Pink Ring In Toilet Bowl

If you see a red or pinkish ring developing in your toilet bowl it s time to use chlorine bleach in a spray solution.

Pink ring in toilet bowl.

Let it sit in the bowl for about 15 to 20 minutes. Thoroughly clean the bowl and then spray it with chlorine bleach. Often they are concerned that something must be in the water. It probably isn t rust or a mineral.

But you re not alone. This pink ring has been confused with iron containing hard water which produces an orange rust colored ring discussed below. Toilets often develop a pink or slightly orange ring around the bowl right at the water line especially if the toilet is rarely used. The airborne bacteria thrive in moist environments which is why it is commonly found in bathrooms.

That ring of pink slime around your toilet bowl is a far cry from the squeaky clean look you re going for. Each year a few customers call to ask us about pink stains or residues that occasionally develop in moist areas in their homes. The airborne bacteria thrive on moisture dust and phosphates. Customers have asked us why there is a pink ring in their toilet bowl and what can they do to get rid of it.

This bacteria isn t as harmless as it was once thought to be but it isn t a cause for alarm either. The bacteria that causes these pink stains is serratia marcescens which is found naturally in the environment. For example serratia marcescens is a bacterial species common to bathtubs showers and toilets and characterized by a pink ring. However the pink ring that develops at the water line in the toilet around drains in the tub shower area in bathroom drinking cups and even dog bowls is actually caused by airborne bacteria known as serratia marcescens.

Pour 1 cup of bleach or white vinegar into your toilet bowl and let it sit for 15 minutes if you are trying to get rid of a mold or bacterial ring. Once you understand the stain s source you ll be able to get back to porcelain perfection. You should also put about a 1 4 cup in your toilet s tank at the same time. Pink bathroom stains are fairly common.

That pink ring in the toilet just above the water line could be caused by minerals in the water but more likely it s from a colony of the airborne bacteria serratia marcescens. The film is usually found as a ring that accumulates at the water line in the toilet bowl or on shower doors sink drains and bathtubs. The bad news is that slimy anaerobic bacteria called serratia marcescens cause this ring. Click on image for better view.