Most of us are familiar with a couple of different flame colors. Blue and white are signs that a fire is burning hot and clean, exactly what you want from a cooktop, while an orange flame on a gas stove is a common symptom of an underlying problem. A pink flame, however, is a bit of a head scratcher. While this color is certainly pretty, it can also become a source of anxiety for homeowners — after all, preventing gas explosion at home requires a certain degree of awareness and caution when it comes to gas-powered appliances. Luckily, there's no reason to panic. The pink tinge comes from an abundance of potassium in the air rather than an issue with your stovetop.
When burned, potassium chloride produces a unique pinkish or lilac flame, which is what you're seeing on your stove. This phenomenon can be off-putting, but it's not dangerous — yellow or orange are the real signs that something is wrong. High potassium levels in the air are most often the result of a nearby humidifier that's been running on tap water, as potassium chloride is often used as a water softener. It's also a frequent inclusion in processed foods and a fertilizer that boosts potassium in garden soil more commonly known as potash. This compound is safe to consume and generally considered harmless, but if you're not particularly comfortable with the idea of a pink flame, there are ways to bring your stovetop back to blue.
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