Sharing her top tips for a spick-and-span shower, one cleaning guru has highlighted that if you’ve noticed an orangey pink substance in your shower, it might be time to give it some tender loving care.
While this gunk is commonly called “pink mould,” it’s actually not mould at all, prompting the expert to advise: “You don’t need any special mould products for this pink/orange slime because it’s not actually mould”.
But what exactly is this pesky intruder, and how can you keep it from returning?
TikToker @tidytrojans shared her experience “cleaning a shower with pink mould, soap scum, and hard water build-up”. However, she clarifies that the ‘mould’ is, in truth, bacteria, making mould-specific cleaners ineffective on it.
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Instead, she recommends tackling the issue head-on with a vinegar-based solution, which she says “works super well on soap scum, especially when paired with an ammonia-free dish soap”. The culprit behind the discolouration is identified as Serratia marcescens – a bacterium known for its reddish-pink or orange biofilm.
Often found in bathrooms, this species thrives on moisture and can be harmful to health. According to the TikToker, it “feeds off soap scum and mineral deposits” and loves the damp conditions found in showers.
For those who are immunocompromised, it can cause breathing problems and urinary infections, especially if it gets on personal hygiene products. She then used Bar Keepers Friend, purchased from Amazon for £8.59, to get the shower sparkling clean.
By using an electric spin scrubber, she reached every nook and cranny of the shower, ensuring a thorough clean. Moreover, the cleaner made sure that the shower fixtures were looking as good as new by removing hard water spots.
The same method was applied to the shower door. The end result was impressive as she displayed the now immaculate and bacteria-free cubicle.
In a comment, someone mentioned: “I thought it was soap scum,” to which she responded: “There is, but then bacteria starts to grow on it (which is pink and orange coloured)”.