How To Prevent Pink Mold/Slime In Your Humidifier? Prevention, Cleaning, and Dangers

Those who are suffering from dryness and face low humidity in the environment mostly use a humidifier to get an adequate amount of moisture. A humidifier maintains an ideal humidifier level between 30% to 60%, which gives you relief from dry air. Adding a humidifier will give you several benefits, such as keeping your skin and body moisturized, relieving the symptoms of allergies, helping in a peaceful night’s sleep, and much more. However, you will see the formation of pink mold in humidifiers, which may be the result of improper cleaning.

In the start, the mold is colorless, but when it changes its color, you will see that your humidifier is turning red or pink from the inside. This mold is not so harmful, but if not treated on time will lead to health problems like respiratory disorders and sinusitis. If you have plants in your home, the use of a humidifier is also essential to keep them healthy and proper atmosphere to grow. However, if you observe the growth of pink mod in your humidifier and don’t know what it is. By reading our article, you will get help knowing how to prevent pink mold and get rid of it. 

What is Pink Mold?

We usually see mold in our homes that are mostly black and green in color, which sometimes grows in food or other eating edibles. But if you think that mold comes only in black and green colors, then you are wrong because it also grows in various colors like purple, brown, pink, red, and orange. However, every type of mold has different dangerous impacts, so if you see pink mold while using a humidifier, you need to handle it carefully.

Pink Mold usually grows in humidifiers because it needs wet and darker environments to grow, which a humidifier provides it. The above is the best environment to encourage the growth of pink mold in your humidifier. If you see that the water in the tank looks clean, there is always a possibility of pink mold forming inside the tank because your humidifier is in a dark place for the whole night with water that makes the atmosphere suitable for pink mold growth. But you don’t need to worry as you can easily get rid of it.  

Types of Pink Mold:

We know that mold occurs not only in black and green colors but also in pink, orange, red, and more. We will discuss different reasons for the growth of this water-borne bacteria later. Usually, pink mold has three types, which are listed below.

Serratia Marcescens:

S.Marcescens is not entirely a mold but a type of water-borne bacteria. This type of mold usually grows in bathrooms near showers, toilets, and sinks. This bacteria lives on the elements present in shampoos and soaps. In this way, your bathrooms become a virtual breeding place for this mold. To stop their growth, you must wash your showers and sinks after removing the soap and shampoo from your body.

Aureobasidium Pullulans:

This Mold commonly grows in bathrooms and on organic materials such as plants, grass, and wood. In the start, it grows in white or yellow color, but after some time, it transforms into pink color. So, if you see mold in your bathrooms, then it will be A. pullulans.

Fusarium:

These types of molds mostly grow on plants, and you are unlikely to see this mold in your home. It grows on the surface of plants and plants-like materials. But they will not stick to plants forever because they spread to other surfaces near them as they grow. So, if you have houseplants, you may see this type of mold near your plants or in areas around them. 

How Does Pink Mold Create?

The growth of pink mold does not depend on the water you use to fill the tank or your cleaning method. The pink mold always forms in dry and damp areas. That’s why it does not matter how many times you clean your unit because this mold finds a way to grow when you place your humidifier full of water in the dark for the entire night to get moisture. After using the humidifier, within 24-48 hours, mold starts to grow inside the humidifier if bacteria are already present in the unit.

We know that a humidifier runs with a water tank and uses water (which may be purified or not) to give you an actual amount of moisture. A humidifier draws water from the tank and converts it into vapors to release mist into the atmosphere to provide you with a moisturized environment. Because of the moisturized atmosphere, you will get a peaceful night’s sleep as the humidity keeps your body hydrated. So, when you use humidifiers throughout the night to get humidity, it is obvious that the dark and wet areas inside the tank become prone to bacteria.     

Is Pink Mold In Humidifiers Dangerous?

The main question is Whether the humidifier’s pink residue is harmful. However, the pink stuff in the humidifier is not naturally harmful, but you don’t have to take the mold growth lightly in your home because it impacts your and your family’s health badly. If you think the red slime growing in a humidifier is ordinary and you do not pay proper attention to its cleaning, it is not good for you. In this way, you allow the mold to release with the mist by the humidifier and inhale this bacteria-polluted air.

When you inhale the polluted air, it goes directly into your lungs. The mold gets a new place to attack, and this state is called “humidifier lung”. Because of this state, most people assume that using a humidifier is harmful, but it is not about the humidifier as it only depends on the wrong cleaning. The humidifier lung symptoms include coughing, fever, difficulty breathing, and congestion. Moreover, if you suffer from asthma, the pink mold in your unit can make it worse and worsen your breathing problems. So, if you want to get rid of the growth of pink slime in the humidifier, regularly clean your humidifier then you won’t have to worry about getting sick.     

How Can You Clean Pink Mold From A Humidifier?

We know that cleaning is very necessary for the better working efficiency of electronic appliances. Similarly, if you keep your unit well-maintained and clean it regularly, you can easily prevent mold growth in your humidifier and improve its performance. For cleaning purposes, you need to follow the instructions, but remember that your manufacturer’s instructions will also allow this type of cleaning method. 

• First of all, turn off your unit and detach its tank to clean.
• Then, empty the water if there is any present in it.
• Now, pour your tank a mixture of bleach or vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide for thorough cleaning and leave it for almost 30 minutes.
• The moisture in the tank will break up the mold then you can easily wipe it out.
• Then empty the mixture from the tank and clean it using a little warm water.
• Now dry it properly.
• Also, carefully clean the base with the same mixture.
• If there is any vapor spout clean it using the mixture and a small brush to remove the build-up.

After regularly using this cleaning method, pink mold is less likely to form in your humidifier, so you can enjoy a clean mist to breathe. 

How To Prevent Pink Slime In A Humidifier?

After you know mod dangers, now you need to think about how to get rid of pink mold in the humidifier. To prevent the growth of red slime in the humidifier, all you need to do is pay proper attention to the cleaning of your unit. For this purpose, you can follow some instructions that are given below.  

Clean The Humidifier Daily:

If you clean the humidifier daily, it will also help in avoiding the growth of pink or red mold in the humidifier. You can easily clean your humidifier by following the process mentioned above. So, when you clean your humidifier daily, the pink mold will be less likely to be formed inside the tank.   

Use Distilled Water:

To avoid mineral buildup in the humidifier, try to use distilled or demineralized water to refill your humidifier tank. The reason is that it contains fewer minerals than tap water, so there are low chances of mineral accumulation inside the tank, so pink residue is less likely to form. But if you use tap water, the chances of pink mold formation increase because of mineral accumulation. 

Change The Water Daily:

For better results, change the tank’s water daily, even if the water looks clean and clear. In this way, minerals will not accumulate in the tank so pink mold will not have an environment to grow.

Let The Sunlight In:

Allow the sunlight to enter your home properly because it is the best way to prevent the growth of pink mold. The reason is that pink mold needs a darker atmosphere to grow, but an adequate amount of sunlight can remove excess moisture, reducing mold growth inside the humidifier tank. Moreover, in the presence of sunlight, mostly bacteria, viruses, molds, and microbes won’t be able to grow. 

FAQs About The Pink Mold In Humidifier:

Conclusion:

After reading our post, you will know everything about Humidifier’s pink mold and their types. You will also learn how you will prevent pink mold in your humidifier and clean it. All you have to do is inspect and clean your unit regularly. If the pink mold in the humidifier is left untreated, there is a chance of spreading diseases that make you ill. That’s why it is essential to take steps on time to get rid of mold and bacteria growth in your home. Then you will get a clean and bacteria-free mist for breathing which does not have any harmful impact.    

So, if you want to know more about humidifiers, dehumidifiers, and air purifiers, you can check out our website.

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