White Linoleum Turning Purple?

Same happen to us and it ended up being mold! Sorry!

Sorry.... I'm an architect, and I've seen that "purple" color. It usually turns out to be mold or mildew under the linoleum. Get someone to check your plumbing; if you're handy, you can replace the tile yourself.

It could be mold. Guys don't always have the best aim, if you get what I'm saying. That combined with cleaners used over the years and that could be your answer.
Linoleum is made in layers and it was probably cut to go around the toilet.
Hope this helps.

My mom's kitchen flooring is doing the same thing. It has to do with the top layer separating under it from the bottom layer. And if it is near a water source, it could be due to moisture. My mom's worst section is near the radiators. No mold, just the separation. The option is to replace and she doesn't want to bother.

Are you brave? What I would do is buy a wax ring from the hardware store and take the toilet out and peal back the vinyl a little. If it is the thicker stuff you could use a knife to lift it.

You can't reuse wax rings that is why I always buy them before I remove the toilet. Granted I remove my toilet more than what would be considered normal but my kids when they were younger enjoyed seeing what would flush and what would stick.

If I would have to guess I would say something is either rubbing on it causing the purple or the backer, or the backside, of the vinyl is purplish. Before I put in tile I used to have yellowish from what was on people's shoes when they walked in the house.

Pretty sure it's mold. I have the same thing!

Theresa (smily) N is talking about the wax ring that must go in before the toilet is screwed to the floor. If that cracks then yes you have a leak. I wonder if it is the glue from the linoleum flooring, it could have reacted with the floor cleaners. This is not too hard to fix. A wax ring is a couple of dollars at any home improvement store and you can still put the same toilet back in. I would recommend having it checked at least pull up some of the flooring and see if it is mold.

You will need to call the plumber to fix the toilet.

is there a bathroom rug nearby? I once rented a place with a white linoleum floor in the kitchen, and we had a red rug by the back door, somehow the floor turned reddish under the rug.

Def mold, maybe a cracked, um, whatever you call the plastic/vinyl/rubber thing that holds your toilet to the floor/plumbing. I have it too in our 'girls' room.

Sorry.

:)

This is going to sound SO DUMB, and I'm sure it isn't your problem, but it's worth a try. We had just remodeled our bathroom and I noticed a kind of darker ring around the front of the toilet. I kind of panicked and told my husband and friend (who was here visiting at the time) about it. I found out it was just the shadow of the toilet!! I got a flashlight and sure enough, it was a shadow. I'm kind of dense like that! I feel kind of stupid even posting this, because I'm sure you're MUCH smarter than I and you would know if it's a shadow:) But it's worth a try to check it out!

You have a several options.

1. call a plumber and have him come and remove your toilet so you can pull the linoleum back and see if it's mold. then call a general carpenter and have him check the flooring and sub-flooring. They can work in tandem.

2. go to home depot or lowe's purchase a wax ring for your toilet, turn the water off, drain the water out and unscrew the toilet from the floor and move it. Pull the linoleum up. It is most likely mold. Check the sub-floor as well to see if there is a leak you don't know about.

Is your husband a handy-man? To drain the toilet and remove it is about 30 minutes to an hour...pulling up the floor and removing the mold? a good day job. Reseating the toilet will be the hardest part, in my opinion. Flooring can be easily laid with the right tools.

I'm pretty sure it is mold under the linoelum. You should get a flooring person in to check it out or at the very least, cut a small hole in the lino like behind the toilet and look for yourself.

did you find a solution? My mom had a "pink streak" pop up on her bathroom floor while she was away for a 3 week time period.

The difference is: she has real wood floorboards & the spot is not by the toilet or any other water source. The spot is right as you walk into the room.

She's tried every cleaner out there. The wood is not soft. At this point, she hasn't found resolution & it's driving her nuts!

Please let me know if you have any ideas!!