A couple was horrified when mysterious brown marks appeared on their new apartment's bathroom walls after taking a shower, but Reddit users offered a simple explanation.
Marks After Shower
The couple, who had recently moved into a larger apartment within the same complex, shared photos on Reddit showing the brown water marks on the white walls. They had lived in their previous flat for six years without ever encountering this issue.
In the post, the person wrote: "My fiancé and I just moved into a new apartment. When we took a shower this evening, this stuff appeared on the walls. We were told by management that they painted before we moved in."
Management's Assurance
The couple mentioned that management assured them the apartment had been cleaned and painted before their arrival. However, the person added: "Cleaning was not to my standards, so I deep cleaned the entire place top to bottom before we moved our stuff in. This included wiping down walls and other surfaces multiple times. When we did our walk through on the day we received our keys, the place smelled vaguely of cigarettes to me. I have family who smokes and used to smoke myself – I'm very familiar with the smell. But management insisted it was 'paint and Pinesol' when I brought it up. We were not in a position to back out of the lease, so we were forced to move in anyway."
Reddit Explanations
Most commentators suggested it could be due to previous smokers, but one suggested surfactant leaching – a harmless cosmetic issue where sticky, glossy, or discoloured soapy streaks emerge on newly applied water-based paint. This can occur from early exposure to moisture or high humidity, with key features including sticky or oily residues, brown or translucent runs, and common appearance in high-humidity areas like bathrooms.
Someone who worked as a residential and commercial painter said it could be nicotine build-up, adding: "But it could also be hairspray or other c*** ladies tend to spray in bathrooms. It's likely one those, combined with high humidity in a bathroom. It can make those come through the paint. You can fix it pretty easily, whether it's nicotine, hair products, or otherwise. The painter just didn't do the best job here."
Another commenter disagreed, saying: "It is not from smokers. Our bathroom has the same thing and nobody smokes. Cheap paint we got from Home Depot."
The couple did not share another update, but many social media users offered advice. We hope they get it sorted!
