Here's Why Black Residue Is Showing Up On Some Maine Beaches

A late-spring heat wave had people from across Maine flocking to the beach this weekend in numbers usually reserved for July and August. While the beach was a great place to cool off, it was the remnants of the beach that left many people feeling rather confused. Specifically, their feet seemingly being "stained" with a strange and stubborn black residue that was difficult to clean off.

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What Is Causing The Black Residue?

According to News Center Maine, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry believes the black residue stems from flying insects being caught up in waves and essentially staining people's feet while they walk along the coastline. While the reasoning from the MDCAF makes sense, some towns that received complains about the black residue had the Maine Department of Environmental Protection look into whether the residue could have been caused by petroleum or oil spills washing ashore.

If You End Up With Black Residue On Your Feet, How Do You Get It Off?

It appears getting the black residue off your feet can be a bit challenging. A simple wash with soap and water may not be sufficient enough and if you're unwilling to scrub the skin off of your feet, consider using baby wipes or a similar product which seem to be the most effective.

Which Beaches Had Reports Of The Black Residue?

Most of the beaches that reported black residue were located in York County. They included beaches in York, Wells and Ogunquit.

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.

LOOK: Full List of the Best Places to Live in Maine

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in Maine using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com. On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks.

Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.

Source: Here’s Why You May End Up With Black Residue On Your Feet From Some Maine Beaches