Brown streaks on bathroom walls?

Question

Does anyone know what it could be? It's not mold. It looks like someone splashed a coke on my walls and it's dripping down lol. I live in an apartment and it was like this when we moved in. However, I have scrubbed it off, but it keeps coming back. We had the same problem in our old apartment too and my friend has the same problem in her apartment as well. No one in my house smokes, we always turn fan on when we shower. I know how to get rid of it temporarily, I just want to know what it is and how to keep it from coming back. I have literally wiped down all of my walls w/ bleach and it still comes back.

Answer 1

Lol when I just saw The question without the details I was gonna say p**p but after I read it I know its not p**p....Sorry I cant help you on this one...maybe you should call like the people who own the apartment....or call some cleaning service lol Sorry I cant help D:

Oh btw good luck with gettin it to stay away

Answer 2

Sounds like tar and nicotine. Maybe you don't smoke but the tenants before you did. Once the wall is coated it get into the paint and does blead like that .... you can go to the hardware store or home center and buy TSP .. it is a powder cleaner and it is slightly caustic so wear rubber gloves. Mix according to the directions on the box and wash your walls with that solution. This is how professional painters prep walls to get rid of just that very item before they paint. If it too bad then you will have to paint it with a sealer such as Bullseye .. Zinzeer. Those are the products they use to seal water stains on walls and ceilings.

Answer 3

Are u sure it's not some kind of fungus?

Answer 4

Sounds to me like high humidity.  When your bathroom gets hot and the water condenses it will start to run down the walls.  If you have a fan, turn it on while the hot water is running.  It should take care of the problem.  You might also wipe down the walls after a shower.

I had the same problem when using a humidifier in my daughters room.

Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Chances are that a previous occupant smoked. We bough a house from a chain smoker. They house had been cleaned, repainted and re carpeted so the smell was gone. However it would bleed tar nicotine whatever from the walls. I used to go through with a Mr. Clean sponge before company came over. The only way to get rid of it is to seal it into the wall with a primer sealer, then paint.

Answer 6

Well I'm no expert but maybe you've got a leaky pipe with rust in it...? Just a guess.

Answer 7

if people are smoking in there it NICOTINE. i have white walls in my bathroom and two smokers in the house. after they take a shower the nicotine that has attached itself to the wall will run down because of the steam that's created from a shower or bath.    make them stop smoking in there, wash the walls down then see what happens.

i'll bet that's the problem.

good luck to ya.