kept searching for answers on this. I had to discount mold because the spots on the plastic shelves below still had the drips...very hard, no growth or fuzz and no growth or fuzz or spots on the drywall on the ceiling. I think this is the answer.
Thanks to all who replied. ____________________________________________________
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The condition you described sounds like surfactant leaching. Surfactants are surface leveling added to latex paint to improve its flow and leveling. Under conditions of high humidity such as a bathroom these surfactants can sometimes leach out of an uncured paint film. It will look like someone shook a can of cola and sprayed it on the wall. Surfactants can be removed if you wash after they first appear with warm water and a sponge.
alkyd paints do not contain surfactants so use an alkyd paint instead of latex. ______________________ the latex coating tends to extrude surfactant, leaving a slightly brownish residue on the surface. This is termed "surfactant leaching," a process whereby the resin surfactant starts to evaporate before the water due to high humidity levels. These surfactants will easily wash away.