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Hose pipe smells of rotten eggs

Flynn73Flynn73 Posts: 19
in Problem solving
Hi all, I did a quick search for this but didn't see anything but my hosepipe smells of rotten eggs when you first start using it. I don't want to throw it as it's an expensive auto reel hose. I believe it's hydrogen sulphide bacteria and I've tried using a Jeyes fluid solution and bleach solution but after a week it starts smelling again. After treatment I flush it through thoroughly but has anyone else had this problem? Would love to know if anyone has experienced this and how it was solved for good. Many thanks.

Dan
«13

Posts

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Perhaps something crawled up it and died. Flushing it through wouldn't work if the thing is still up there or in the reel. Can you attach it to a jet wash, perhaps? Is the water pressure through the hose/reel the same as before?
  • Flynn73Flynn73 Posts: 19
    Hi Fire, pressure does seem to be normal. I think my in-laws have a pressure washer I can borrow to attach and give it a flush through. No one else I've spoken to seems to have experienced this problem which is odd. Would sincerely love to get to the bottom of it.🤔
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    When you used the cleaner solution did you make sure there were no air pockets left in the hose?
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I guess if you keep using the pipe, the thing that's causing the smell would pass through in time. Not very pleasant but temporary, I imagine.
  • Flynn73Flynn73 Posts: 19
    Unfortunately Fire it's been about a year now if not longer.☹

    Hey Wild Edges. I kept pouring solution down until it came through the pipe. I ran the reel out as far as it would go through poured hot bleach mixture down.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    It might help to soak the pipe rather than just pour the solution through. I'd get a large container full of milton and feed the hose in from one end to make sure all the air was pushed out. You might need to weigh the end down with a brick or something as you feed the rest of the hose in to stop it rising up and sucking in air.

    You can fashion a pull-through cleaner for it but you'd need a long length of wire or electric cable to feed through first, then tie a strong string to that and pull through, tie a chunk of scouring sponge to the end of the string and pull it through. Soak in milton, do the pull through then soak again and if that doesn't fix it then nothing will. It works for home brew hoses on a smaller scale anyway.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Flynn73Flynn73 Posts: 19
    Great idea Wild Edges. As the hose is on a sealed reel the soaking will be tough but the pull through idea might work. Will see what i can do. Still be interested to know if anyone else has ever had this. Cheers guys
  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    Bleach is what is used on wells that get the iron bacteria in them, so a strong bleach solution and soaking the hose for 24hrs may work.
  • ju1i3ju1i3 Posts: 189
    My hose used to smell - for years. It's only since your post, I realise recently it isn't, maybe because I've been using it so much as it's so dry. I'm watering my pots every day. I just accepted the smell and after using it a bit the smell went away - until the next time I used it.
  • Flynn73Flynn73 Posts: 19
    Good to know it's not just our hose, wife hates it. Smell can go right through the house it can get that strong!😣
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