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-   -   Mildew smell from faucet (https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/showthread.php?t=175933)

  • Jan 23, 2008, 06:49 PM
    gage17
    Mildew smell from faucet
    There is one bathroom in my house that has an awful mildewy smell coming from the bathroom sink. It is only in this one bathroom and seems to be the strongest when the water is turned on. The shower does not have this problem in the same bathroom.. just the sink. I do not know what to do! :confused:
  • Jan 23, 2008, 07:03 PM
    massplumber2008
    OK... it is not the water... can't be or you would notice the smell elsewhere... Period!

    That suggests that you have a waste type issue. Here, you may have a drain that is plugged with.. well... first thought... hair type products (hair chemicals... him or her.. ), second thought... anything that accumulates and cause odor (hair (all types), teeth anything, etc. )!

    I am not sure, of course, but I would start by removing the pop-up assembly from the lavatory faucet and cleaning that. Here, you would need to loosen the nut to the pop-up assembly (look under sink and behind the chrome drain that first comes out of sink drain), pull the pop-up out of drain and clean it. Then simply reinstall the pop-up, catch it with the rod from underneath and tighten the nut (just reverse steps).

    YOU would be amazed at how many times this reduces odors for my customers! TRY this and let us know if it helped... any more questions or if this does not resolve please repost and let me know! I answer most posts daily. Good luck.
  • Jan 24, 2008, 10:26 AM
    ballengerb1
    MASS is correct about cleaning the pop up since it loves to collect hair and oil that rot. I also recommend a little flushing now and then. I mix 1/2 cup of table salt with 1/2 cup of baking soda and dump down into the drain followed by a cup of vinegar. Allow to soak and bubble over night and the flush with a big bucket of very hot water. Your trap, pop up and drain are about as clean as you can get them, plus you got the fun of watching what happens when you dump the vinegar.
  • Jan 24, 2008, 11:03 AM
    speedball1
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by gage17
    There is one bathroom in my house that has an awful mildewy smell coming from the bathroom sink. It is only in this one bathroom and seems to be the strongest when the water is turned on. The shower does not have this problem in the same bathroom..just the sink. I do not know what to do!! :confused:

    If the smell's coming from the drain then remove the stopper from your lavatory. Look down in the drain and you will see a rod about 6" down. Hair hangs up and fermemts on that rod. Fish it out,(ugh!) The reason you smell it at the overflow is that when you run water and drain some of the smell is forced back out the overflow. Now pour a quart of bleach down the drain and let it set overnight. Next morning,(and this is important)flush it out with a pan of boiling water If you can't pull the stopper out then your stopper has a opening at the base that the rod goes through so that it can't be pulled out. To defeat this and pull the stopper look under the sink and follow the pop up lever down to the rod. You will see a knurled nut. Now push the pop up knob so the stopper is in the up position. While holding the stopper in one hand, slowly back the nut out until it's clear,(You may need to free it with a pair of pliers) Careful! You don't want to pull it all the way out. Now, GENTLY pull back on the rod while pulling upwards on the stopper. As soon as the stopper clears turn the nut back in hand tight or tight enough to hold the plunger rod up. From here on in you will let the stopper ride on top of the rod instead of tying it down. Now take a bent coathanger and fish out any hair that may have hung up on the rod or the trap. After you have cleared out any hair or trash, just drop the stopper back in the drain. When I install a lavatory I never tie down the stopper so that the owner can check the drain without the expense of a service call That should take care of that smelly lavatory. If you think the smell's coming from the faucet then pull the aerator and clean the screens with bleach. More questions? I'm as close as a click. Good luck TOM

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