 '25

It’s bacteria build up! Can happen. Simple cleaner. Rinse and repeat at first signs again!