Remove Hydrogen Sulfide Odor

[scherzoja]

I have a Forespar Marelon raw water strainer that accumulated biological matter and sat for a few months. Now the strainer has a very strong hydrogen sulfide odor. I've washed it out with soap and some kind of enzyme odor neutralizer, but the odor was reduced only a little.

Attached is a picture of the strainer

This is the raw water strainer for the engine and I realize I should have flushed it before letting it sit for months, but the mistake has been made and I'd like to know if anyone knows how to remove the odor from this strainer. The odor also permeated the hose leading to the engine and I replace that.

Thanks

[peghall]

A product called PureAyre PureAyre should eliminate the odor if you clean the strainer thoroughly(use plenty of detergent and water) before using it, 'cuz you can't eliminate any odor unless your first remove the source of that odor. Get it into every nook and cranny of the strainer. Don't rinse, just let it dry.

If the strainer is the only thing you need to treat, a 14 oz spray bottle of it should be plenty. Walmart carries it, but shows out of stock online...check your local stores. And also pet supply stores. Don't be put off by the idea that it's sold as a pet accident odor eliminator...PureAyre is the only product I've found that can eliminate ANY odor, even smoke and diesel. Plus it's safe to use around food, so you can even use it to deodorize a fridge after something spoiled in it.


Btw..I have NO connection to this company...I found PureAyre at a boat show in 2005 and have been using it and recommending it ever since.



--Peggie

[SVHarmonie]

Hydrogen sulfide is detectable by the human nose at VERY low levels, in the parts per BILLION range, and as you seem to understand, it is the result of anaerobic decomposition of organic matter.

H2S itself, is a gas, and very volatile. It does not "hang around." If you have cleaned and aired out the part, and it still smells, it is because there are still bacteria in there making more of it in their private little hideouts. It is possible that the "stinky stuff" is also hiding in the piping...

If you clean it, really well, and rinse or soak with very dilute chlorine bleach, or an oxygen bleach product like Oxyclean, it will be gone. I prefer the oxygen bleaches, they are MUCH less corrosive to metal parts than chlorine bleach. No extra "order neutralizing" products will be needed. H2S, and the bugs that make it, are very susceptible to oxidizing conditions, which is what bleaches do.

If the boat is in the water, use a wet vac to get as much water out of the piping as possible between the closed sea cock and the strainer. Fill the strainer to the top with a bleach solution, and let sit for 4 to 6 hours. Open the sea cock and flush through the entire system well.

I am curious, why this matters? I mean, it has a tight seal on the top, who cares if their engine strainer stinks a bit? It shouldn't be getting out.

[scherzoja]

Peggy, thank you for the advice about PureAyre. I'll try that. While I wait for that order to arrive, I'll give the strainer a soak in an OxyClean solution.

Fortunately, the contaminated area is restricted to the strainer, its incoming hose (10") and the output hose to the v drive (8").

I've tossed those two hoses and will attempt to clean the strainer and its parts.

Harmonie, the reason it's an issue is because I can't stand that smell. That strainer design is sealed in the sense that water cannot escape, but there is a gap between the lid and the body (very small paper-thin). The lid compresses against the gasket and prevents water from escaping, but the strainer still stinks, even when sealed up and new hoses on.

I'll try what y'all suggested and see if I can get it clean.

Thanks again.

[Tayana42]

Did you replace the gasket?

[thinwater]

Oxygen bleaches function as hydrogen peroxide (percarbonate), FYI.


The advantage of percarbonate, in this case, is that peroxide is much better at penetrating into plastics than bleach. This will require a very long soak, so fill it up and leave it for 6 hours.

[scherzoja]

Peggy,

Thank you for the advice on the PureAyre, it worked very well. The plastic has no trace of the malodorous scent, but I still detect a very slight odor in the large o-ring. It's probably odor-free enough, but I'm going to try Thinwater's tip on hydrogen peroxide.

FYI: While waiting for mail to deliver PureAyre, I tried oxyclean (the laundry detergent) and it failed.

[NPCampbell]

A cheap, practical approach that works for many smells is to rinse the part with a solution of baking soda and water. Make sure the part doesn't contain any aluminum though as the baking soda is corrosive to it.