That pink-looking gunk in your bathroom you thought was relatively harmless, it's not actually mould - it's bacteria.
Mould can be worrying, but with a few cleaning hacks, you can easily get rid of it. But if you've spotted something resembling pink slime in your bathroom, you need to be careful. A doctor issued a warning after a video showing a young man who had been hospitalised went viral.
The man reportedly became ill due to 'pink mould' in his university accommodation shower, but Dr Ever Arias, Resident Doctor at UCI Medical Center in California, US, warned it's actually a potentially harmful bacteria.
After spotting the video, Dr Arias warned: "Yes that can happen. But it's not mould, it's not what you think. That Pepto Bismol-looking thing is actually something called serratia marcescens. It's a bacteria that accumulates in damp areas with humidity. What happens is, if you don't clean your restroom, especially in damp areas, you can get an accumulation of this."
According to the doctor, in general, this won't "cause any issues" or "symptoms", but in certain cases can lead to worrying infections. The expert said: "If you are someone with diabetes or another condition which causes your immune system to be compromised, such as pregnancy, it could cause respiratory issues, lung infections, gastrointestinal infections or urinary infections which can be dangerous because those infections can lead to something called sepsis, or severe infection in your body."
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But that's not all, normal mould can also cause respiratory problems for those with allergies. So it's important to get rid of humidity in the bathroom or any other room that is susceptible to damp. "In general, mould will re-accumulate if you don't get rid of the humidity," added the doctor.
He recommended to clean the bathroom regularly and make sure to open windows to increase ventilation.
If you experience any worrying symptoms, you should speak to a GP urgently.
And if the pink slime has developed in your home, it's likely there are damp conditions, which means there's also likely mould present, which can cause "respiratory issues or allergies". It's important to stop the pink slime forming in the first place by making sure your bathroom is well-ventilated - either by regularly opening windows or using an extractor fan.
You should also regularly clean and disinfect your bathroom. Luckily, if you've already got pink slime in the bathroom, there are things you can do to help.
Many over the counter products such as bleach should get rid of the bacteria - but a grout cleaner may be needed for more stubborn stains. If using bleach or strong cleaning products, it is advised to wear gloves and ensure the room is well-ventilated.
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