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View Full Version : Do corroding copper pipes cause mold smell on washcloth


furbymama
Jul 30, 2011, 08:59 AM
I have copper tubing pipes under my bath sink. The water does not smell but when I wet a wash cloth and wash my face the cloth smells moldy . It even leaves a moldy smell on my skin.. I thought it was because it is an inside bathroom and no windows for ventilation only a ceiling vent fan... that maybe the cloth was souring from lack of ventilation.
Lately even the clean wash cloths smell immediately when they are wet from this particular sink.

This would not let me use a washcloth more than once even though I would rinse it and squeeze it dry and hang it to air dry.The next time I tried to use it.. the sour smell would be there.
I have thrown away a lot of wash cloths.. thinking it had something to do with the material or dye.

I looked under the sink and the copper tubing is all green with patina.. on the outside..
I noticed the sink pop up plastic drain plug also collects a slimey material.
I might add we are on well water that has been tested to be pure.
So there is no chlorine in our water..
I must add a small amount of bleach to my laundry and also to the fountain and the animal water trough in order to keep the green slime out of it.

I don't have this problem if I wet my cloth in the bathtub faucet or any other sink in the house.
Should I change the copper tubing to the plastic flexible kind?
Also has this water been a health threat coming through these patina'd copper pipes..
My husband has MS and so I'm concerned that this may not be helping..
I have discouraged him from drinking from this faucet.
Any help ?

Please.. any advise will help..
Thanks.

speedball1
Aug 1, 2011, 12:54 PM
Y this. Remove the aerator ( see image) from the spout and soak it in blach for several hours. Install it back and let it run for a few minutes to flush out the bleach. Smell better now? Cheers, Tom

furbymama
Aug 2, 2011, 10:40 PM
HI Tom and thanks.. I will do that..
I also read where white vinegar will help get the smell out of laundry, so I tried that also.. it seemed to make the washcloths smell better.. I washed every cloth I could find and no longer do they smell.

As we don't have chlorine in the well water.. that seemed to help .I have in the past had to soak the hand held shower sprayer in a bucket of bleach to get the black out and that works for a long time .Did not think of the aerator though.. thanks.
I think I'm o.k. now.. and thanks for your quick response.. a big help.. I don't have to wash up in the kitchen now..

speedball1
Aug 3, 2011, 06:50 AM
Thanks for the update, Glad your fixed up. Let us know if you have more problems. Cheers, Tom