If you have ever struggled to clean your shower or wet spaces in your home, read on. Every homeowner finds they have to deal with an issue like pink mold in their bathroom. Here are some top tips on how to help you remove the pink mold from your shower.

How To Remove Pink Mold In The Shower

Have you noticed a pinkish mold-like substance in your shower? This is called pink mold. Despite the name, this is a water-based bacteria called Serratia marcescens, which thrives in dark and humid areas like the bathroom, where mold also grows.  

Serratia marcescens can appear slimy or fuzzy, but it’s not always pink. Its appearance may be affected by moisture levels, temperature, and the bacteria’s maturity stage. Therefore, Serratia marcescens may look red, white, orange, yellow, or grey in different instances.  

The Danger Of Pink Mold In Your Home

The presence of Serratia marcescens in your home can be risky, especially for children, seniors, and loved ones with open wounds or low immunity. Some illnesses linked to pink mold are blood poisoning, pneumonia, bladder and urinary tract infections (UTIs), endocarditis, and meningitis.

How To Eliminate Pink Mold From Your Shower

If you notice this kind of bacteria in your shower, there are home remedies you can do. However, if your schedule is tight, you can contact a local company that offers pink mold removal services. For instance, if you stay in South Florida, you can call a mold remediation company like Rescue Clean 911 for any cleanup needs like pink mold removal, in this case. 

If you live in other areas, research online to find an excellent firm. When choosing any enterprise, ensure that it is reputable, licensed, and insured. To find out other factors to consider when selecting a pink mold removal service, watch the video below.

Alternatively, ask a loved one to recommend to you a good company they know. 

If want to remove the pink mold in your shower by yourself, here are the steps:

• Gather Your Cleaning Supplies

Save time by gathering all the necessary supplies before you start cleaning. Here’s what you need:

• Baking soda 
• Chlorine bleach or white vinegar
• Laundry detergent
• Dishwashing liquid
• A handheld cleaning brush with soft bristles 
• A spray bottle 
• A squeegee
• A bowl 
• A towel
• Protective gear like goggles, a mask, and boots
• Water

Protective gear is necessary because mold and bacteria, both common in showers, can be harmful to your health. The former can cause itchy rashes and the latter, skin infections. 

• Prepare Your Cleaning Solution

Before you start this step, ensure you have your protective gear on first. For your cleaning solution, mix baking soda and liquid dishwashing soap in the ratio of 4:1 in a bowl. 

• Uninstall Your Shower Liner And Curtain

If you have a shower liner, curtain, or both, remove and wash them. Pink mold grows and spreads on fabrics and plastics. Therefore, even when pink mold isn’t visible there, it’s best to clean your liner and curtain.

Washing these two doesn’t require much. All you need is your regular laundry detergent, warm water, and vinegar to kill the bacteria. 

• Clean Your Shower

In this step, use the baking soda and dish soap mixture you made. Dip your brush into the solution and begin scraping your shower. For the walls, ensure you start at the top going downwards for efficient cleaning. 

Ensure you clean all bathroom areas, including the countertop, sink, floor, and shower door. Disinfect your bathroom décor, if you have any. After eliminating the bacteria, you can rearrange everything in your space. 

• Rinse All Areas

Once you finish scrubbing all areas, the next step is to rinse away the bacteria and the cleaning mixture from your surfaces. To do this, use a wet towel. You can also use a hosepipe for rinsing if you have one.  

• Disinfect All Surfaces

Scrubbing your shower and other bathroom areas may not be enough because some bacteria may be hard to eliminate. Therefore, you must disinfect your space to remove all pink mold and prevent it from returning.  

In this step, pour chlorine bleach or white vinegar and warm water in the ratio of 1:1 into a spray bottle and shake the container gently. Important warning: don’t mix chlorine bleach and white vinegar because the solution may release toxic fumes. You may choose between the two, but don’t use both. Spray your disinfectant on all the areas you cleaned, then leave it for at least 10-15 minutes.  

• Scrub And Rinse A Final Time

Make sure that your brush is clean before you proceed. After that, use it to scrub all the areas you sprayed with the disinfectant. After that, rinse all surfaces with clean water and dry them with a dirt-free towel or use a squeegee to remove moisture.  

Once all areas are clean, you can reinstall your shower curtains and liners and rearrange your bathroom. Also, you can enhance its appearance by adding lighting fixtures or some decor pieces. 

Final thoughts on how to remove pink mold from your shower

Pink mold can cause serious health complications if not eliminated. If you recently spotted this kind of bacteria in your shower, gather your cleaning supplies, prepare a washing solution and uninstall your liners and curtains. After that, clean your space and rinse it. Disinfect the cleaned surfaces, and lastly, wash them a final time and dry them. These are some recommendable steps to remove Serratia marcescens and prevent its regrowth.  

That said, regular cleaning is necessary because pink mold may reappear even after removing it. 

FURTHER READING FOR HOMEOWNERS & PETOWNERS

At Housesitmatch.com we like to offer useful and practical articles on topics for our readers. In this selection we offer some references from our own blog on renovating and maintaining a home.

Preventing mould in the home

How to get rid of black mould in the home

Choosing bathroom décor for your home

Renovating a home for the first time – What to remember

Ideas to help you establish a new home quickly

Housesitters keep pets safe at home and save money