Is That Mold on Your Faucet? Here is the Truth

That black slime your bathroom and kitchen faucets and your fridge water dispenser may look horrific. The sight of this slimy substance typically causes homeowners to go into a frenzy of cleaning to remove it. Don’t panic. Although this icky substance may look like mold. It isn’t. And while that black slime certainly isn't something your want to ingest, it’s also not harmful to your health. 

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What is the Black Slime? 

That black slime hanging from the tip of your faucet head isn’t mold. It’s actually oxidized manganese. Manganese, along with a number of other harmless (and often beneficial) dissolved minerals and metals, is common in well water and city water.  When manganese in the water reaches the faucet head, it becomes exposed to oxygen and oxidizes. The slimy black or brown substance that sticks to your faucet head is the result of bacteria that feeds on that oxidized manganese.

Is Black Slime Harmful to Your Health?

Manganese and the bacteria that feed on it aren’t dangerous at the levels they typically appear in drinking water, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Though most municipalities do have secondary standards limiting both iron and manganese to limit problems like black slime and odor. 

Small amounts of manganese actually have many health benefits. Manganese is an antioxidant that protects against free radicals that can contribute to aging, heart disease, and even some cancers. Manganese can also help reduce inflammation, among other benefits. In fact, most water in the U.S. contains dissolved manganese along with other minerals. 

How to Clean the Slime Off My Faucets?

Most people don’t scrub the faucet opening when they're cleaning, which allows oxidized manganese to build up until there's enough of it to get noticed or, yuck, drop off into a glass of water or onto a toothbrush.  Cleaning the gunk off your faucets is pretty straightforward. Scrub the faucet aerator with dish soap using a sponge or a clean cloth. For tougher to reach spots you can use a toothbrush. Incorporate cleaning the faucet opening into your regular cleaning ritual to prevent the slime from forming. 

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How to Prevent Slime From Forming on the Faucets

If you want to prevent manganese from forming on your faucets, you’ll need to filter the water. You can install an under the sink reverse oxidation water filtration system, which is very effective at removing dissolved solids like manganese from the water before it reaches your faucet. If you want to eliminate the black slime from all your water receptacles, you’ll need to go with a whole home water filtration system.