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Author:
shall5888 (PA)
I have had a ongoing battle with odors in a cultured marble bathroom sink overflow, which I have now figured out traps sludge, bacteria, mold, etc. at the bottom near the outlet holes in the metal drain tailpiece. I have poured bleach down the upper overflow opening in the sink for years. It helps only for a while and recently it has just gotten worse and worse.
I have now used baking soda & vinegar, foaming liquid plumber, Lysol, and rubbing alchol (not all at the same time), poured boiling water down the overflow, and flushed the overflow by filling the sink, and still I had to use qtips to pull crap out of the outlet ports as far as I can reach into them in order to obtain some relief.
I am convinced this odor is making me sick with constant sinus problems. After sealing off the top of the overflow and the drain the last 2 nights with duct tape, I woke up with no sinus issues twice, which does not happen often.
I don't need the overflow as I never plug the drain anyway and I'm the only one using it. Is there any way that I can permanently seal this off without replacing the sink, the plumbing, etc. or any other more permanent remedy anyone knows of? I am really not looking forward to having to spend time cleaning a sink constantly with qtips, etc.
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Author:
packy (MA)
a vessel sink drain has no overflow openings in it.
just google 'vessel sink drain' and have a look.
you would still have water going down the overflow opening in the sink unless you seal it really well.
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Author:
shall5888 (PA)
I don't have a vessel sink, so not sure what you are talking about there.
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Author:
m & m (MD)
You can seal it with an epoxy. That will make it odor- and water-proof.
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Author:
Wheelchair (IL)
What are you putting in your vented sink that is causing the mold? Have you tried steam? Have you tried removing the "P-Trap" and cleaning the inside? Have you tried "Friction Sticks"
Have you consider replacing the sink with another sink using a grid style strainer, instead of a pop-up type drain plug?
Best Wishes
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Author:
packy (MA)
a drain for a vessel sink does not have any overflow holes in it.
a standard bathroom sink drain has holes in the side for the overflow.
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Author:
shall5888 (PA)
The only thing I am putting in this sink is hand soap and toothpaste. The design of the tailpiece is that it has four openings in it for the overflow to drain thru. I never plug the sink and fill it with water. When water is run down the drain, with the pop up drain removed, I can see that anything going down the drain continually splashes back up into those openings in the tailpiece. Over time it seems to be soap residue which lodges in there. The odor is not coming from the p-trap. To test this theory, once I finally got the overflow area as clean as possible, I thoroughly dried it and temporarily taped those openings off with duct tape inside the drain. There is 0 odor now with the tailpiece openings temporarily sealed off. I have no idea what Friction Sticks are. The sink was installed 9 years ago when the house was built and is 49" long and still in good condition. I was looking for some solution to eliminate the odor problem, besides replacing the entire thing.
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Author:
packy (MA)
geesh, a vessel sink drain does not have those 4 openings in it because vessel sinks don't have overflow openings.
remove your conventional pop-up drain and replace it with a vessel sink drain. no need to change the entire sink..
you are looking at a less than 30 minute job...
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Author:
shall5888 (PA)
Ok, now I understand why you keep talking about vessel sinks. Cultured marble sinks also come without overflows. Home Depot is selling a couple on line right now. If I replace the drain with a non-overflow type, I will have to get someone to do that for me.
The sink has always had some damage on the outside bottom of it right where the drain fits into the sink. It appears it was bumped into something and a large chip was knocked off it when it was installed, so I am afraid to touch that myself with a manufactured marble material that could break. So that might solve the problem on the lower end and then I will have to see about closing off the top of the overflow as well because that hole is drilled vertically into the front edge of the sink and things can easily fall into it. At least I now have some idea how to eliminate the problem.
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Author:
bernabeu (SC)
either:
the sink itself has an overflow 'slot'
OR
the sink itself DOES NOT have an overflow 'slot'
IF 'has' you need the 'slotted' pop up type drain and will not have the odor
IF 'does not' you need the 'grid drain' w/o pop up and will not have the odor
'MOST' cultured marble sinks do NOT have an overflow slot, BUT, most 'big box store' faucets come with a pop up drain assembly designed for an overflow equipped sink - resulting in, sometimes, the odor in question
==============================================
"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638
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Author:
Paul48 (CT)
I believe packy was suggesting replacing the drain, and sealing the overflow hole in the sink.
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Author:
bernabeu (SC)
the OP may need to 'dremel' the slots in the drain assembly so that it no longer 'traps' water but allows it to drain fully
seems he has an 'ill fitting' pop up assembly
there should NOT be standing trapped water in the drain assembly itself
hard to describe - the bottom of the 'slots' in the shank of the drain should be at the same elevation as the bottom of the overflow discharge point molded into the sink so that all water overflowed actually drains and is not trapped to stagnate
a plastic assembly would be the easiest to modify/fit
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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638
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Author:
shall5888 (PA)
The sink has an overflow and a pop up drain, but not exactly like the picture you posted, and it has odors. Sludge builds up inside the surrounding sink cavity of the overflow at the end. It seems to stick not at the open slots, but in behind the closed off portion between the 4 overflow openings in the drain. I discovered the sludge when I angled a qtip into each of the 4 openings to clean where I could not see. There seems to be more of a wide flat area inside the sink overflow cavity and not just a slope to the drain. And this is not occuring from anything that goes down from the upper opening of the overflow as 99.9% of the time the sink is not used in a manner to actually plug and fill it with water.
I believe the issue is really with the sink and since I do not need an overflow on this sink, I think the way to eliminate the problem is just to eliminate the overflow in the drain and plug the upper opening off permanently as well.
I actually have a cultured marble sink in a 2nd bathroom in the house which has a similar but slightly lesser problem. It seems to push water a bit faster thru the drain hole openings when I flush the overflow on it.
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Author:
hj (AZ)
Liquid Plummer, or similar should clear the drain. But you can shove anything, such as plumber's putty, into the openings to close them off.
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Author:
maryangela (AZ)
I've had the exact problem for over a year and have researched the answer and tried to remedy it just as you have with no long term success. I spoke with a plumber yesterday who said a small amount of water can accumulate in the overflow space within the sink and sit there causing the sewer smell. He said this is a common problem he sees and suggests sealing the hole with silicon. I stuffed a plastic bag in it overnight (leaving enough out that I could easily remove it) and woke up this morning with no sewer odor when I turned on the faucet. I intend to buy a tube of clear silicon and seal it permanently now. Cheaper than replacing the sink!
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