June 2022
· 2 min read
Did you ever find pink slime or residue around your sink or shower or along the rim of your toilet? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, this is a very common, albeit yucky, issue. That’s because it’s a kind of bacteria, a slime growth that can contaminate and build up around sink and shower drains and inside water containers. It’s called Serratia marcescens.
Pink slime can cause many infectious diseases, including urinary, respiratory and biliary tract infections; peritonitis; wound infections; and intravenous catheter-related infections.
We turned to our experts and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help you understand what causes that slimy ring and, more importantly, how to get rid of pink slime. Here are the facts you need to know:
Beware of health risks. Pink slime can cause many infectious diseases, including urinary, respiratory and biliary tract infections; peritonitis; wound infections; and intravenous catheter-related infections.
Busting the myths. There's a common misconception that pink slime is caused by mold, but it’s most frequently caused by an airborne bacterium. Serratia marcescens thrives in damp environments — i.e., your bathroom. Because the bacteria are in the air, a water filter isn’t always the best choice.
So how do you get rid of Serratia marcescens? Here are some steps you can take to prevent super slime buildup:
And if you’re already faced with the nuisance of pink slime, here’s how you can get rid of it:
Go on toilet patrol. Toilet bowls, by their nature, provide a welcoming environment for Serratia marcescens bacteria. This is because it’s a common bacterium found in human feces, and it also thrives in moisture. Put the two together, and a red toilet bowl ring will likely develop. To prevent this, clean the bowl regularly. You may wish to add a quarter cup of bleach to the toilet tank, let it stand for 15-20 minutes and flush the bowl a couple of times to thoroughly rinse the disinfectant.
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Sources:
wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/25/11/et-2511_article
www.awwa.org/Portals/0/AWWA/ETS/Resources/TEC2012CleanWaterCleanTapBrochure.pdf?ver=2013-01-17-153232-490