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11-22-2015, 12:38 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
City: Seattle, WA.
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 127
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Cleaning stinking drains
Hey guys,
Our galley sink drain is starting to emit a funky odor. It drains just below the waterline so is exposed to seawater. Looking for recommendations on the best thing to use to clean and deodorize.
Thanks
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11-22-2015, 12:49 PM
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#2
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Guru
City: Pahrump, NV
Vessel Name: Pairadice
Vessel Model: Sold Selene 47
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,967
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I use a lot of hot fresh water followed by liberal pouring of vinegar. Boaters tend to minimize water use and don't flush the pipes enuff. So when your tied up to the dock, run the hot water and don't be afraid to empty the tank. Then several cups of vinegar to follow. Did this on both the boat and the RV and it helps.
Good luck!
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11-22-2015, 01:11 PM
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#3
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Guru
City: Melbourne, FL
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,731
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hydrogen peroxide will also help kill anything living in the joints. I don't know if that's better than Vinegar, but may help.
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11-22-2015, 01:22 PM
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#4
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,143
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I keep a spray bottle of diluted bleach under each sink.
I give each sink a shot when it smells and it is handy for mildew in corners or small spots. Handy for spraying in remote access areas to the hull interior that also usually has a touch of milder here and there.
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11-22-2015, 01:30 PM
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#5
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Guru
City: AR
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,515
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Close the seacock (assuming that, because it drains below waterline, there is a seacock. If there isn't, there should be!).. Put about 2 oz of Raritan C.P. into the drain and fill with water...let stand at least overnight.. Open the seacock, flush out the drain. If you'll do this once a month, you'll always have clean sweet smelling drains. A couple of ounces down the shower drain on a into a sump that's about 25% full of water on a regular basis when it can stand at least overnight will keep it running free and odor free. It can remain in a sump or a drain for a year without harming anything, but it does need time for the enzymes to do their job.
So WHY Raritan C.P.? Although Raritan only markets it as a toilet bowl cleaner--an excellent one!--it's a bio-enzymatic cleaner that also happens to be best sump and drain cleaner on the planet. Not only does it destroy odors on contact, but the enzymes in it "eat" grease, oil, hair, soap scum...all the the things that make drains and sumps stink and clog up sump pumps.
Btw... C.P. was part of the product line that my own company developed and then sold to Raritan...possibly the BEST product in our line.
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11-22-2015, 01:52 PM
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#6
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Guru
City: SF Bay Area
Vessel Model: Tollycraft 34' Tri Cabin
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 12,569
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadMistress
Close the seacock (assuming that, because it drains below waterline, there is a seacock. If there isn't, there should be!).. Put about 2 oz of Raritan C.P. into the drain and fill with water...let stand at least overnight.. Open the seacock, flush out the drain. If you'll do this once a month, you'll always have clean sweet smelling drains. A couple of ounces down the shower drain on a into a sump that's about 25% full of water on a regular basis when it can stand at least overnight will keep it running free and odor free. It can remain in a sump or a drain for a year without harming anything, but it does need time for the enzymes to do their job.
So WHY Raritan C.P.? Although Raritan only markets it as a toilet bowl cleaner--an excellent one!--it's a bio-enzymatic cleaner that also happens to be best sump and drain cleaner on the planet. Not only does it destroy odors on contact, but the enzymes in it "eat" grease, oil, hair, soap scum...all the the things that make drains and sumps stink and clog up sump pumps.
Btw... C.P. was part of the product line that my own company developed and then sold to Raritan...possibly the BEST product in our line.
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Howdy Peggie
C.P. sure sounds great... Your own Co developed it... maybe I missed something all this time. Can you further enlighten regarding your Co?
Cheers! - Art
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11-22-2015, 03:03 PM
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#7
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Guru
City: AR
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,515
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You haven't missed anything Art...I started the company in '87 with one product, added a few that we could stand behind with money back guarantee, became a distributor and mail order retailer for every US mfr of toilets, tanks and related products and accessories, became a vendor to WM, B/US and a couple other national retailers, learned a LOT along the way...sold it to Raritan in '99. My occupation ever since has been "semi-retired consultant/author."
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11-22-2015, 03:21 PM
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#8
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Enigma
City: Slicker?
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 16,563
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Greetings,
Ms. HM. "...My occupation ever since has been "semi-retired consultant/author." Ummmm....you forgot cute!
__________________
RTF
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11-22-2015, 03:55 PM
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#9
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Guru
City: Annapolis
Vessel Name: Ranger
Vessel Model: 58' Sedan Bridge
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 7,087
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We've always had good success with CP.
About that seacock thing... I suppose, if the discharge is below the waterline...
But we've found P-traps to be quite common as well, and one source of odor is simply stuff (soap, hair, grease, whatever, depending on sink) sitting in the trap. In that case, a good rinse is useful... but we've also augmented with a little toy plunger, to break up the lettuce or whatever... so more flushing can move more of that out over the hump and out the rest of the line.
Plus periodic treatments with CP.
Although vinegar and baking soda can do some good, too.
-Chris
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, USA
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11-22-2015, 04:59 PM
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#10
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Guru
City: AR
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,515
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P-traps do not belong on boats. Their sole purpose on land is to provide a water gap that blocks sewer gasses that would otherwise escape through showers, tubs and sinks. But sink, tub and shower drains on boats aren't connected to sewers, eliminating the need for P-traps to block any gasses from sewers (gray water tanks CAN stink, but don't have to if they're maintained, so they're not a valid defense of P-traps). Because all drains on boats drain via gravity, P-traps are nothing but impedances to good drainage. And, as Chris noted, they become traps for food and other non-liquids that go down drains.
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11-22-2015, 05:33 PM
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#11
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Master and Commander
City: Vallejo CA
Vessel Name: Carquinez Coot
Vessel Model: penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,559
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Haven't have the problem. Maybe putting a bit of chlorine in the fresh-water tanks helps.
__________________
Kar-KEEN-ez Koot
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11-22-2015, 06:48 PM
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#12
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Guru
City: SF Bay Area
Vessel Model: Tollycraft 34' Tri Cabin
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 12,569
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadMistress
You haven't missed anything Art...I started the company in '87 with one product, added a few that we could stand behind with money back guarantee, became a distributor and mail order retailer for every US mfr of toilets, tanks and related products and accessories, became a vendor to WM, B/US and a couple other national retailers, learned a LOT along the way...sold it to Raritan in '99. My occupation ever since has been "semi-retired consultant/author."
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Cool!!!
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11-22-2015, 06:52 PM
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#13
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Guru
City: SF Bay Area
Vessel Model: Tollycraft 34' Tri Cabin
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 12,569
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RT Firefly
Greetings,
Ms. HM. "...My occupation ever since has been "semi-retired consultant/author." Ummmm....you forgot cute!
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Agreed!
Cute was well before "semi-retired" too... so was and is smart!!
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11-22-2015, 09:10 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
City: Seattle, WA.
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 127
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Great idea for the CP with closed seacock. We're going to give that a go.
Thanks Peggy!
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11-22-2015, 09:47 PM
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#15
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Guru
City: AR
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,515
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A 20 year career in advertising overlapped my starting a company that specialized in poop management. Several people have told me it really wasn't much of a career leap.
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11-22-2015, 11:08 PM
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#16
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Guru
City: Madeira Beach, FL
Vessel Name: Seaweed
Vessel Model: Schucker mini-trawler
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 1,236
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I suspect gunk in the pipe. There is a gizmo sold at the dollar store that has little nubbies on it. Plunge it down the drain and then tug it up. Do that multiple times and you'll be surprised what all appears.
I just did mine and it was disgusting. No smell as my drain is above the water line. And the hair (puppy) managed to catch a lot of other stuff that should have gone down the drain.
It's called a Zip-It drain cleaner. Here's a picture from an upcoming article (unpublished as of yet)
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11-23-2015, 06:01 AM
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#17
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Guru
City: Annapolis
Vessel Name: Ranger
Vessel Model: 58' Sedan Bridge
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 7,087
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HeadMistress
P-traps do not belong on boats. Their sole purpose on land is to provide a water gap that blocks sewer gasses that would otherwise escape through showers, tubs and sinks. But sink, tub and shower drains on boats aren't connected to sewers, eliminating the need for P-traps to block any gasses from sewers (gray water tanks CAN stink, but don't have to if they're maintained, so they're not a valid defense of P-traps). Because all drains on boats drain via gravity, P-traps are nothing but impedances to good drainage. And, as Chris noted, they become traps for food and other non-liquids that go down drains.
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Many manufacturers don't seem to know that first part.
I've read it's also about blocking gasses (including CO, as from gensets) from the boat you're rafted to. I guess that sounds slightly plausible...
Quote:
Originally Posted by janice142
I suspect gunk in the pipe.
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I suspect Janice's Shucker has a P-trap.
-Chris
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, USA
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11-23-2015, 06:53 AM
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#18
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,143
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ranger42c
Many manufacturers don't seem to know that first part.
I've read it's also about blocking gasses (including CO, as from gensets) from the boat you're rafted to. I guess that sounds slightly plausible...
I suspect Janice's Shucker has a P-trap.
-Chris
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Good point on the genset exhaust or CO in general. Guess it would depend if the thru-hull empties under water or not.
Goes to show...many different opinions and reasons to do things a particular way on a boat...and depending on which position is taken...might sway the way one deals with setting a boat up.
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11-23-2015, 09:59 AM
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#19
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Guru
City: AR
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,515
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P-traps in sink drains aren't much protection from CO...Every above waterline thru-hull, hatch and even the smallest cracks that allow air in are openings for CO from gas generators. I've known of more than a few times when canvas cockpit enclosures became death traps. Diesel is low risk unless you're in the engine room with a leaky exhaust...but anyone who runs a gas genset while sleeping is suicidal even the boat has CO detectors.
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11-23-2015, 10:04 AM
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#20
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Guru
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,143
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More than a few that own gas boats with gensets will disagree about being suicidal...and there was at least one death the USCG has attributed to CO making its way into a stateroom through the sink drain....
Obviously a freak accident...but then again...where are the openings and likely hood of being in the path of CO?
Just saying there are more than one set of concerns and experiences that drive boat designing, building and ,modifying.
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