funny smell off kitchen hot water

[sannesley]

We've had a problem which has developed over the last 4-5 months. Sometimes when we wash the dishes in the sink and leave them to dry there can be an unpleasent smell on the washed items.

This doesn't happen all the time and it seems to be that the sponge used picks up the smell and if we change the sponge the smell goes away for a while.

We've used the same plumbing system since we moved in 9 years ago and had no problems up until now. I just wondered if it was possible that the problem might be coming from the header tank in the attic or the hot water cylinder.

Anybody experienced anything like this before?

 

[regsmyth]

Does it smell a bit like drowned rotting pigeon chicks?

 

[holty]

bet there will be an investment in a reg16(bylaw 30) kit.

 

[sannesley]

Does it smell a bit like drowned rotting pigeon chicks?

Not that I would know what they smell like but I take it that you found one in someones tank once??

 

[dextrous]

Have you checked for anything untoward inside the tank (although if this were the problem I'd expect the bath water to smell a bit iffy also)? Also, what sort of tap have you got - sometimes the rubber flexipipe (if it's connected by one) degrades.

 

[RigidRaider]

It's nothing to do with the water; the clue is in the sponge smelling then not smelling when you change it.

A damp sponge left in or beside the sink in a warm room is the perfect breeding ground for bacteria. Add some small bits of food debris and you might as well give the bacteria an olympic swimming pool and several cases of strong beer; they will be reproducing by the millions every minute. You are then spreading the bacteria all over the crockery, which is seriously dangerous to health especially if you use one of the plates to store food.

The smell is a by-product of the bacterial growth. You need to change your sponge often or make sure it gets dried in between wash-ups. Also washing up in properly hot water will kill a lot of the bacteria - hot enough to need rubber gloves I mean.

 

[kmeeres]

Dishcloths, drying cloths and kitchen sinks have more bacteria than in a tiolet.
Drying cloths should be changed daily.
Dish cloths rarely dry out between uses and are best sterilised before each use.
You need to check you header tank.
Water can sometimes get to be smelly though once the chlorine has evaporated, mains cold however should not. Consider a cold rinse under the tap before racking up to dry.
Brushes tend to carry less bacteria thn dishcloths as they are non porous.
Try the above , if the problem persists consider testing the water and do not forget the hot supply.

 

[sannesley]

A bit of investigation has brought about a similar conclusion. This morning I dried the dishes by drip drying in a location away from the sink on absorbent roll. This resulted in the washed items having no smell.

The draining board and the plastic drying rack that is normally used seem to have this smell as well. so they get a good clean as well now

 

[holty]

remember my old collage tutor saying to me, he'd sooner work on toilets than kitchen sinks.at least you know what your expecting with toilets.

 

[JohnD]

If you like to use washing-up sponges, after every use, rinse them clean in fresh hot water, and squeeze through a squirt of washing up liquid so it foams up the sponge and impregnates it with WUL.

Leave it to dry. The WUL prevents bacterial growth. When you wash it out ready for the next use, the WUL will have loosened any traces of grease or food as well as preventing bacterial growth. It needs not be an expensive antibacterial WUL, they all work. BTW you can do this with face-flannels and bath-sponges too, using bath foam or whatever is handy.

Or, you could invest in a nylon washing-up brush which will be immune from this problem unless you leave it dirty and in a moist place.

Don't use drying-up clothes or dishcloths. They are disgusting and harbour thriving colonies of bacteria and moulds, which you then smear over the freshly-washed dishes

 

[glasgowgas]

to the OP

thanks for posting and your details have been passed

to Kim and Aggie who will be round shortly to clean and disenfect
your p iss stained hovel


tramp

 

[sannesley]

to the OP

thanks for posting and your details have been passed

to Kim and Aggie who will be round shortly to clean and disenfect
your p iss stained hovel


tramp

Is this before or after they clean your pit first??

 

[glasgowgas]

to the OP

thanks for posting and your details have been passed

to Kim and Aggie who will be round shortly to clean and disenfect
your p iss stained hovel


tramp

Is this before or after they clean your pit first??

jog on declan