# What is the gross smelly orange stuff in my sink? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 13, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-gross-smelly-orange-stuff-in-my-sink/513714 "2009-10-13T23:06:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-gross-smelly-orange-stuff-in-my-sink/513714/1 "2009-10-13T23:06:52Z")
There’s an orange gritty gook that smells like broccoli that is forming in the bowl of my bathroom sink. Plus my sink is about 80% clogged, and it looks like the same stuff is in my drain. What is this, and how can I get rid of it, without getting a plumber? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-gross-smelly-orange-stuff-in-my-sink/513714/2 "2009-10-13T23:33:55Z")
Algae, mineral deposits, bacteria. You’ve probably got a hairball blocking the drain. Pull off or unscrew the drain stopper and pull out the hair with a tweezer/pliers/cut coathanger with a hook bent into it etc etc etc. Clean the sink, and throw some bleach in there to soak. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-gross-smelly-orange-stuff-in-my-sink/513714/3 "2009-10-14T01:05:21Z")
Slime mold ---
**Author:** ![pan1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e495f1/32.png) [@pan1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pan1)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-gross-smelly-orange-stuff-in-my-sink/513714/4 "2009-10-14T14:28:44Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > Slime mold Yep. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-gross-smelly-orange-stuff-in-my-sink/513714/5 "2009-10-14T15:09:50Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Algae, mineral deposits, bacteria. > > You’ve probably got a hairball blocking the drain. > Pull off or unscrew the drain stopper and pull out the hair with a tweezer/pliers/cut coathanger with a hook bent into it etc etc etc. > > Clean the sink, and throw some bleach in there to soak. Depending on the sink construction you might actually need to unscrew something in the piping underneath the sink, rather than simply removing the drain plug. I had to do this with our bathroom sink once - the plug could be raised / lowered by a knob on the faucet control, and that was connected down underneath the sink to a lever that actually went into the side of the pipe just under the bowl of the sink. Just make sure the sink is as well drained as possible - you don’t want a lot of water trapped in the pipe, coming out when you undo the connection. Well worth doing it though - the amount of gunk that can build in there is impressive. Then follow through with thorough cleaning / bleach rinse as others have noted. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-gross-smelly-orange-stuff-in-my-sink/513714/6 "2009-10-14T17:34:07Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > Slime mold Does [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GScyw3ammmk) look like what’s in your sink? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-gross-smelly-orange-stuff-in-my-sink/513714/7 "2009-10-14T17:52:56Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Does [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GScyw3ammmk) look like what’s in your sink? My sink is not so dirty to support slime mold. I clean out the drain a couple times a year. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-gross-smelly-orange-stuff-in-my-sink/513714/8 "2009-10-14T18:47:36Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > Depending on the sink construction you might actually need to unscrew something in the piping underneath the sink, rather than simply removing the drain plug. I had to do this with our bathroom sink once - the plug could be raised / lowered by a knob on the faucet control, and that was connected down underneath the sink to a lever that actually went into the side of the pipe just under the bowl of the sink. So what do you do about the slime oozin’ out from your TV set? ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-gross-smelly-orange-stuff-in-my-sink/513714/9 "2009-10-14T18:56:22Z")
> [@Washoe](#): > > So what do you do about the slime oozin’ out from your TV set? I’d try calling the Ghostbusters for that. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-gross-smelly-orange-stuff-in-my-sink/513714/10 "2009-10-14T19:36:23Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > I’d try calling the Ghostbusters for that. Beat me to the punch! ---
**Author:** ![Diamonds02](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Diamonds02](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diamonds02)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-gross-smelly-orange-stuff-in-my-sink/513714/11 "2009-10-15T01:28:32Z")
Yuck! Can I use draino??? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-gross-smelly-orange-stuff-in-my-sink/513714/12 "2009-10-15T02:15:49Z")
Sure, but it doesn’t work as well as going in after the stuff with tongs. Plus, if your sink’s trap is old and cracked or poorly made, the lye’ll eat through it and you’ll have a horrible drippy caustic mess to clean up under the sink, before you replace the trap. ---
**Author:** ![Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nefarious_chipmunk/32/1045_2.png) [@Nefarious\_Chipmunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefarious_Chipmunk)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-gross-smelly-orange-stuff-in-my-sink/513714/13 "2009-10-17T00:14:51Z")
I have used a tool called “Zip It” with far more success then Draino. It is a white plastic strip with barbs all along the sides. It does and amazing job of grabbing all the hair without having to take apart the drain. It also has the advantage of being really cheap. I think I even got the recommendation from someone here on the boards. ---
**Author:** ![Tabithina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f04885/32.png) [@Tabithina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabithina)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-gross-smelly-orange-stuff-in-my-sink/513714/14 "2009-10-17T02:32:55Z")
> [@heraldgwena](#): > > I have used a tool called “Zip It” with far more success then Draino. It is a white plastic strip with barbs all along the sides. It does and amazing job of grabbing all the hair without having to take apart the drain. It also has the advantage of being really cheap. > > I think I even got the recommendation from someone here on the boards. “Zip it” is fabulous. I keep one under each sink. You can probably get one at your local hardware store for less money, but if not, Amazon has them: [http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-Products-400-Drain-Cleaning/dp/B000BO9204/ref=sr\_1\_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1255746257&sr=8-1](http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-Products-400-Drain-Cleaning/dp/B000BO9204/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1255746257&sr=8-1) Try this instead of chemicals. It’s better and poison-free. We have rental properties and have pulled out horrible hair clogs/rubberbands/bits of plastic wrappers/dental floss with these. Totally worth the small investment.