In water-use areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, and sinks, various stains often appear. What exactly are pink stains if they are not mold? A home expert breaks down the 3 colored stains in kitchens and bathrooms and teaches the correct stain-removal tricks.
Home Expert Breaks Down 3 Common Colored Stains Plus Correct Cleaning Methods
According to a report by the Japanese media outlet Yahoo! JAPAN, expert Mami, who has over 25 years of housewife experience and previously worked as a domestic helper, points out that kitchens, bathrooms, sinks, and other water-related areas still develop stains of different colors even when washed every day. Have you ever wondered: "Are these black things mold? Or just dirt?", "What are those white crusty substances around the faucet?", or "Why do the floor and the bottom of bottles have a faint pink tint?" We often see similar questions on social media like "How do I remove these stains?" The nature and causes of stains around household water sources differ entirely depending on their color. If the wrong cleaning method is used, not only will the stain not be eradicated, but it may even bring a fatal crisis. She specifically breaks down the correct handling and prevention methods for 3 common stains:
Common 3 Colored Stains/Cleaning Methods
1. Black Stains
The black spots seen on rubber edges, tile gaps, and silicone sealant around washbasins are almost all black mold. Mold is an active microorganism (fungus) with roots. To eradicate it completely, chlorine bleach (mold remover) must be used for disinfection to completely remove the mold from the roots.
Absolutely do not scrub forcefully with a brush. Doing so not only fails to remove the mold roots buried deep in the silicone, but instead spreads invisible mold spores into the air, causing mold to spread faster around the bathroom. The correct method is to apply mold-removal foam or gel, let it sit for a moment to decompose, and then rinse directly with clean water.
2. White Stains
The scaly, white crusty deposits attached to faucets, sinks, bathroom mirrors, or other metal surfaces are what is commonly known as limescale. It is a hardened deposit formed by the long-term accumulation of minerals such as calcium and magnesium remaining in tap water. Limescale is an alkaline stain. It is recommended to use an acidic cleaner, or dissolve citric acid in water, using the principle of acid-base neutralization to soften and dissolve the limescale, making it easy to wipe away.
Black mold and limescale often grow at the same time in the bathroom, but everyone must note: never mix chlorine-containing cleaners with acidic cleaners (including citric acid). When the two meet, they produce extremely fatal toxic chlorine gas, which can endanger life at any time. Cleaning these two types of stains must be done "separately"—clean black mold one day, and clean limescale the next day; or before switching cleaners, rinse thoroughly with plenty of clean water to ensure no residue remains.
3. Pink Stains
The sticky pink stains that often appear in bathroom floor corners and at the bottom of shampoo or body wash bottles are called "pink mold" by many people, but they are actually not mold at all, but a type of yeast called "red yeast." Because its roots are not as deep as mold's, cleaning is very simple—just use ordinary neutral bathroom cleaner with a sponge to wipe it clean easily. After cleaning, spraying disinfectant alcohol can also effectively sterilize and prevent recurrence.
If shampoo bottles are placed directly on the floor or a rack, moisture easily accumulates at the bottom of the bottle, causing the bottom to quickly turn pink. It is recommended to switch to magnetic hooks or metal racks for suspended storage, keeping the bottle bottom dry, which can greatly reduce the number of times you need to clean pink slime.
Source: Yahoo! JAPAN
