Kitchen Sink Drain Funk

[AdmiralS]

We spend 9 months a year aboard. We have owned the boat since new in 2019.

We have developed a bit of funk coming from the kitchen sink drain. It is a straight hose overboard. 1.5 to 2" I think, waste line so shouldn't have permeated as no stink in cabinet or engine room where it exits side of hull.

We use a strainer which is cleaned out after each session, and we do not pour anything down the drain that would be an issue like oil, grease, etc.

I have tried several remedies so far including vinegar, drain sanitizer, boiling water, dish soap and hot water, multipurpose kitchen cleaner, dishwasher powder mixed with warm water to make a goopy concoction to coat the hose.

Let all of those sit and the funk goes away for a few hours and then seems to come back.

Anyone have some magical miracle cure that we can try to abate the issue?

 

[C lectric]

Take a look at the sink drain hose run.

If there is a dip in the hose anywhere then dirty water and debris can be caught and held to cause problems later. It there is a dip then do what you can to eliminate the dip.

On a boat anything like a P trap is not needed unless there is a grey water tank involved. In that case you may need the blackwater holding tank hose.

Don't assume the hose is the best available when the boat was built.

 

[Comodave]

If the hose is either 1” or 1.5” replace it with SaniFlex hose.

 

[C lectric]

I meant to suggest the Saniflex hose but my brain??? had a hiccup.

I agree though.

 

[Comodave]

I use the SaniFlex for bilge pump hose since it is smooth bore and so flexible. It isn’t cheap but it is easy to work with. And it works great for waste discharge hose too…

 

[luna]

The magical miracle cure would be to put in an ABS P-trap just like your house has under the sink.

Their purpose is to stop gases from coming up the through the drainage system and they also just might allow you to recover that diamond that fell out of the engagement ring. Get the one that has the drain port on the bottom as it makes your life a lot less messy. Might cost you $2 more from Home Depot or Lowes.

If the hose does not stink on the outside, with a trap, who cares if it stinks on the inside.

 

[Comodave]

I would not have a P trap. Don’t need it on a boat. It is just something to get clogged up. Let the water drain directly overboard. There are no sewer gasses to stop with a P trap. Have as short and direct drain run as possible.

 

[Bacchus]

I would not have a P trap. Don’t need it on a boat. It is just something to get clogged up. Let the water drain directly overboard. There are no sewer gasses to stop with a P trap. Have as short and direct drain run as possible.

I agree w Dave on all counts.
You might try some baking soda and some vinegar as a cleaner. It will bubble vigorously which helps to remove any adhered residues.
I doubt the mfg would have installed a trap but there very well could be a low spot. Worth checking and cleaning before making this a major project unnecessarily.

 

[Bmarler]

I put a trap on my last boat simply because it was the easiest way to plumb the double sink drain. It never clogged. Not even once. The metal one eventually rusted through so I replaced it with a plastic one. I can’t think of a downside to having it. It’ll catch a ring if you lose it down the drain too.
I do have another idea though. My drain for the sink in the head is pretty close to the holding tank vent and in certain wind conditions it can waft up the drain. I just put a rubber stopper in it.

 

[rslifkin]

The only time you'd need a trap is with a gray water tank (to keep smell out of the sinks). For overboard drains it probably won't hurt, but it's not needed.



That said, I do have to keep the sink drain in my aft head plugged when it's not in use, as it's about 4 feet aft of the generator exhaust and at the same level. If at anchor with the right amount of wind, you get generator fumes blown up the drain if the generator is running.

 

[luna]

With all due respect to the Moderator & Site Team participants, there must be some kind of gas coming from the sink drain otherwise there would be no funk. So there is a need.
All 6 sink/shower drains on board my boat have P-traps, never a clog or funk, except after 4 months of non use the guest shower drain will stink only because the water in the trap has evaporated. A cup of fresh water fixes the problem.

This should not be a major project to put in one under sink P-trap, $25 likely buys all the parts and if your competent in an hour and a half, your done.

The only downside is the under sink room that they consume, although it's possible that if done right (keep it as high as possible) it will help clean up the plumbing mess under the sink.

Otherwise you will just continue to pour chemicals and acids down the drain. for a 2 hour reprieve.

Good Luck.

 

[PM]

Put a cork in it.

pete

 

[HeadMistress]

[FONT=&quot]Sink drains and sumps don't have to stink and keeping 'em clean is one job that doesn't require any manual labor:
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Raritan only markets their "C.P. Cleans Potties" as a bowl cleaner--and it is an excellent one. But it's also the best sump and drain cleaner on the planet. C.P. is a bio-enzymatic cleaner that not only destroys odor on contact, but the enzymes in it "eat" hair, soap scum, body oils, galley grease and all the stuff that clogs sumps and drains and makes 'em stinky. All you need to is put 2-3 oz down the shower drain when it can stand at least overnight...the enzymes need time to work. Then flush clean water through the sump. You can even let it remain in the sump for weeks, 'cuz although the enzymes exhaust themselves in 24 hours, there's nothing in C.P. that can harm anything. To clean sink drains, close the seacock, then put about an ounce of C.P down the drain and fill the drain with water--again when it can stand at least overnight. Next morning, run clean water through it. That's it...job done.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]--Peggie
[/FONT]

 

[thedeltaskipper]

My 1981 381 had p-traps on the sinks in both heads. I did appreciate that no generator exhaust fumes would come back up when I ran the generator. The galley sink had been replaced and had no p-trap but was on the opposite side of the boat from the generator exhaust.

The only time you'd need a trap is with a gray water tank (to keep smell out of the sinks). For overboard drains it probably won't hurt, but it's not needed.



That said, I do have to keep the sink drain in my aft head plugged when it's not in use, as it's about 4 feet aft of the generator exhaust and at the same level. If at anchor with the right amount of wind, you get generator fumes blown up the drain if the generator is running.

 

[rslifkin]

My 1981 381 had p-traps on the sinks in both heads. I did appreciate that no generator exhaust fumes would come back up when I ran the generator. The galley sink had been replaced and had no p-trap but was on the opposite side of the boat from the generator exhaust.

Interesting. They must have deleted the traps when they changed up the interior on the later years (my boat is an 86).

 

[RustyPBucket]

Had this problem with the galley sink. It is a straight run outside, no dips. Ran a bleach solution down the hose and it fixed it up. Turns out the smell was from not flushing the dish soap from hose after using the sink for dishes. Haven’t had any problem with it since.

 

[timb7734]

I can recommend “Happy Camper” available on Amazon for all waste liquifying and odor needs. About $55 for 64 treatments of 40 gallons per.

 

[AdmiralS]

[FONT=&quot]Sink drains and sumps don't have to stink and keeping 'em clean is one job that doesn't require any manual labor:
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Raritan only markets their "C.P. Cleans Potties" as a bowl cleaner--and it is an excellent one. But it's also the best sump and drain cleaner on the planet. C.P. is a bio-enzymatic cleaner that not only destroys odor on contact, but the enzymes in it "eat" hair, soap scum, body oils, galley grease and all the stuff that clogs sumps and drains and makes 'em stinky. All you need to is put 2-3 oz down the shower drain when it can stand at least overnight...the enzymes need time to work. Then flush clean water through the sump. You can even let it remain in the sump for weeks, 'cuz although the enzymes exhaust themselves in 24 hours, there's nothing in C.P. that can harm anything. To clean sink drains, close the seacock, then put about an ounce of C.P down the drain and fill the drain with water--again when it can stand at least overnight. Next morning, run clean water through it. That's it...job done.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]--Peggie
[/FONT]

Hi All, Thanks for all the great responses. To close the loop on this one, I did as Peggie recommended and it worked perfectly. Let it sit over night with the valve closed overnight and the funk is now gone! Simple fixs are always the best!

 

[willd]

[FONT=&quot]Sink drains and sumps don't have to stink and keeping 'em clean is one job that doesn't require any manual labor:
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] Raritan only markets their "C.P. Cleans Potties" as a bowl cleaner--and it is an excellent one. But it's also the best sump and drain cleaner on the planet. C.P. is a bio-enzymatic cleaner that not only destroys odor on contact, but the enzymes in it "eat" hair, soap scum, body oils, galley grease and all the stuff that clogs sumps and drains and makes 'em stinky. All you need to is put 2-3 oz down the shower drain when it can stand at least overnight...the enzymes need time to work. Then flush clean water through the sump. You can even let it remain in the sump for weeks, 'cuz although the enzymes exhaust themselves in 24 hours, there's nothing in C.P. that can harm anything. To clean sink drains, close the seacock, then put about an ounce of C.P down the drain and fill the drain with water--again when it can stand at least overnight. Next morning, run clean water through it. That's it...job done.
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]--Peggie
[/FONT]

Does Odorlos work just as well for this purpose?

 

[Datenight]

AdmiralS,

Do you have a double sink? If the slope is not enough between the sinks crud can collect in the flat connector and begin to smell over time. We have that issue at home and have to clean the drains before the disposal every 6-8 months.

Rob

 

[HeadMistress]

Does Odorlos work just as well for this purpose?

Nope, because Raritan C.P. is a bio-active product...it's the enzymes that do the work and the reason it has to remain in the sump or drain for several hours. You only need an ounce or two in water.

The active ingredient in Odorlos is nitrates..no bio-activity in it....nothing in it to "digest" the gunk, hair etc.

--Peggie

 

[willd]

Nope, because Raritan C.P. is a bio-active product...it's the enzymes that do the work and the reason it has to remain in the sump or drain for several hours. You only need an ounce or two in water.

The active ingredient in Odorlos is nitrates..no bio-activity in it....nothing in it to "digest" the gunk, hair etc.

--Peggie

Ok, some raritan CP has been ordered. Two questions:

1) Is it fine to just pour down the drain, with excess running into the sea. Or do I need to stick a cork in the outport, ad 2-3oz of this stuff plus enough water to fill up the hose to the drain (btw, at your recommendation, I've replaced as most of my hoses with saniflex).

2) How frequently do you suggest doing this exercise for preventative purposes: (a) for sinks and showers draining directly overboard, (b) for sinks and showers going through a sump, and (c) for toilets, going straight into the sea?

Thanks again
Will

 

[willd]

Seperate question on septic tank cleaning/storage:

I have a septic tank that I've cleaned with a pressure washer as best I can (the ice and rocking trick is not an option for my immobile boat). All that is left is (a) stuff stuck on the walls that is so hard it holds up to a pressure washer, and (b) some heavy grit (looks almost like sand, and might actually be sand--not sure what the diet of the previous owners was!) that I can't get the waste pump to suck up, even agitating it with the pressure washer. Otherwise, the water is clear! (that was a lot of work!)

My plan is to order some Raritan KO to see if that can "eat up" the hard stuff on the side or heavy stuff on the bottom. First question: Does that make sense?

Once I get it as clean as I can, my question is how to leave it. It is unused. It's basically there to (a) provide backup if ever needed, (b) add resale value to the boat, and (c) add weight to the boat low and center (so i'm inclined to leave it full of clean water, unless this is not advised).

Second question: what to leave in the water (if anything) so it doesn't smell, attract bugs, etc... Bleach? (I don't plan to dump it for years, if ever, so the environmental impact should be minimal) Raritan KO? Something else? (in case relevant, right now the tank drains via some old dometic hoses and pvc pipe, but I plan to replace the hose with already purchased saniflex soon).

Thanks again
Will

 

[Comodave]

Do a search for OC Divers thread about cleaning his holding tank. He used sodium perconate and Tide laundry detergent. If the deposits are that hard maybe just leave it alone. Does it smell? As to how to leave the tank, I think that I would leave it empty.

 

[HeadMistress]

Ok, some raritan CP has been ordered. Two questions:

1) Is it fine to just pour down the drain, with excess running into the sea. Or do I need to stick a cork in the outport, ad 2-3oz of this stuff plus enough water to fill up the hose to the drain (btw, at your recommendation, I've replaced as most of my hoses with saniflex).


C.P. doesn't coat the inside of the drain or sump, it has to sit in the drain or sump for several hours so the drain has to be closed. Put 1-2 oz in a sink drain, , fill with water. 2-3 oz in the shower sump...put it down the shower drain with enough water to fill the sump about 2/3 full. Let stand at least overnight.

2) How frequently do you suggest doing this exercise for preventative purposes: (a) for sinks and showers draining directly overboard, (b) for sinks and showers going through a sump, and (c) for toilets, going straight into the sea?

C.P. is a cure, not a preventive, so use it when the drain or sump starts to smell funky. It's never occurred to me to use it in a toilet discharge line. If you have odor coming back into the bowl, replace the joker valve in the toilet discharge line and make sure to flush long enough each time to rinse out the hose.


Peggie

 

[HeadMistress]

I have a septic tank that I've cleaned with a pressure washer as best I can (the ice and rocking trick is not an option for my immobile boat). All that is left is (a) stuff stuck on the walls that is so hard it holds up to a pressure washer, and (b) some heavy grit (looks almost like sand, and might actually be sand--not sure what the diet of the previous owners was!) that I can't get the waste pump to suck up, even agitating it with the pressure washer. Otherwise, the water is clear! (that was a lot of work!)

My plan is to order some Raritan KO to see if that can "eat up" the hard stuff on the side or heavy stuff on the bottom. First question: Does that make sense?

Nope...won't work. Use detergent with the pressure washer to clean the tank walls...you wouldn't have the sludge in the bottom of the tank if you flushed it out 2-3 x/season. No-Flex in the tank will prevent it and a healthy dose or two of it now should dissolve it.


--Peggie

 

[Max1]

When I had sink stink, I tried all kinds of chemicals then it would never go away. In my case I removed the hose and noticed a thin layer of slime on the walls of the hose. I'm assuming that the Slime caused the stink and no matter what you put down there to cleanse it the Slime would never come off. In my case I happen to have a pipe cleaner handy exactly the size of the pipe, so I scrubbed it out from both ends and put it back.
No more stink.

In your case either the hose is slimy and needs to be cleaned, or just replace the hose.