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Author:
Shay (CA)
I have been having trouble with a very bad smell that's coming out of my overflow.
I've had my new sink since August 011. It is a popular brand, and a brand that I've used before.
About a month ago I started smelling mildew as I entered my bathroom. I looked under the sink and all smelled OK. I started sniffing and finally as I got around to the overflow I also fell over!!!
I took the pop out drain cover out of the drain and saw that there was a reservoir of sorts around the the drain system. Not the PVC drain itself, but built into the drain system of the sink that wraps around the PVC drain pipe. Very hard to explain.
I started to try and clean the area. I got a tube and forced hot water from the faucet down the overflow. Brown stuff started coming out of the space between the sink and the drain pipe. Very gross, I must have not gotten all the crud out of the area because it started smelling again the next day. I finally found a tiny brush, I was able to bend it so it was easier to go in between the sink and the pipe on the round.
If someone is smelling the mildew, or a just a terrible smell, check the drain and the overflow. Most people don't have a reason to use the overflow, so it isn't an issue. But if there is some build up of deposits on something near or next to the overflow, and its caught in the area, the smell will come up the opening. I am still trying to reslove this issue. My contractor said he would help me, but I believe that its the design of the sink not the drain system.
Most sinks I've purchased, the only brand I buy, has never had ridges in the drain. This one stinks because of that design.
If anyone has any ideas post them, thanks.
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Author:
Paul48 (CT)
Try pouring hydrogen peroxide down the overflow. It'll probably have to become a regular practice.
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Author:
steve (CA)
You can try a foaming type bathroom cleaner, like Scrubbing Bubbles, Lysol Bathroom Cleaner or Clorox Bleach Foamer.
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Author:
mr leak (CA)
Some major sink mfgs. and the new codes do allow no sink overflows just for this reason. Their lack of use contributes to bacteria growth
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Author:
hj
It is a common problem. The usual symptom is the odor occurring when water is run into the sink and air is forced up through the overflow passage carrying the odor with it. Pour a liquid drain cleaner, such as Liquid Plumber, down the overflow to "boil" out the debris.
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Author:
Wheelchair
I like the bubbling foam cleaners. Slow acting, as the bubbles attach to the wall of your overflow and sanitize the china. Liquids, do well but move much too fast to really be effective. Sanitizing foam lingers to do the work necessary.
Best Wishes
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Author:
Paul48 (CT)
Things like gel shaving creams tend to accumulate.Since the company I work for purchased a manufacturer of one, I only use it, and that problem is more noticable for me as well.A bottle brush helps remove some of the gunk. Just make sure you have it covered with an old towel,or something as you extract it from the drain, or you'll plaster yourself and everything aroud you with nasty black speckles(ask me how I know).
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Author:
NICK (CA)
bring in a garden hose with a nozzle spray. put it in the overflow and blast the crud out. Then if you can spray bleach with a little force, maybe with a tank sprayer, and get it to saturate all areas including this reservoir I think you will be good.
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