Red spots everywhere!

Since moving into my apartment 2 years ago, I've periodically noticed little red spots and streaks appearing just about everywhere. I clean them when I can, but they are difficult to remove. Until recently the spots were limited to the walls, mainly in the bathroom. They always appear in groups, sometime looking like drips, sometimes like spots, and sometimes like splashes. They appear both low on the walls near the floor and high up near the ceilings, near windows and on iterior walls, in just about every room, sometimes behind appliances, sometimes near light switches, and now on my furniture! Today I noticed more on the wall in my living room, and, not to far away, a spray of them on the side of my computer monitor! They are orange/chocolate/rust in color. I cannot figure out whats causing them. When they appeared in the bathroom and under light switches I assumed it was rust stains from the humidity. Then when they appeared in the living room I guessed it might have been rust from pipes behind the walls. Now that I've found it on my computer monitor and other furniture, some of which is nowhere near a wall, I'm completely baffled. Anybody have any clues? It's almost creepy how baffling it is. I feel like Lady MacBeth cleaning phantom blood from everywhere!

Thanks, Adam

Reply to
Adam Schwartz
Loading thread data ...

Flies?

Reply to
Sweep

It's definaely not flies. The spots rage in size from pinpoint spots to splotches bigger than my thumbprint. They look exactly like residue from dried-up rusty water, but there is no source for rust-water nearby.

Adam

Reply to
Adam Schwartz

Box Elder bugs? I've read that their poo stains, but nothing about what color the poo is. The bugs are kind of red, so maybe their poo is, too.

Making things up as I go.... Lorraine

Reply to
Lorraine

Sounds like Serratia marcescens. It's a common red bacterium that usually spreads through the air and doesn't require much to live.

The reddish "mildew" that appears on my white painted surfaces is probably this bacterium. I have found a solution of 2 tablespoons borax and 2 tablespoons ammonia in a quart of water to be a good cleaner for household surfaces. It removes those reddish spots pretty easily. The ammonia may not be necessary for this application.

If you don't rinse, the trace of borax left behind will inhibit the growth of microbes. Studies of borax miners have shown that it's pretty harmless to humans.

Reply to
Lloyd Randall

What causes this bacteria to appear in my apartment? I have never seen it anywhere else I've lived. I also use an ultra-alergen air filter in my ventilation system. Could the bacteria be infesting the ducts beyond the filter? Should I contact my landlord to have the ducts disinfected or could I do it myself?

Thanks, Adam

Reply to
Adam Schwartz

I suppose the spots could be caused by something else.

You mentioned humidity. If it was less humid where you lived before, that could have kept this germ from growing.

It often gets started when people open windows in the spring and the spores blow in. It can also start when remodeling stirs up old dust. Once colonies start growing in the house, they can generate spores to start more colonies. Cleaning with borax works for me because it eliminates sources of spores and makes a surface inhospitable for new spores.

If you have central air conditioning, I suppose it could provide a damp, dirty place for the bacteria to grow. Alt.home.repair might have people who know if this happens and how systems are disinfected.

These bacteria are very common and used to be considered harmless. It's possible for them to cause pneumonia and urinary-tract infections.

Reply to
Lloyd Randall

Lloyd, you were exactly right! We had noticed red spots on our bathroom ceiling also. My wife picked up some Borax and I cleaned the ceiling using your recipe (without the ammonia) and it worked beautifully! My wife says it looks like I painted the ceiling! Thanks!

Reply to
Joe V

Another scenario, although Borax is also a good cleaning agent for this situation, too.

If this apartment was repainted just before you moved in two years ago, this could be cigarette smoke stains coming through the top coat. They probably didn't clean the walls and ceiling first. Ever notice an ashtray smell after you take a shower?

I don't understand why they'd be on your furniture, though, so Lloyd is probably right.

-Amy

Reply to
Ame

Do any of you have pets?? Sounds like a flea infestation. It's flea dirt (poo) that is getting wet and turning In to red/rusty color. Mainly found in bathroom. If you have pets I guarantee its fleas, and when your pets groom themselves the flea dirt falls off, gets damp, turns from black to reddish color. Hope this helps.

Reply to
ciara

replying to Adam Schwartz, Jessica Floyd wrote: Me too!! I just googled this. I recently moved i to an old country home built in the. 30s and then remodeled due to a tornado in the 80s. When I moved in at first I thought nothing of it. The spots (sometimes splashes..) will reappear within a day or too...even in the inside of my washing machine lid and top.. On top of toilet and in random places.. I think even on my bedding!! I'm concerned these are eggs of some type that I am not familiar with.. What have you found out??

Reply to
Jessica Floyd

replying to Jessica Floyd, Dama_Gunz wrote: I have the same issue, it's rodent fleas & dander. Get some flea spray and spray anything coming from the sheets to the walls. They like to nest and deficate in wood or cotton

Reply to
Dama_Gunz

replying to Adam Schwartz, Rachel Macallister wrote: Sounds like Bedbugs unfortunately.

Reply to
Rachel Macallister

replying to Lloyd Randall, Barbara Dudley wrote: Can the spots be painted over?

Reply to
Barbara Dudley

replying to Jessica Floyd, SomeGirlCrystal wrote: hey, im also experiencing this, in my bathrooom, the dishwasher, the washing machine, what have you found out

Reply to
SomeGirlCrystal

replying to Adam Schwartz, Priya wrote: this problem mentioned above is replicated exactly in my house anyone please suggest what is it

Reply to
Priya

replying to Adam Schwartz, dodefreitas wrote: I washed my hardwood floor and found bright red dry marks. I thought that blood dried brown?

Reply to
dodefreitas

replying to ciara, Darlene Shaw wrote: That i s what I thought. But the red spots are inside the door of my washer, and inside my portable icemaker. My cats are never in my wash room. And the lid on my icemaker is always closed.

Reply to
Darlene Shaw

replying to Adam Schwartz, Captain kirk wrote: Hello Adam, I recently became trained to many things in apartments at my new job. One of the things they talked about was bedbugs and based off the small hard to remove ?rusty? stains it sounds like bedbugs to me. Best to get a pro to come check it out. Good luck

Reply to
Captain kirk

this has been in my house for a few days and it sounds like what is in your apartment i dont know what it is

Reply to
kylee

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.