Red spots everywhere!

[Adam Schwartz]

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

[Adam Schwartz]

"Sweep" <sw...@spam.free> wrote in message
news:7eb84cba4c256d4a...@grapevine.islandnet.com...
>
> "Adam Schwartz" <swor...@NOSPAMmchsi.com> wrote in message
> news:KmR9b.481939$o%2.215109@sccrnsc02...

> Flies?
>

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

[Lorraine]

On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 04:25:14 GMT, "Adam Schwartz" <swor...@NOSPAMmchsi.com>
wrote:

> 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

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

[Lloyd Randall]

In article <KmR9b.481939$o%2.215109@sccrnsc02>,
"Adam Schwartz" <swor...@NOSPAMmchsi.com> wrote:

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.

--
Best Regards,
Lloyd

[Adam Schwartz]

> 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.
>
> --
> Best Regards,
> Lloyd

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

[Lloyd Randall]

In article <ggaab.490073$Ho3.83824@sccrnsc03>,
"Adam Schwartz" <swor...@NOSPAMmchsi.com> wrote:

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.

--
Best Regards,
Lloyd

[Joe V]

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!

"Lloyd Randall" <br...@eels.net> wrote in message
news:broth-0807F2....@corp-radius.supernews.com...

[Ame]

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

"Joe V" <kv...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:Qzkbb.47140$NM1....@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...

[ciara]

replying to Adam Schwartz, ciara wrote:

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.

--

[Jessica Floyd]

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??

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[Dama_Gunz]

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

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[Rachel Macallister]

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

[Barbara Dudley]

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

[SomeGirlCrystal]

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


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[Priya]

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

[dodefreitas]

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

[Darlene Shaw]

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.

[Captain kirk]

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

[kylee]

replying to Adam Schwartz, kylee wrote:
> orange/chocolate/rust in color.
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

[Karen]

replying to Adam Schwartz, Karen wrote:
Has anyone found a definitive answer? I have this same issue in my house. I
believe that it might be a type of slime mold called Fuligo Septica, otherwise
known as dog vomit mold. It was in my garden over the summer and now I'm
seeing it in my window sills. I'm really not certain but I do know that (in
my case) it is definitely not bed bugs or fleas as some have suggested.

[Paige.000]

replying to Adam Schwartz, Paige.000 wrote:
Metal ceiling fan?


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[Steve]

replying to Adam Schwartz, Steve wrote:
Are they little red spiders? Sometimes if wiped they’ll smudge

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[Jessica]

squashed bed bugs?

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[POPPY]

In my experience as a realtor, the "drip" shaped, hard to remove spots are roaches or palmetto bugs.

[Jagtar]

I have the same issue it’s on my bedroom wall when I seen it was wet tin the morning but when get chance to clean it hose dry because it was on walper I can even clean it now I am attaching picture of it if anyone know what could be this , my room is beet and clean , no flies , only seen some Normal Webb spiders ,
https://www.homeownershub.com/img/2cvs

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[Liza]

We found that a Stanley blade removed the tiny red dots we had on a south facing window quickly. White vinegar had a bit of success softening them. The dots are so tiny I didn’t even know they were there until cleaning the windows when the sun was on them

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[Gchavez06]

Its likely house fly poop. It can eject out pretty powerfully and ends up on ceilings, crown molding, pretty much anything.

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[Jeannine]

Bird mites

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