Moldy bathroom water

[jenbooks]

Hi all. I noticed that my sink drain in the shower smells moldy so I have been putting bac out down it. I really don't use that sink its so little. But the shower water also smells moldy when I first turn it on for a few minutes. I hate that and don't want to take a shower in moldy water. I had a new oxygenics shower head put on.

I suspect there is gunk like soap scum or hair or whatever in the sink curving pipe under the sink, right? How do I clean that out? Can I easily remove it and thoroughly clean it or maybe use the toilet snake or a hose to spurt strong water spray down w a solution? What about calgon?

IE if there is caked on gunk in that pipe then regular water flow won't solve it.

Are there other reasons bath water would smell moldy? My kitchen sink and drain are fine.


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[LyleB]

If I were you, I would try using AquaMira in your holding tank. I use it for treating water while backpacking. One of it's original purposes was for treating water in holding tanks.

It gives a VERY slight chlorine taste to the water, but very few folks find it objectionable. I would highly recommend giving it a try.

Aquamira® Water Treatment 2 oz.

It may help the drain, may not, but should solve the moldy smell when you take a shower. Worth a try.

[jenbooks]

Thanks-- I am on city water right now. I found a guy in the park here who will clean out my sink p trap. If anybody else has opinions or other thoughts they are appreciated thx!


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[Bob Miller]

Hmmmm. Aquamura
$16 for 2 oz sound a bit steep for something that does the same thing as common chlorine bleach. May be useful for backpacking, but for RV's, don't expect much, and it's not intended for drains anyway.


What happens with the tiny sink drain is that the water that stays in the trap evaporates, leaving all kind of cr@p behind and it builds up over the years.


Add to that, the odors from the holding tank can also back up into it as well when the water is gone. If you don't have a removable trap you need one. And, if you don't use that sink, or when storing for more than a week or so, pour some RV antifreeze into the trap to act as a block to back venting.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by jenbooks

Hi all. I noticed that my sink drain in the shower smells moldy so I have been putting bac out down it. I really don't use that sink its so little. But the shower water also smells moldy when I first turn it on for a few minutes. I hate that and don't want to take a shower in moldy water. I had a new oxygenics shower head put on.

I suspect there is gunk like soap scum or hair or whatever in the sink curving pipe under the sink, right? How do I clean that out? Can I easily remove it and thoroughly clean it or maybe use the toilet snake or a hose to spurt strong water spray down w a solution? What about calgon?

IE if there is caked on gunk in that pipe then regular water flow won't solve it.

Are there other reasons bath water would smell moldy? My kitchen sink and drain are fine.


Sent from my iPad using Fiberglass RV

It is common for water heaters to produce foul smelling water not associated with mold. If it smells a bit like rotten eggs try draining and sanitizing the hot water heater, then rinse it through the sinks before placing it back in service.
This may or may not be the source of your problem, but it can't hurt.

[WaltP]

my sink drain in the shower smells moldy so I have been putting bac out down it. I really don't use that sink its so little. But the shower water also smells moldy when I first turn it on for a few minutes.
Odors from your sink drain and the shower water supply should not be related, so I can't guess what's going on.
Because the plumbing on our trailers frequently sits unused for long periods, I recommend replacing all p-traps with Hepvo valves. They eliminate common p-trap problems caused by both evaporation and freezing. It's a relatively straightforward plumbing project. I did it on my Casita but an easy job for any plumber.
Also, have you done the standard sanitization process with your water suppy tank and plumbing? That should be an annual must.

Walt